You play as Adam, an ordinary man torn from his own world and cast into this crumbling realm alongside other humans. Survival is never guaranteed. Resources are scarce, enemies are twisted by corruption, and every decision carries lasting consequences as Adam searches for answers — and a way back to the person he loves.

Exploration takes players through abandoned towns, industrial ruins, and long-forgotten temples, each telling its story through decay rather than exposition. There are no quest markers or maps to guide you. Progress depends on observation, memory, and intuition, asking players to truly inhabit the world rather than follow a checklist.

Combat in Asthenia is intimate and deliberate, centered around the Ancient Gauntlet — a primordial relic that functions as both weapon and environmental tool. Fueled by limited energy, the gauntlet forces players to think carefully about how and when they engage enemies or interact with the world, reinforcing the game’s focus on meaningful choice and tension.

Narrative unfolds subtly through environmental storytelling, fragmented letters, unsettling audio cues, symbolic visuals, and Adam’s own narration. Rather than spelling everything out, the game encourages players to piece together the truth behind the world’s collapse on their own.

Drawing inspiration from Resident Evil 7, Silent Hill, Outlast, and Dark Souls, Asthenia blends survival horror unease with lore-heavy worldbuilding and a strong sense of consequence. Player choices lead to split paths and three distinct endings, ensuring that actions — and inaction — leave a permanent mark.

Solo developer Manthos Lappas describes Asthenia as a deeply personal project, built around the idea that discovery should be earned and that every action should matter. That philosophy is evident throughout the game’s design, from its oppressive tone to its refusal to hold the player’s hand.

Asthenia is currently in development for PC via Steam, with a playable demo coming soon. Players can wishlist the game now to follow future updates and prepare to step into a world shaped by decay, loss, and transformation.

Players step into the role of Brian, a lone knight pushing forward as one of humanity’s last remaining defenders. This isn’t a tale of shining heroics, but a slow descent into darkness as Brian battles both external horrors and the corruption threatening to consume him from within. His journey unfolds across a world on the brink of extinction, where survival demands sacrifice and resolve at every turn.

A playable demo for Lirai: Heir of Darkness is available now on Steam, offering a focused introduction to the game’s core combat, narrative tone, and oppressive atmosphere. While development has moved beyond this build, the demo serves as a strong snapshot of what players can expect as the project continues toward full release.

What to Expect in the Demo

Combat in Lirai: Heir of Darkness emphasizes deliberate, methodical action. Success depends on timing, positioning, and adapting to enemy behavior rather than button-mashing. As Brian progresses, players can unlock combat transformations that dramatically alter abilities, mechanics, and playstyles, adding variety and tactical depth to encounters.

Exploration also plays a key role. Environmental puzzles, hidden paths, and subtle world details reward players who take the time to observe their surroundings. The game leans heavily into dark fantasy and horror influences, using environmental storytelling and atmosphere to convey the history of a world long past saving.

Demo Highlights

• Deliberate third-person combat built around timing and adaptability

• Combat transformations that unlock new abilities and playstyles

• Environmental puzzles and hidden routes that reward exploration

• A dark fantasy, horror-inspired world rich in mood and environmental storytelling

• Updated demo with minor technical improvements for better performance across PC hardware

• A short, focused experience designed for press and creator coverage

• New gameplay footage available for editorial and content creation use

Players interested in bleak worlds, methodical combat, and atmospheric storytelling can download the updated demo right now.

Play the demo on Steam and wishlist Lirai: Heir of Darkness to keep up with future development and upcoming updates.

The game will also be playable at PAX West in Seattle this weekend, giving attendees a hands-on look at its haunting world. Alongside the test, Bellring confirmed that Skystone Games has officially signed on as publishing partner to support Mistfall Hunter’s global launch later in 2025.

What to Expect in Beta 3

Players who make it into the Beta will be able to experience the game’s core loop: searching for loot, battling enemies (both AI and human), and fighting to escape with hard-earned spoils. The third test will also bring:

• Improved combat responsiveness for sharper, more impactful battles.

• Upgraded visuals and audio to deepen immersion in its dark fantasy world.

• Refined gameplay systems, shaped by feedback from earlier Betas.

Game Director Haoliang Zhang (HAO) explained the team’s vision:

“Our goal with Mistfall Hunter is to merge the thrill of searching, looting, and extracting with action combat that makes every encounter matter. With Skystone Games as our publishing partner, we’re excited to bring that experience to players all over the world, starting with Beta 3.”

Beta 3 Key Dates

• Pre-download: September 15, 2025 (CN 11:00 / PT 20:00, September 14)

• Beta start: September 16, 2025 (CN 09:00 / PT 18:00, September 15)

Players can wishlist Mistfall Hunter and register for Beta 3 access now on [Steam](Steam Page Link).

