Possessor(s) Is A Dark Metroidvania Featuring An Extremely Hot Demon And I’m Already Obsessed With It

Previous to attending Summer time Recreation Fest, I had heard exceedingly little about Coronary heart Machine’s upcoming title, Possessor(s). Admittedly, this could be as a result of I used to be a bit tapped out; for as huge of a fan I used to be of Hyper Mild Drifter, the studio’s newer releases–Photo voltaic Ash and Hyper Mild Breaker–didn’t seize me the identical approach Drifter’s lush-yet-somber world did. It appeared to me that Coronary heart Machine was constructing upon the elements of their legacy that I discovered much less compelling, emphasizing quick, fluid traversal and breadth in exploration fairly than depth. Do not get me wrong–I preferred each Photo voltaic Ash and Hyper Mild Breaker, however they did not captivate me–and their trajectory made me not sure if a brand new Coronary heart Machine title ever would. Fortuitously, a brush with Possessor(s) has confirmed me very incorrect.

Billed as a search-action game–a extra game-neutral time period to explain the metroidvania genre–Possessor(s) marks a shift to the second dimension for Coronary heart Machine and combines fast-paced, side-scrolling motion (a la Metroid) with Dark Souls-inspired mechanics to create a tense, brutal, and lovely journey recreation that emphasizes steady discovery. Whereas the studio has beforehand shipped titles with extra summary tales and characters that are not significantly humanoid in look, Possessor(s) additionally appears to mark a pivot in direction of a extra conventional model of storytelling, with hand-drawn, swoon-worthy characters that dish out plot beats and dialogue with accompanying character artwork, equally to Hades.

Thus far, this description comprises so much of comparisons to some extremely beloved video games, so I wish to emphasize that regardless of this, within the part I performed, I did not discover Possessor(s) to be overly spinoff. Though it pulls inspiration from a few of my favourite titles and I might argue I did not see something that reinvents or refines its genres, its urban-horror setting, lustrous artwork course, total tone, and budding narrative really feel each distinctly Coronary heart Machine and like a brand new course for the studio.

Set in a world being overtaken by dimension-hoping demons, Possessor(s) kicks off with essential character Luca watching one in every of her family members get ripped aside by a demon whereas pinned underneath a pile of particles. Finally, she is ready to transfer out from beneath it, solely to search out each her legs have been severed from her physique. After just a few moments spent crawling and crying out for assist, she finds it within the form of a tall, darkish, and good-looking particular person named Rhem–who additionally simply so occurs to be one of many demons terrorizing humanity. Rhem tells Luca he can graft her new legs and save her life, as long as she enters a pact with him that may assist save his life, too. She reluctantly agrees, and the 2 type a singular bond that ties each their souls to Luca’s physique.

As the 2 proceed, Rhem alludes to Luca not understanding the demons’ motives or the true function of a worldwide company related to family home equipment and creating higher dwelling for its clients. This in the end units up a thriller for Luca to unravel, causes all the sport’s evil, inanimate object enemies to make a complete lot extra sense, and creates a path ahead for her and Rhem’s coexistence. Though not completely novel–science-fiction and corrupt companies are inclined to go hand-in-hand–it’s nonetheless an attention-grabbing premise made extra compelling by its macabre leanings, implausible character artwork, and the general environment of the decaying city sprawl I explored.

Most significantly, nonetheless, Possessor(s)’ gameplay feels nice. It’s fluid, enjoyable, delightfully troublesome, and, primarily based on the portion of the map I noticed, looks like it is going to supply up a big, dense world ripe for exploration. Although some metroidvanias (or search-action video games) go away room for hack-and-slash model gameplay, Possessor(s) requires a degree of dexterity and intention that displays the group’s need to include souls-like components into it. It additionally contains “bonfires” and a world that resets when you relaxation, additional emphasizing that affect.

Possessor(s) has already impressed me, and with its guarantees of a fancy narrative that permits you to play by means of a number of paths and meet a wide range of characters with their very own “heartbreaking” tales, it has rapidly turn into one in every of my most anticipated releases of 2025.