An ARPG “not like another,” spearheaded by a handful of former Diablo 1 and a couple of builders? That is a prospect that I am certain will make loot goblins all over the place sit up and take word. Effectively, that is what the staff behind Darkhaven is getting down to obtain. Shaking up the motion RPG house with a procedurally generated world that includes an unprecedented quantity of environmental destruction and evolution for the style, hopes are understandably fairly excessive. Regardless of solely being revealed on the finish of January, a brand new “pre-alpha” demo for Darkhaven has simply hit Steam, so you possibly can already go and see for your self how developer Moon Beast Productions is getting on.
It is pleasantly stunning to see such a speedy turnaround between announcement and playable demo. Often, you get the announcement trailer, the quotes that promise the world, and the tantalising resumes of the builders in a single hit of hype, after which issues will go darkish for some time. Nevertheless, Moon Beast needs Darkhaven in your arms as quick as doable.
“Nearer to a pre-alpha than a extremely polished, bite-sized teaser, Moon Beast have determined to not water down their ambition with a slim vertical slice, as an alternative permitting gamers to expertise the complete, unfiltered model of what they’re constructing,” a press launch saying the brand new demo reads. Regardless of being an extremely early model of the sport, “the demo affords a number of hours of open-ended ARPG gameplay inside a persistent sandbox world. Gamers can progress the Witch class to stage 8, experimenting throughout three talent bushes centered on mobility, positioning, and useful resource administration.”
“Our objective with this demo is to display two issues on the similar time,” says Erich Schaefer, the co-founder of Moon Beast and one of many major artistic forces behind the unique Diablo. “First, we’re staying true to the addictive core of basic Diablo-style gameplay – development, itemization, and construct synergies. Second, we wish to intentionally break from the pack in how worlds evolve, how replayability works, and the way a lot company gamers have over the land itself.”
As I discussed, the primary method Darkhaven is differentiating itself is with its ever-evolving world. Its dynamic and protracted open world can actually be formed by gamers as they break by means of terrain, drain lakes, and redirect rivers. Moon Beast additionally stated when it revealed the sport that “world-altering occasions go away everlasting scars.” I am but to strive the demo for myself, so I am not sure simply how subtle the map manipulation system is on this early construct. However the guarantees being made concerning the completed product are definitely bold.
The brand new Darkhaven demo is reside and playable at no cost proper now on Steam. You’ll be able to obtain it right here. If it impresses you, and you may see your self coming together with Moon Beast for the journey, the studio has additionally launched a Kickstarter marketing campaign as we speak to assist it speed up improvement and hit its goal of an early entry launch in This fall of 2026.
Admittedly, there is a fairly excessive objective right here of $500,000 / £366,577, which Moon Beast is making an attempt to hit earlier than Saturday, March 21. Nevertheless, if Diablo (and wider ARPG) followers actually resonate with the demo and total idea, there is not any purpose why a cool half 1,000,000 could not be hit.
