New action-roguelike Morbid Metal hits Early Access this week

Ubisoft and indie developer Screen Juice have officially announced that their action roguelike, Morbid Metal, will slash its way into Steam Early Access on April 8th. Initially a solo university project by Felix Schade in 2017, the game's high-octane combat eventually caught the attention of Ubisoft, leading to a publishing partnership that has enabled the project to scale up for its debut.

The defining feature of Morbid Metal is its real-time shapeshifting mechanic. Players take control of the last remaining AI and can cycle between three characters: Flux, Ekku, and Vekta. Each character brings a unique fighting style and signature ‘Protocols' to the fray, allowing for a level of combat fluidity rarely seen in the roguelike genre.

To keep the loop engaging, the game introduces several layers of mid-run and permanent progression. Players will encounter Devil Bargains, which offer powerful buffs at a significant survival risk, and the Emporium, a mid-run shop for health and ability upgrades. Outside of the simulation, the Void Nexus serves as a permanent skill tree where players can spend currency to ensure their next run starts with a better fighting chance.

While the Early Access launch provides hours of content across three major biomes and ten enemy archetypes, this is only the beginning. A comprehensive development roadmap is scheduled to be unveiled on April 17th, during the “Find Your Next Game” showcase. This event is expected to outline upcoming biomes, additional playable characters, and potential console ports. The game launches with a strategic entry price of $13.49 during its initial launch window, after which it reverts to its standard Early Access price of $17.99.

KitGuru says: With over 25K wishlists on Steam, seeing Morbid Metal finally cross the finish line will please quite a few. The character swapping looks incredibly responsive in trailers, and if the meta-progression in the Void Nexus is deep enough, this could easily become the next “must-play” title for action roguelike fans.

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