Fading Reel Demo

A sepia Roguelike — lead a chained squad through 22 waves. Map events split your line, milestone recruits add firepower. Linked Blink, run upgrades, 19 Evolutions, and a permanent meta tree carry you to the final Boss Hydra.

Your squad grows. The map tears you apart.Fading Reel is a wave-based Roguelike where you lead a chained squad through a forgotten 1930s animation reel. You aim and move as the leader; teammates follow every step and fire on their own. A longer chain means more bullets — and more risk when the arena splits you apart.<video class="bb_img" autoplay muted loop playsinline poster="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/b88a5f2603a7edd51e44bf047c8cbf00.poster.avif?t=1782226466" aria-label="Chain Horde" width=1170 height=658 ><source src="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/b88a5f2603a7edd51e44bf047c8cbf00.webm?t=1782226466" type="video/webm; codecs=vp9"><source src="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/b88a5f2603a7edd51e44bf047c8cbf00.mp4?t=1782226466" type="video/mp4"></video><h2 class="bb_tag" >Chained squad combat</h2>The HUD tracks Leader and Mate HP in separate rows. If a Mate is crushed or cut off mid-wave, they leave the field — but your roster bench refills missing squadmates at the next wave start. Stack damage, fire rate, spread, and cohesion upgrades after each horde; detached Mates stop firing until you reattach (some Evolutions change that rule).<h2 class="bb_tag" >Map events split your formation</h2>The arena is not scenery. Closing gates, sweep beams, lockdown zones, and anchor tethers force split-second calls: regroup fast, or keep fighting understrength. Circle back to reattach before the horde closes in.<video class="bb_img" autoplay muted loop playsinline poster="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/1bf5dff1589b766c6db2eb8a65541943.poster.avif?t=1782226466" aria-label="Map Events" width=1170 height=658 ><source src="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/1bf5dff1589b766c6db2eb8a65541943.webm?t=1782226466" type="video/webm; codecs=vp9"><source src="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/1bf5dff1589b766c6db2eb8a65541943.mp4?t=1782226466" type="video/mp4"></video><h2 class="bb_tag" >Linked Blink</h2>At Wave 12 start, unlock Linked Blink — teleport the entire attached chain together (~0.4 s, 1.5 s cooldown). Attached units are briefly invulnerable; mistime it and the HUD flashes a deny pulse. Essential for dodging Blaster ground bursts and Hydra charges.<video class="bb_img" autoplay muted loop playsinline poster="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/a3727cc376d984e96f24f909d8d8dda6.poster.avif?t=1782226466" aria-label="Linked Blink" width=1170 height=658 ><source src="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/a3727cc376d984e96f24f909d8d8dda6.webm?t=1782226466" type="video/webm; codecs=vp9"><source src="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/a3727cc376d984e96f24f909d8d8dda6.mp4?t=1782226466" type="video/mp4"></video><h2 class="bb_tag" >Survive the wave. Stack your build.</h2>Clear each horde wave, then pick one of three random run upgrades from a pool of stat boosts — fire rate, max HP, heals, move speed, projectile damage, chain resilience, knockback resist, map-pull resist, and squad-scaled perks.Milestone waves 3, 6, and 13 auto-add a squad member and play a Reel Sync story beat (no upgrade menu on those waves).<h2 class="bb_tag" >Evolve after the mini-boss</h2>Wave 11 is the mini Hydra fight. After you win, choose one of three randomly rolled Evolutions from 19 run-long paths — e.g. Twin Reel, Rail Line, Living Chain, Long Leash, or Gate Runner. That pick defines your Act II identity (Wave 11 has no normal upgrade menu).<h2 class="bb_tag" >Act II and the final reel</h2>Wave 12 is a Blaster-only intro (ground-burst dodging), then Act II (Waves 13–21) hits with the full six-type roster — Chaser, Skirmisher, Bruiser, Shooter, Splitter, and Blaster — longer spawn windows, and stacked map events. Wave 22 is the final Hydra; beating it wins the run.<video class="bb_img" autoplay muted loop playsinline poster="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/5b0fb0543a75c8b931ad9f0eda7974d9.poster.avif?t=1782226466" aria-label="Boss Hydra" width=1170 height=658 ><source src="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/5b0fb0543a75c8b931ad9f0eda7974d9.webm?t=1782226466" type="video/webm; codecs=vp9"><source src="https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/4853450/extras/5b0fb0543a75c8b931ad9f0eda7974d9.mp4?t=1782226466" type="video/mp4"></video><h2 class="bb_tag" >Meta progression between runs</h2>Spend currency on 12 permanent branches (3 tiers each): Squad Roster, Vitality, Constitution, Field Triage, Swift March, Chain Bond, Steady Line, Anchor Grip, Trained Trigger, Cracked Rounds, Hollow Points, and Bounty Hunter. Each failed run funds the next attempt.<h2 class="bb_tag" >A memory reel aesthetic</h2>Sepia, grain, vignette, and inked cartoon silhouettes — like a worn film strip playing inside a distant memory.<h2 class="bb_tag" >Play in your language</h2>Full interface localization for 31 Steam languages (menus, upgrades, and in-run UI).Fadestrand Games · Built with Godot