Take your friends to Hell this September with Streumon Studio's Daimon Blades

Streumon Studio, makers of Space Hulk: Deathwing and Necromunda: Hired Guns are cooking up something diabolically special with their next release, Daimon Blades. Streumon launched it’s first title, E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy back in 2011, and is returning to the same universe with Daimon Blades – though with a very different take.

Whereas E.Y.E. was something of a cyberpunk 4-player action game, Daimon Blades is going full dark fantasy. We got an early hands-off look at Daimon Blades, and in action, the game looks quite a lot like certain incarnations of DOOM, but with knights and swords instead of DOOM Guy and guns. Daimon Blades looks as though it plays fast – like, really fast – with players dashing all over the map, carving through demons with gushes of blood spraying in every direction.

Daimon Blades is retaining E.Y.E.’s 4-player structure, but it’s important to note that solo players can play the whole game offline if they wish. Solo or with friends, players queue up for expeditions from the small hub base into…well…hell, maybe? There is a roguelike structure in place, which allows teams to become more powerful during each run, while gathering loot and materials to bring back to the hub for more permanent progression. If you don’t find the right gear during a run, the crafting mechanics might get you where you want to be. Players can create weapons, skins, amulets, and rings.

Streumon is purposely leaving progression open-ended; players can create any sort of character they wish through upgrades and gear changes. There are no classes, and when I asked them if I might be able to create a healer, the answer was “Sure, probably.” You can horde your gear, and change focus as needed by swapping out your stuff.

Players can expect to die a lot in Daimon Blades, but dying isn’t necessarily the end of your run. Your magic weapons (the Daimon Blades, get it?) will resurrect you, but each time that happens, a “corruption” meter fills a bit more. If you allow it to fill all the way, it’s game over for real, and you lose a lot of your loot. But reach the dungeon’s end and you are queueing back up for another run, with the benefit of whatever goodies you escaped with.

I’m gonna be honest here – I didn’t think Daimon Blades would be my jam. I tend to prefer a slower pace in games, and ripping around a dungeon slashing dudes isn’t always my idea of a good time. But after seeing Daimon Blades in action, I gotta say, this game looks freaking bonkers, and I’m probably more excited to play it than any other game this fall. Keep an eye on this one, y’all. Just not too close, as those Daimon Blades might poke your eye right out.

Daimon Blades is scheduled to release on Steam Early Access on September 3.