Today, September 9, 2026, Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster from Dormidin Studio and publisher Selecta Play is released. This hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania sends you as a barbarian through a dark fantasy world where you harness the souls of defeated creatures to unlock new abilities.
What is Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster about?
At its core is a combat system based on animal transformation: Defeated creatures leave behind souls that your barbarian can absorb to temporarily use their abilities. Combined with classic Metroidvania exploration – new areas only open up with new abilities – this creates a combat and exploration system that aims to noticeably set itself apart from the competition in the genre. The completely hand-drawn art style is reminiscent of classic sword-and-sorcery comics and was explicitly compared by Dormidin Studio in press materials to the retro charm of old Saturday morning cartoons and Conan-esque fantasy.
How much does the game cost and on which platforms is it available?
As of today, Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster is available digitally for PC via Steam, for Xbox Series X/S, as well as for PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch. Physical standard editions are also planned for PS5 and Switch, hitting stores simultaneously with the digital release. The price across all storefronts is around 17 Euros, noticeably below what is typically expected for a game of this scope.
Who should dive in?
From our perspective, the approach of using enemy souls as a central source of abilities is a clever trick to stand out in the oversaturated indie Metroidvania market, which has been heavily influenced by titles like Hollow Knight for years. Those who appreciate hand-drawn visuals and a challenging combat system should definitely take a look, especially with an entry price of around 17 Euros – even if the actual implementation still needs to be proven in official reviews, which are naturally not yet available at launch.
Source: Steam Store page for Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster, Dormidin Studio (official press release)
Have you already played Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster or are you waiting for the first reviews? Share your impressions with us in the comments!
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