BAENANA has officially launched on Steam, bringing fast-paced bullet hell action, roguelite progression, and one of the more unusual heroes you’ll see this year. Developed by Maximilian Barth and published by Smilecoast Games, the top-down arena shooter drops players into a corrupted digital world where an army of hostile vegetable programs has taken control.
Standing in their way is BAENANA, a fruit-powered hero tasked with fighting through increasingly chaotic waves of enemies, collecting upgrades, and eventually confronting the digital overlord responsible for the system’s collapse.
Built around short, high-energy runs, the game keeps players constantly moving as enemy numbers grow and the screen fills with projectiles. Most runs are designed to last less than 30 minutes, with individual waves wrapping up in as little as 20 seconds. The result is a game that feels more like a sprint than a marathon, making it easy to jump in for a quick run and considerably harder to stop after just one.
The roguelite progression is where much of the replayability comes from. Players can choose from at least eight different fruit heroes, each with their own abilities, while equipping up to six weapons simultaneously. Between waves, collected sugar and coins can be exchanged for upgrades, items, and new combinations that gradually transform a modest build into something far more destructive.
What helps BAENANA stand out is that it seems fully committed to its premise. It embraces the absurdity, pairing colorful visuals and playful character design with the kind of fast, satisfying action that roguelite fans tend to lose track of time playing.