SlashZero: An Anime-Inspired Roguelike Action Platformer That Channels Dead Cells’ Spirit

I’m not usually one for side-scrolling action platformers, but I have to say that SlashZero looks pretty awesome. This upcoming roguelike from Streetlamp Studio is packed with style, featuring anime-inspired visuals and a slick cyberpunk vibe. A recent gameplay reveal showcases the movesets of two playable characters, while an earlier trailer gives a glimpse into the game’s narrative.

The aerial combos are genuinely impressive, flowing together seamlessly. Streetlamp first unveiled SlashZero during the Future Games Show Spring Showcase, emphasizing their “Triple-I” development approach, which aims to push the limits of side-scrolling roguelites by focusing on high-quality 3D animation and in-game performance.

In essence, it feels like an enhanced, anime-infused version of Dead Cells, which could be a blast to play. Just like in Dead Cells, each level in SlashZero is procedurally generated, ensuring that every run feels fresh. The customization and upgrade system appears to be quite extensive as well. The story details are a bit murky: you take on the role of a Timehacker navigating through various deteriorating timelines in pursuit of Hieros, the Lord of the Void, who seems to be the source of all the time-related chaos. The narrative isn’t the main draw here, much like in Dead Cells; players are attracted to SlashZero for its engaging combat and striking aesthetics. Only time will tell if the gameplay can match the excitement of its initial reveal.

While SlashZero doesn’t have a release date yet, you can sign up for an early playtest on Steam.