Building Neon Salvage: our first 2D survival game for Windows

A small game with a clear challenge

Neon Salvage began with a focused idea: pilot a salvage ship through a crowded arena, collect scrap, choose upgrades and survive long enough to defeat the overseers. We wanted a game that could fit into a short break while still giving players a reason to try another ship or build.

The result is an original 2D arena survival game being prepared for Windows PC. Its planned US Microsoft Store price is $4.99. As of 20 October 2026, version 1.0.0 is a release candidate. It has not been submitted for Microsoft certification or released for sale.

Move, collect and choose a build

Your weapons automatically target nearby enemies, so movement is the first decision. Stay near scrap long enough to collect it, but keep an escape route when enemies gather. The pulse ability damages nearby enemies and draws dropped scrap toward your ship.

Scrap earns levels. Each level pauses the action for an upgrade choice, letting you adjust the run as it develops. The fifteen upgrade types include multi-shot, piercing, critical hits, armor, regeneration and orbiting cutters. A damage-heavy build and a defensive build can create different decisions even within the same contract.

Three ships, three contracts

The current build includes Scrapper, Needle and Anchor. Each ship gives players another starting point to explore. The contracts extend the challenge from a five-minute first run to longer encounters:

• Scrapyard: a five-minute contract to learn movement, scrap collection and upgrade choices.
• Foundry: a seven-minute contract with vent hazards that add another reason to watch where you move.
• Silent Relay: a nine-minute contract with two overseers to defeat.

Reaching the end of the timer alone is not a win. You must also defeat the contract’s overseers. That makes it useful to balance survival upgrades with enough damage to finish the encounter.

Designed to play offline

Neon Salvage bundles its game assets in a Windows desktop app. Gameplay requires no account, game server or internet connection. Settings and best scores are stored locally. The game includes sound and volume controls, reduced effects, high contrast and larger-text options.

Keyboard controls use WASD or the arrow keys for movement, Space for the pulse and Escape to pause. Upgrades can be selected with the mouse or number keys. Controller input is implemented, but a physical controller still needs testing before we can describe that experience as verified.

From browser prototype to Windows package

The game uses an HTML canvas for rendering and a separate JavaScript simulation for gameplay rules. Keeping those rules separate lets us check movement, damage, hazards and win conditions without relying only on visual inspection. Electron provides the desktop wrapper and loads the bundled game through a local application protocol.

Our automated checks cover core mechanics and complete seeded runs across the nine ship-and-contract combinations. We also tested that the standalone Windows executable loads its menu and canvas. Those checks help catch broken rules and packaging problems. They do not tell us whether a new player understands the tutorial, enjoys an upgrade or finds a run fair.

Why a planned $4.99 price?

We are targeting a small, paid game with a clear scope: three ships, three contracts, replayable upgrade choices and offline play. The build has no ads or in-app purchases. The $4.99 US price is a planned starting point, not a claim about likely sales or profit. Microsoft’s local pricing and the final approved listing will determine what customers see when the game becomes available.

What remains before release

The Windows MSIX package has passed Partner Center package validation, and the Store draft includes its description, screenshots, artwork, age ratings and support pages. Package validation is one step in the process; it is not Microsoft certification or permission to advertise the game as released.

Next comes more human playtesting, checks on lower-end hardware, physical controller testing and the remaining account and certification steps. A useful first playtest is to try a full Scrapyard run, change a setting, restart the game and check that preferences persist. We also want feedback on which upgrades feel useful and where players first become confused.

This release candidate targets Windows PC. It is not an Xbox console build. An Xbox version would require separate platform development and testing.