Zorge Ichizo, a SEGA veteran who directed Gunstar Super Heroes on the Game Boy Advance for Treasure, has a new run-and-gun action platformer now on Steam PC.

Hijura Scarlet Gear is a 2D retro pixel blaster from his small indie studio HUGA INC. You play as Hijura, fighting through deadly combat zones to rescue her captured younger sister Maijura in a dark, sci-fi world. The gameplay should be familiar to 80s and 90s gamers, and the Gunstar Heroes influence is overwhelmingly obvious in both the mechanics and the graphics. There’s also a giant cyborg T-Rex.

In addition to his work on Gunstar Super Heroes, Ichizo-san also worked on Segagaga (Dreamcast) and Astro Boy: Omega Factor (GBA). It should be noted, however, that Ichizo-san is very open about HUGA’s willingness to use AI in building its games. According to the Steam page, the development of Hijura Scarlet Gear included AI assistance across its artwork, logic, and audio. The official line is that AI was not used to cut corners, but rather it was about letting a small team move quickly, and every minor detail was still fine-tuned by humans. Your money, your call.

Hijura Scarlet Gear is available now on Steam for PC for $12.99. If you are a game importer, there is also a physical collector’s package on offer in Japan for ¥3,980. Yosh!