About the Game

Mistfall Hunter is a dark fantasy action-extraction RPG where players fight through a shattered world abandoned by the gods. Every run is a balance of risk and reward — battle, loot, and escape before the world itself consumes you. With Skystone Games publishing, the title is set to release on PC and consoles in 2025.

A World in Ruin

Unlike sudden apocalypses, Entropy’s world withers quietly. Humanity dwindles as infertility spreads, leaving behind grim settlements—squalid, tyrannical, and surrounded by cursed wastelands. Demons now prowl the land, pressing what’s left of civilization toward its final collapse.

Your journey begins in Draenog, where a humble theatre performance is cut short by an attack at the gates. Armed with nothing more than a wooden prop sword, your troupe must transform into unlikely heroes and face the horrors flooding into the world.

Tactical Battles, Retro Dread

Where Dread Delusion leaned on real-time first-person combat, Entropy instead takes cues from classic JRPGs, offering tactical turn-based encounters with parties of up to six characters. Mercenaries can be recruited to bolster your ranks or replace fallen allies, ensuring every expedition feels desperate but adaptable.

Exploration spans a wide world map filled with ruined towns, strange characters, and cursed relics. Every choice brings you deeper into a hellish landscape, where survival demands strategy and sacrifice.

Key Features

• Tactical Turn-Based Combat – Build and command a party of up to six adventurers.

• Hire & Replace Mercenaries – Keep your ranks strong even when the battle claims your own.

• Dark, Expansive World – Explore dying towns, haunted landscapes, and twisted dungeons.

• Progression & Perks – Level up your characters, unlock stats, and discover powerful new abilities.

• Retro Horror Vibe – A beautiful, eerie 3D aesthetic that recalls Dread Delusion’s style while pushing into new territory.

First Demo at PAX West 2025

If you’re attending PAX West (Aug. 29 – Sept. 1, 2025), you can be among the first to try Entropy at the DreadXP booth.

Entropy will officially launch on Steam in 2026.

Project Pantheon is shaping up to be a bold hybrid, combining the loot-driven chaos of a top-down action RPG with the high-stakes tension of an extraction game. Set in a haunting dark fantasy universe where every mythology is real, the game leans hard into world-building and visual storytelling. In this realm, “dead gods” serve as twisted, explorable monuments — each one promising rewards, danger, and lore soaked in myth.

The devs break down how Project Pantheon aims to push genre boundaries, from its hybrid gameplay design to its nightmarish, visceral art direction. This isn’t your standard dungeon run — it’s a brutal journey through divine decay and mythological ruin.

For fans hungry for a first taste of gameplay, the video delivers — though briefly. Wolcen Studio is still keeping most of the gameplay under wraps, but the teaser is enough to set the tone: tense, gritty, and deeply atmospheric. The video also reveals an early look at the mysterious symbol that will represent Project Pantheon when it officially launches.

This marks the most detailed look we’ve had at Project Pantheon so far, and it’s clear Wolcen Studio is swinging for the fences with a unique take on action RPGs. No release date yet, but if you’re a fan of myth-fueled fantasy, hardcore loot loops, and high-stakes extraction mechanics, this one’s firmly on the radar.

The latest demo introduces exciting new features: additional weapons, customizable difficulty settings, new monsters, improved graphics, and much more. As VOIN, an entity summoned by a powerful mage, you’ll wield massive greatswords to hack through waves of enemies. With fully implemented item affixes, you can customize your builds to suit your playstyle and crush the dangerous foes that lurk in the shadows.

Explore the world’s newest regions, brought to life through retro-inspired pixel art. Fly across the skies or dash over waterways to uncover hidden secrets and reach new areas.

Face off against newly added monsters, including deadly Vipers and explosive Bombers, while adjusting the difficulty level to match your preferred challenge. And if standard combat isn’t enough, unleash elemental magic to wipe out hordes of enemies in an instant.

VOIN’s demo also lets you dual-wield weapons, switching between them on the fly to adapt to any combat situation. Loot enemy corpses for valuable items with random affixes to power up your builds with new abilities. And once you’ve powered up, take on boss arenas—now more treacherous than ever before.

VOIN will officially launch on Windows PC via Steam later this year. Get a taste of the adventure by downloading the demo during Steam Next Fest starting October 14, 2024.

Stay up-to-date with all things VOIN by following @vointhegame and @tinyBuild on X (formerly Twitter), adding the game to your Steam wishlist, and subscribing to Sozidar’s YouTube channel.