This PC game turns Mega Man Battle Network into an idle RPG

Indie studio Berserk Boy Games has announced its next project, Berserk B.I.T.S. Set to launch in early access later this year via Steam, the browser-based game turns Mega Man Battle Network into an idle RPG.

Berserk Boy Games made a splash earlier this year with Berserk Boy, its critically acclaimed throwback to classic Mega Man games. We recently listed it as one of the best games released in the first half of 2024. The studio’s next project will continue to build in that universe and deliver pixel art nostalgia, but in a very different genre.

Berserk B.I.T.S. is an idle game that plays through a window on your PC’s desktop alongside other applications. The gameplay loop is that the on-screen hero battles viruses and collects chips, which can be spent to buy furniture and decorate a home base. There’s an idle RPG component too, as players can hire helper programs.

All of that takes some clear inspiration from Mega Man Battle Network. Battles take place on familiar grids, as enemies and bosses approach from the right side of the window and the hero moves up and down grid rows to fight them off. The action plays out as an auto-battler that players can affect by crafting and equipping battle chips, which grant their hero powerful new attacks.

Berserk B.I.T.S. is currently scheduled to launch later this year in early access. It’ll only be compatible with Windows to start, with more platforms to be announced after its launch. Berserk Boy Games plans to give the title long-term support, adding new battle chips and modes based on community feedback.