Cometsoft has announced its participation in Steam Next Fest with 'Time Snatcher Handy,' a project developed in collaboration with Korean indie developer Clockwork Cat. This 2D retro-style title blends bullet-hell mechanics with roguelike progression and is slated for a release on Steam and Stove later this year.

'Steam Next Fest' is the digital storefront's annual showcase for demos and upcoming releases, scheduled to run from October 13th to the 20th. Before reaching this global stage, Time Snatcher Handy previously made appearances at the Burning Beaver indie festival last year and the Busan Indie Connect Festival (BIC) earlier this year.

In this game, you step into the paws of Handy, a feline thief attempting to escape the Time Museum. Armed with the power of the 'Clock Hand,' Handy can manipulate time itself. You will need to dodge incoming bullet-hell barrages from guards, freeze the clock to create an opening, and dash through the gaps to launch a counter-assault.

Time is more than just a gimmick here; it is the core resource. Every second spent freezing the environment or purchasing items drains your gauge, and Handy loses time whenever taking hits from enemies. To stay in the fight, you must aggressively strike guards to steal back precious seconds. Various items further spice up the action, allowing players to accelerate time or even rain down meteorites.

The demo, updated on the 18th, now includes additional story segments, items, and stages. Beyond refining the existing English and Japanese localisations, the developers have also expanded support to include both Traditional and Simplified Chinese.