Ruxar
Dev Blog
Indie game dev, platformer deep-dives, and the story behind iZBOT.
10 Games Like Celeste – What to Play Next
Finished Celeste and need that feeling again? Here are 10 precision platformers that come closest to matching it.
Read more →iZBOT Indie Game Postmortem
A year and a half of part-time dev, ~$1,000 in expenses, and just under $4K in revenue. Here's everything that happened.
Read more →10 Best Precision Platformers on Steam Right Now
From brutal pixel-perfect jumps to satisfying speedruns — the best the genre has to offer in 2025.
Read more →Why Hard Platformer Games Are Actually Good For You
The science and satisfaction behind mastering the games that refuse to let you win easily.
Read more →5 Lessons From Shipping an Indie Platformer on Steam
What making iZBOT taught me about solo dev, marketing, pricing, and release day strategy.
Read more →iZBOT 2 Review – Is the Sequel Worth It?
The developer's honest take on what iZBOT 2 gets right, what changed, and who it's made for.
Read more →iZBOT vs iZBOT 2 – Which Should You Play First?
Comparing both games so you know exactly where to start — and whether you need to play them in order.
Read more →How Long Does It Take to Beat iZBOT?
A breakdown of playtime by skill level — for casual players, experienced platformer fans, and speedrunners.
Read more →iZBOT Review – Is It Worth It?
An honest review from the developer. What the game does well, where it's hard, and who it's actually made for.
Read more →Best Cheap Platformers on Steam Under $10
The best platformers on Steam at a low price — including precision platformers, indie classics, and hidden gems.
Read more →iZBOT Speedrun Guide – Tips, Routes & Tricks
How to go fast in iZBOT. Movement tech, routing principles, and the mindset behind consistent speedruns.
Read more →Should You Buy GameMaker? An Indie Dev's Honest Take
Made two games in GameMaker. Here's the real answer on pricing, strengths, limits, and who it's actually for.
Read more →GameMaker Sequences – A Practical Guide
What GameMaker Sequences are, how to use them, and when they beat manual GML animation — from an indie dev who used them in iZBOT.
Read more →Making Your Game Appealing to Let's Players
Practical advice on making games that streamers want to cover — from an indie dev who's been through a Steam launch.
Read more →How to Commission Game Art as an Indie Dev
Where to find artists, how to write a brief, what to pay, and how to avoid common mistakes when commissioning art for your game.
Read more →What's in a Name? Choosing Your Indie Game Title
Practical principles, common mistakes, and the naming stories behind iZBOT and the Ruxar studio name.
Read more →AI Art Tools for Game Dev – An Honest Assessment
What AI art tools are actually useful for in indie game development, where they fall short, and a frank take on the controversy.
Read more →How to Make Animated GIFs from Your Game
Tools, methods, and optimisation tips for creating animated GIFs for Steam, social media, and press coverage.
Read more →Articles from the creator of iZBOT — a precision platformer on Steam.
Play iZBOT on Steam – $9.99