Playtest Open For Retro Horror Action Platformer “Haunted Lands” on Steam

Fans of retro action horror-themed video games can go ahead and apply to partake in the Steam Playtest for Haunted Lands. The fast-paced action indie game lets you battle evil spirits, demonic creatures, cultists, and more.

From developer Alevgor and publisher Alawar, Haunted Lands has been inspired by John Romero’s classic platformer Dangerous Dave. It has been described as a retro platformer filled with dark and bloody visuals as you blast, claw, and shoot your way through numerous supernatural enemies. You will need to choose from five unique characters and get ready to explore the ruins of crypts and tombs. 

The Playtest is open right now on Steam. So, it’s a good chance for you to get into the action early and play a role in shaping the final product.

The premise is quite simple. The haunted lands need a hero and only you (of course!) have what’s needed to save the cursed burial grounds that have been overrun by the paranormal. The five characters you can select from include a “Veteran” Gunner, meant for taking down enemies from a distance; a “Ranger” Gunner; a “Werewolf” Beast, allowing you to leap, pounce, and shred enemies with raz0r-sharp claws; a “Salamander” Beast, for flame breath, and a “Sorcerress” Mage, for unleashing powerful lightning spells.

Each character has unique skills and abilities, making for a completely different gameplay experience and enhanced replayability. During your journey you will be able to gather artifacts to enhance the offensive and defensive abilities of the characters. The skillsets can be completely changed by using the most powerful artifacts.

As expected, the enemies cover common minions, buffed-up versions, and formidable bosses that need a bit of thinking to take down rather than just straight-up attacks. For example, when fighting the Frankenstein-like Boss, you also need to destroy a certain type of machinery. 

Here’s the enjoyable trailer!

I’m here for the retro visuals. The trailer also showcases the different abilities and gameplay mechanics quite well. I like how the characters have powerful attacks as well as a Stamina System to allow for more strategic gameplay. I kind of want to start things off by selecting the werewolf or the sorceress. The Ranger Class seems capable of switching between two-handed and dual-wielding guns. So, that’s cool.

The various items include the ‘Bead of Focus’ for increasing Attack Charging Speed and the ‘Drop of Fire’ for obtaining more Wrath from Wrath Cells. From what I could gather from additional promotional materials, there will be a Shop for Buying and Selling items.     

Haunted Lands is planning a PC via Steam launch sometime in 2025. You can go ahead and Wishlist the game right now on Steam.

You can also follow Alawar on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, and join the studio’s Discord channel.

As for Alevgor aka solo game developer Oleksii Horiachev, he formerly worked as a freelance artist and animator. Since 2019, he’s focused on creating engaging and challenging games across diverse genres and styles. Haunted Lands does look like a well-made title to me, especially coming from a one-man team. So, all the best for its positive reception.

Are you excited about playing Haunted Lands?

Let us know.

More of our video game coverage can be read here.

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(via Press Release)

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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