by theygamesDeath Must Die is a new Steam Early Access game that brings together the bullet hell moment-to-moment gameplay of Vampire Survivors, the character-filled gods and powerups of Hades, and the equipment stylings of the Diablo series. So if you’re looking for something new with a gorgeous pixel aesthetic, this may very well be the game for you.
With the Hades 2 release date for early access a way off yet, a game like Death Must Die is the perfect antidote. An action roguelike with the fast-paced time survival you know from Vampire Survivors, there’s a lot to like in here.
The first thing that stands out to me, as an avid Hades player, is the mid-game upgrades and deity system. There’s a colorful cast of godlike characters that talk to as you play, with each offering up build variety with a series of boons, very similar to how they work in Hades. Your boons can even level up too, much like in the Supergiant Games indie game creation.
Death Must Die’s gear screen also screams Diablo, so unlike a game like Hades you can get even more run variety with equipable items. You’ve got weapons, armor, rings, pendants, and a lot more to help you survive a run, so combined with the boons there’s a lot to mess around with.
You can play as three different characters in the early access version too, with six gods (who have over ten skills each), seven different enemies, one final boss, and a series of map shrines that can give you different buffs.
The Vampire Survivors comparisons are the most overt here, but that’s only because the two games have the same genre: time survival. You’ll be running around a big, flat, isometric map taking out skeletons, shield knights, and more. Vampire Survivors has already set such a high bar, so it’s cool to see games informed by it trying some unique ideas for the genre.
If that’s not enough for you, Death Must Die already has thousands of concurrent players and just shy of 1,000 user reviews at a ‘very positive’ rating – that’s about 89% as of right now.
You can find Death Must Die on Steam for $6.29 / £5.30 as it’s 10% off until Tuesday, November 21. Once you check it out do note that the game is currently in Steam Early Access and is expected to be for around a year, so a slew of additions and improvements are on the way.
We’ve got even more for you too with the best single-player games currently on PC, alongside a look forward at the biggest upcoming games too.
Also, make sure to follow us on Google News for daily PC gaming news, guides, and reviews.