Playing as an advanced sentient program trapped in a simulation, Morbid Metal is a brutal hack n slash game with a roguelike-heart. Made by Screen Juice, the game began as a solo-developed project before the team expanded. Published by Ubisoft, Morbid Metal will be launching into early access on Steam later this year but not before showing off a demo of what’s to come.
Thanks to the game’s publisher – Ubisoft, we were given special early access to the Morbid Metal Demo, premiering in Steam Next Fest. The demo includes two playable characters and one biome that can be replayed over and over. As a roguelike, after each battle players can choose a new ability that further kits out Morbid Metal’s characters.
Taking place in a simulation created by humans to escape climate catastrophe, players become an AI ordered to fight other AI programs to prove that they are the strongest. With the fate of humanity at stake, Morbid Metal lets players grind through battles as they gradually power up and become an unstoppable force.
While the demo only features one biome, the mix of futurism and ruins atop eerie cliffs really fills out the world. Racing through the levels feels exceptionally good, with the characters oozing cyberpunk samurai-esque realness.
Flux and Ekko are the two characters featured in the demo, with Ekko being a slower, heavy-hitter while Flux is so much more agile and satisfying to master. In my time with the demo, I easily liked playing as Flux more. From being able to dash across levels to lining up a barrage of slices and even a powerful ultimate ability, it’s not long before you’re zooming through between battles and mowing down enemies. Ekko does take a lot more getting used to, and I didn’t really feel motivated to grind them when Flux was much more suited to my playstyle. It also didn’t help that they just felt more fun to play.
It’s clear there is a significant emphasis on utilising multiple characters in combat. With only 2 of the 3 characters in the demo, it’s really hard to see what this dynamic switching will look like on the fly in the final game. Vector, the third character in the trailer, appears to wield a mixed kit offering shields and powerful blasts of damage. It feels like the switching could almost benefit by being a little more forced. The hack n slash element though feels great, it’s just a bit too easy to get comfortable with one playstyle.
On the occasions when I did force myself to switch between characters during combat, it went off incredibly smoothly. From Flux effortlessly slicing through the air to Ekko’s heavy hits, dodging and switching just to dive back in is a real thrill. Equally, focusing on Ekku’s damage just to switch to Flux and dodge out leads to a lot of strategies that reward those close shaves. One false step can lead to a run being cut short so it’s a hefty risk in combat that can be a hard sell.
As players move through the semi-procedurally generated levels, each encounter is a test of ability. Early on, it was easy to feel a bit overwhelmed. While levels reward you with a selection of random skill upgrades, these come with the caveat of being random to one of the characters, even if you aren’t playing as them. While there’s a thrill to creating builds on the fly, even chancing on rare upgrades, it does become frustrating. Again, wanting to build out into the playstyle you like isn’t really directly possible without the right luck.
Along with healing and other extra abilities, there are select challenges that can appear on runs around the world. One such trade in the world is the Devil’s Bargain, which gives players a buff along with a nerf, leading to some interesting dilemmas. These choice do spice up the runs considerably. Other challenges see players being being restricted in combat. While the demo runs are quite short, you do see these pop up semi-regularly.
As a hack-n-slash, Morbid Metal does feel fun to play. I do still feel like I’m not quite sold on the dynamic character switching as much as I want to be, though. The game’s world looks stunning, with player movement feeling oh so good as you dash about. The combat is also very satisfying. I do enjoy Flux, though the upgrades tend to punish players who aren’t running both characters in tandem properly. Combos are also rewarding, even if they do feel a little optional. If you’re an avid roguelike fan who’s craving a combat loop that takes time to fully appreciate, then Morbid Metal could be just what you’re looking for.
There’s currently a Morbid Metal Demo available on Steam now with the full game launching into early access on August 21, 2025 here.
