Hack And Slash Through A Surreal Nightmare In Action RPG ‘Death Of A Wish’

Things are about to get trippy

by Jim Norman 3h ago

Developer melessthanthree and publisher Syndicate Atomic have announced that the surreal-looking action RPG Death of a Wish will hack and slash its way to Switch next week on 11th March.

One look at the above trailer gives a pretty good idea of just how trippy things are going to get in this one. In it, you will play as Christian, a young man with cursed powers who sets out across a nightmare world to take down the cult that raised him.

On the way through you will have to tackle all manner of terrifying monsters and strangers, bringing us nicely to those creepy visuals. Those who played the dev’s previous title Lucah: Born of a Dream will find no surprises here. The surreal environment is emphasised through a scribbly hand-drawn style which mixes a monotone palette with bursts of harsh colour to really up the stress.

The hack-and-slash combat system is built on combos to make the journey that bit more satisfying — which is a relief because it looks like there will be a lot of action to be had here — while the score is all about bringing back the anxiety. Maybe have a stress ball at the ready, eh?

You can check out some of the game’s features and get a look at some screenshots below.

ENGAGE IN VICIOUSLY GRACEFUL COMBAT Unleash Christian’s cursed powers in a demanding and rewarding combat system. Be careful not to succumb to the ever-encroaching Corruption; achieve high ranks in combat and perform graceful combos to hold the Corruption at bay.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR MARKED POWERS Rend your foes asunder with magical combos called Arias. Enhance your abilities with powerful Virtues that alter your approach to battle and the rhythm of combat. With a limitless array of ways to fight stylishly, build your character with passion to destroy your foes.

DESCEND INTO THE NIGHTMARE In the dreamworld of Paradiso, repressed memories and unspeakable feelings come to life as the nightmarish city of Neo-Sanctum. Delve into the secret underworld of the esoteric and abandoned to meet new comrades who will aid you on your journey.

SURREAL AND SPECTACULAR Christian’s world is rendered with a surreal aesthetic like no other. Harsh, pulsating scratches upon a sea of darkness render a thick atmosphere brooding with emotion. Battles come to life in an animated spectacle of light and motion that remains easy to parse in play.

For audio, Nicolo Telesca’s chilling score mixes electronic sounds with live instrumentation and complements the visuals by eliciting feelings of tense anxiety and electrifying catharsis.

Death of a Wish will make its way onto the Switch eShop next week for £16.75 / $19.99. If you are a particular fan of those surreal visuals, then you have the option to pick this one up in the Paradiso Series Bundle (also launching on 11th March) with Lucah: Born of a Dream for £24.78 / $31.49.

What do you make of Death of a Wish? Will you be picking it up next week? Let us know in the comments.

Be it rambling about video games or superheroes, Jim wears his passions on his sleeve. Usually found replaying a Zelda title instead of working through his ever-growing backlog, he is a huge fan of all-things fantasy and likes nothing more than to chat about it.

Author Profile Twitter/X Reply