Two-person game developer Haenir Studios released its latest gameplay trailer for its debut title Blight: Survival. The game is planned to be a cooperative, action horror roguelite set in an alternate version of the 14th century. Medieval settings are a time-honored staple of the video game industry, and after the overwhelming success of Elden Ring earlier this year, there's definitely interest in a darker take on the classic fantasy aesthetic.
The gameplay trailer posted by IGN features a five-minute-long showcase of the game's gory combat and graphics. Blight: Survival doesn't look like it will shy away from the more violent aspects of medieval combat, much like other games such as Chivalry 2, where players can kill with bread loaves. The first introduction to the gameplay is a knight bashing in the skull of a zombie riddled with blight, the disease that plagues the no man’s land where the game is set. The knight then ventures through a land ravaged by war until they find an ally in the chaos. Along the way, the knight is shown slaying zombies, sneaking past guards, and assassinating opponents. There's also hints of a crafting system to be included in the game. A Steam page for the game has been launched, but no release date information has yet been provided.
Blight: Survival Could Bring Quests To The Roguelike Formula
Following the pattern of other rougelites, like the dark and adorable Cult of the Lamb, Blight: Survival players may lose all progression upon death. What may persist beyond the grave, however, is the player’s journal. The trailer features what could be a quest-oriented mystery surrounding the blight. In the video, the knight is seen inspecting a mangled fungus while a discovery notification appears at the bottom of the screen. This mystery quest concept is not new to survival games, but it could add an extra layer of progression to keep players returning. A mechanic like this could open the door for numerous expansions delving deeper into the blight’s mystery.
Blight: Survival offers a fresh and innovative take on the infamously bloated zombie survival genre. Many zombie-focused games, like the Left 4 Dead-inspired Back 4 Blood, revolve around a modern apocalypse, usually with players required to use fading systems of technology to survive. The medieval setting of Haenir Studios' debut title brings an entirely new perspective to the saturated zombie survival market. The trailer also suggests a hybrid of game mechanics. Its inclusion of stealth around guards could indicate that players might be able to infiltrate outposts and even claim them as their own. Zombie survival games have featured base building before, but maintaining a medieval stronghold against a horde of the damned is still an intriguing concept.
Fans already have plenty of praise for Blight: Survival, with the comment section of the gameplay reveal being overwhelmingly positive. This is undoubtedly an impressive feat for a two-person development team. Blight: Survival could become an instant classic for fans, providing a unique take on the genre and standing alongside more famous zombie games like The Last Of Us and its terrifying clickers.
Source: IGN/YouTube, Steam