by theygamesThere’s no shortage of fantasy RPGs, but ones that were made using stop-motion animation, set amid Scottish mythology? That’s a pretty specific cross-section not many have explored. Judero does just that with aplomb, setting you off to hack’n’slash your way through ancient Scotland, facing all manner of oddities.
While Path of Exile 2 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard present time-honored approaches to RPG games, Judero breaks the mold in a number of ways. First, there’s the aforementioned stop-motion aesthetic, providing a stunning and singular vision of the Scottish Borders.
Then you have the subject matter: a quest through the folklore of Scotland, where you meet creatures big and small, some of whom are being manipulated for evil purposes. The protagonist is the title character, a Celtic warrior who has a spiritual relationship to the land, making him uniquely qualified to dig out the villainy that’s embedding itself in the environment.
Much as I enjoy the adventure games inspired by DnD, sometimes I find myself longing for something different. This year, Judero was exactly what I was looking for. The jaunt through the rich tapestry of Scottish myths and legends was illuminating and enlightening, not to mention frequently hilarious and surprising.
It’s immediately striking due to the handcrafted claymation, something that must’ve taken the developer Talha and Jack Co an absolute age to get right. There’s a slightly esoteric nature to the setting as a result, giving it an ethereal and misshapen quality akin to the historic stories that have been molded through centuries of being retold and embellished.
What’s more impressive is how well the new game flows. Judero moves with ease and combat is responsive and satisfying. Mini-games emerge to break up the dungeon-crawling loop and keep you on your toes. Some slight jank adds to the sense of a distinctly human hero in a land of idiosyncrancies.
Judero is available at 10% off on Steam now, with a free demo. Have a look at tour lists of the best roguelike games if you want more challenge, and a guide to the upcoming PC games for more fresh releases.
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