Upcoming Steam action RPG Daimon Blades is set to launch into Early Access on September 3, and the game has a strong "Diablo 4 in first-person" vibe. This exciting Steam title looks to combine the all-action demon killing and dungeon crawling gameplay of the Diablo series with the replayability of a roguelike, all from a fresh first-person perspective.
The best Steam hidden gems are often those that look to combine various well-worn genres to create a brand-new experience. These games from smaller developers often don't have to be as risk-averse as larger titles, which naturally leads to some interesting concepts. They don't always work, but there are multiple examples of indie games that have taken chances and been all the better for it. The hope is that Daimon Blades can join this club.
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Daimon Blades is An Action RPG With a First-Person Twist
Streum On Studio's first-person hack-and-slash ARPG was only announced a few days ago, but it is already set to launch on Steam in Early Access on September 3. As per the description, Daimon Blades is a "brutal first person slasher that combines the depth of action RPGs and replayability of roguelites," in which players must "contain the rising tides of daimonic incursions, and face relentless abominations while descending deeper and deeper into the Daimon realm." Boasting "20 diverse enemy families," "4 lethal boss encounters" and RPG customization with loot, crafting, and resources, Daimon Blades also offers "9 biomes with unlimited variations for unique levels every playthrough." There's a lot to like here.
On the surface, it shares a lot of DNA with the Diablo series. Even aesthetically, a lot of the environments and enemies look like they could be pulled from Blizzard's iconic action RPG franchise. It even has four-player co-op, allowing players to enjoy the chaos alongside a few friends. But still, Daimon Blades retains an identity of its own. The entire thing takes place in first-person, which will come largely as a change of pace for fans of ARPGs like Diablo and Path of Exile. This, combined with how it plans to blend the genre with roguelike mechanics, makes Daimon Blades a very interesting prospect.
Streum On Studios' most recent game was Necromunda: Hired Gun, which received a Top Critic Average of just 58 on review aggregator site OpenCritic back in 2021. If Daimon Blades is to make a splash and become one of the best ARPGs on the market, it will need to represent a significant improvement over the developer's last effort. Gamers could get some indication of whether that will be the case when it releases in Early Access on September 3.
