Point Blank Games and 505 Games are teaming up on Stray Blade, an action RPG due out sometime next year for PC and consoles. The game combines world exploration with an intense combat system that would resemble that of the Dark Souls games.
In Stray Blade, players take on the role of an adventurer who sets out to explore the ancient Valley of Acrea with buddy Boji. The game revolves around revealing the history of this forgotten war-torn valley and mastering certain forces, with the aim of bringing back peace and balance. Ancient ruins, deserts and frozen caves will be visited, for example, to collect certain rare materials, recipes and weapons. The world will also change based on the player’s actions. For example, if a victory has been won somewhere, it will be noticeable in that place afterwards.
The developer talks about a “highly responsive combat system” that allows players to manipulate battles through quick reactions and targeted attacks. It is important to correctly anticipate attacks from opponents in the blink of an eye, in the form of sword-to-sword reactions.
In addition to these ‘Souls-like battles’, Stray Blade also revolves around Metroidvania elements, according to the makers. The latter refers to a large world that the player can discover where everything is connected. Certain parts of that world will not become available until the player has acquired certain skills or knowledge. The game also features specific backtracking skills to discover areas that were previously unavailable.
Publisher 505 Games has not yet announced an exact release date and only mentions 2022. Stray Blade will be released on Steam, on the Epic Games Store and will appear for the Xbox Series X and S and the PlayStation 5.