As the wait for the next Elder Scrolls game stretches on, players may be on the hunt for a similar action RPG to fill the time. Likewise, players who don’t own a Nintendo Switch 2 may be looking for something to fill the gap of a new FromSoftware game, as right now, The Duskbloods is the only project on the horizon with a detailed announcement. Luckily, an upcoming action RPG looks like it will satisfy fans of both series, by combining elements of each into a unique new experience.
Alkahest is a first-person action RPG set in a bleak world similar to that of the Dark Souls series. Like in Elder Scrolls games, players use a variety of weapons and potions to take on their enemies. However, Alkahest is clearly more than just an amalgam of existing titles. In fact, it has a lot of interesting ways for players to interact with the environment, which makes it a fresh take on the genre. If the trailer is indicative of the full game, it may even prove to offer more exciting combat than any of the Elder Scrolls games.
One of the most appealing aspects of Alkahest is the way players are able to interact with their environment. Similar to something like Dark Souls, there appear to be a lot of dangerous traps sprinkled throughout the world. However, the trailer makes it clear that you can use these traps to your advantage, creating opportunities for some fun environmental kills. These range from more complicated traps, like lubing up an old machine so it drops a heavy crate on enemies, to as simple as kicking an enemy into a wall of spikes to kill them.
Environments also appear to offer a wide range of improvised weaponry that players can use to their advantage. The trailer shows the player picking up items like goblets and shovels and using them to fight enemies. These improvised weapons appear to break after a few uses, but the trailer doesn’t make it clear if all weapons have limited durability like this. If weapons do break, however, this could present an interesting challenge and explain the need for using objects found in the environment.
Another unique quality of Alkahest is that the game has decided not to include magic as one of its mechanics. Instead, players use alchemy to create potions that can enhance their weapons. This looks like a similar mechanic to The Witcher series’ use of oils to enhance Geralt’s weapons. This is part of the game’s mission to present a slightly more grounded, low-fantasy world.
Because Alkahest is being made by a smaller developer and publisher, it is unlikely that it will have the same grand scale as an Elder Scrolls or Dark Souls game. However, its unique gameplay looks engaging enough to make the game worth trying out for fans of action RPGs. If the gameplay is as fun as it looks from the trailer, the game would likely also have a lot of replay value. Fans of the genre should follow this game’s development.
- Created by
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Vijay Lakshman, Ted Peterson, Julian Lefay
- Character(s)
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The Vestige, Dragonborn, Nerevarine, Hero of Kvatch, Champion of Cyrodiil, Mannimarco, Sheogorath, Mehrunes Dagon, Vivec, Almalexia, Sotha Sil, Dagoth Ur, Talos, Alduin, Molag Bal