Screen Juice‘s action, hack ‘n’ slash roguelite Morbid Metal has received the demo treatment during Steam’s Next Fest — and it’s shaping up to be a good time!
The demo kicks off with a brief tutorial within the hub world. From here an iteration begins, Morbid Metals version of ‘runs’.
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Interations take place in a mountainous biome filled with ancient ruins and lush vegetation. The aesthetic of which brings to mind NieR: Automata. It’s a visually rich backdrop that sets the stage for fast-paced, stylish action.
These runs are semi-procedurally generated and complete with the usual roguelite staples: buffs, meta-currency, cursed boons etc. For the demo though, meta-progression has been locked.
Combat is the main focus here and we get access to two charaters. Flux, a fast attacker with dash strikes and rapid blade combos, and Ekku, a heavier hitter who trades speed for raw power. The highlight? You can shapeshift between the two in real-time.
This system allows you to chain together devastating combos and adapt to enemies on the fly. The fluidity of the character-switching mechanic adds real depth to the combat and the full game will feature up to four unique characters per run — think of the combos!
While the demo features only a limited enemy roster and no boss fights, it does a fantastic job of introducing the game’s core mechanics, flashy combat, and striking art direction. It definitely left me wanting more.
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Morbid Metal releases into Early Access on August 21st, 2025. If you’re into action roguelites like me, the demo is available now — and it’s looking like this could be a standout title in the genre.
