Headlander, Double Fine's Really Weird Action Platformer, Gets Release Date

Double Fine Productions' Headlander will be available from July 26, publisher Adult Swim Games has announced. For those unfamiliar with it, Headlander is a game in which players fly around as a disembodied head and attach themselves to other bodies to assume control.

This mechanic gives the more traditional side-scrolling adventure gameplay a weird and quirky twist, which Double Fine capitalises on with a 1970s sci-fi aesthetic and its trademark humour.

"At the start of the game you can select from three different heads as your player character, and solving the mystery of who you are and why you're the only human left is one of the major plot points of the game," explains Adult Swim Games' senior producer Chris Johnston.

"Luckily, you can dock that noggin into plenty of other things--humanoid Citizen and Shepherd bodies, robot dogs, turrets, computer terminals, and robot vacuum cleaners; anything with a universal docking ring will accept the connection."

He continues: "With the helpful voice of Earl in your helmet, you navigate each area and find transfiber nodes that’ll grant your head new abilities. Those combined with an upgrade tree with even more abilities provide you with a lot of freedom in approaching combat--whether it’s on a Shepherd body or just as a head (each has a separate health gauge).

"Do you go in guns blazing? Maybe you'd rather stand back or duck behind cover and target/shoot off enemy heads with more precision. Or pop your head off and vacuum the heads of your enemies. Deflecting an enemy’s fire right back at them with your bounce shield is especially satisfying."

Headlander will be available on PlayStation 4 and PC. You can watch the full story trailer above.