Bombshell was not the game it should have been, but second chances are the best chances and Ion Maiden released on Early Access today as an act of redemption. It’s a very different thing from it’s predecessor, though, blowing off the top-down twin-stick action and replacing it with all the high-tech thrills of an FPS using the most advanced engine 1995 has to offer. Yes, Ion Maiden runs on the Build Engine, which originally debuted on Duke Nukem 3D, and while the resolution is noticeably higher it’s style is still instantly recognizable. More than just an engine throwback, though, the game promises nonlinear levels, plenty of set-pieces, a good number of weapons with creative alt-fire modes, and lots of baddies to turn into quivering blobs of red pulp-goo. And, of course, modding tools, because what kind of Build Engine game would leave that unsupported?

Ion Maiden is currently planned to be in Early Access for about six months, and at the moment it’s only a mini-campaign. That should grow into the full game well before the end of the Early Access period, and the current campaign will get updated with new features for players to give feedback on while still in its tiny form. Check out the trailer below to see how Ion Maiden is looking so far, and get a glimpse of how we imagined the future of gaming would look back in 1995.

(Also, it’s “Ion Maiden”, as in the subatomic particle. It’s really difficult not to read it as Iron Maiden and picture Eddie storming through hordes of enemies while guitars wail out the soundtrack.)