Native ship models and auto-fire in the Earth region

Combat

Easy to pick up. Hard to master.

Slide up and down; everything else is reading the screen. The further you fly, the more the waves mix it up: formations, enemy types that rotate from wave to wave, and rare elites whose traits change how you fight them. Your ship skill, timed well, turns a bad moment around.

A native boss model and a ship skill near Neptune

Bosses

Bosses that fight back

Every chapter ends in a boss fight. Beyond the inner planets, bosses hold their distance and attack with telegraphed volleys, rings, broadsides and slams, then enrage at half hull. Read the warning, find the safe lane, keep firing.

The salvage reactor

Turn salvage into firepower

Every few waves your cores pour through a reactor of ×2 and ×3 gates, catapults and locks. Aim the spout, release at the right moment, and spend the multiplied haul on upgrades that reshape your run.

Progress

A fleet that grows with you

Start in the Vanguard and research new ships, each with its own weapon and skill. Light, medium and heavy classes handle differently. Earn ship XP, fit modules and train class crews, then chase stars and chapter missions on Normal, Hard, Nightmare or the endless Infinite Mode.

New in 0.3

Detailed fleetReal 3D ship models retain their painted finish, with skill and enemy state changes. Combat stays 2.5D.
Deeper spaceCurved planets and layered stars add depth behind the firing lane.
Ship researchResearch hulls, fit bounded modules and train light, medium and heavy class crews.
Class handlingLight, medium and heavy hulls accelerate, brake and turn at different rates.
Region chestsEarn stars and missions across a region to open Silver, Gold and Platinum chests. (0.2.1)
New missionsThree per chapter: no escapes, no rams, a clean boss wave, and more. (0.2.1)
Bosses fight backTelegraphed attacks and an enraged second phase.
More enemiesNew types with their own tactics, formations and elites.
Livelier shipsBanking, recoil and hit reactions: the fleet feels alive.
No ship left behindDeeper in, ships that slip past swing back around.
A bigger fleetMore ships join as you push further out.
A new lookNew icon and a short launch intro.

Full notes on the releases page.

Screenshots

Dodging enemy fire above Earth — Dodge and auto-fire

Choosing an upgrade in the draft — Build your firepower

Researching ship modules — Research and modules

A sector boss near Neptune — Sector bosses

Install in a minute

Android

Download RiftBarrage-android.apk on your phone.
Open it and allow installing from your browser when Android asks.
Play in landscape. Updates install over the previous preview.

Windows

Download and unzip RiftBarrage-windows-x64.zip.
Run RiftBarrage.exe. SmartScreen may warn about an unrecognized app; choose More info → Run anyway.
Mouse drag, W/S or arrows to fly, Space for the skill, Esc to pause. Gamepads work too.

Requirements: Android 7.1+ on 64-bit ARM, or Windows 10/11 64-bit. Check downloads against SHA256SUMS.txt on the releases page.

Questions

Is it free?

Yes, Rift Barrage is free to play. Later versions will add optional extras, such as watching a short ad for a revive or an extra supply box, and optional purchases. They are always a choice: finishing the campaign never requires them.

What data do you collect?

The current preview collects nothing: no analytics, no crash reporting, no ads. When a version adds ads or online play, the privacy page will say exactly what changes before it ships, and you will be asked for consent where the law requires it.

Will my progress carry over to new versions?

Previews update in place. Version 0.3 converts earlier progression into ship research, modules and crews, and archives the original save locally. Your old upgrades will not look the same in the new system. Balance and conversion rules may change during preview.

Is there an iPhone version?

Not yet. Android and Windows come first; an iPhone version is planned.

Why does Windows warn me when I run it?

The preview is not code-signed yet, so SmartScreen does not recognise it. Choose More info → Run anyway, or compare the file against the published SHA-256 checksum first.

How do I hear about new versions?

Follow the releases feed in any RSS reader, or watch the GitHub repository for releases.

Ready for launch?

The solar system will not clear itself.

Download for AndroidAPK · 172 MB Download for WindowsZIP · 176 MB