Squadron 51 is a side-scrolling Xbox shoot 'em up with 1950s sci-fi flair

Squadron51 Screenshot (Image credit: Assemble Entertainment)

Love old-school shmups? Then you'll want to put this on your radar. Assemble Entertainment is building a UFO-blasting shmup with some 1950s flair, inspired by old-school sci-fi flicks like War of the Worlds and b-movies like Plan 9 from Outer Space.

You play as Lieutenant Kaya, leading an all-out assault against an invading alien threat. Your squadron is all that stands between earth and total annihilation, and you must battle through waves of prop-looking UFOs, complete with some full live-action cutscenes that would make Ed Wood proud. Assemble Entertainment CEO Stefan Marcinek had this to say about Squadron 51 in a press release sent to us earlier today.

"We're huge fans of classic sci-fi horror and we jumped at the opportunity to co-publish Squadron 51 with our partner WhisperGames. Squadron 51 has found a loving home among Assemble Entertainment's other award-winning titles known for their charming eccentricity. Fans of all genres will appreciate this delightfully original SHMUP."

The game sports 11 different biomes, from mountain ranges to cities under siege, with customizable difficulty and local co-op.

There's no launch date listed as of writing, but the game is coming out sometime in 2021 according to Steam, and in addition to PC, it will hit Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Keep watching the skies, friends.

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Jez Corden is the Executive Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter (X) and tune in to the XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!