Sometimes a game idea takes a truly unusual path to market readiness. Dinoblade, for example, originated from a 30-second animation clip that went viral back in August 2022. Since July 23, 2026, it has evolved into a complete, authentic Soulslike action game on Steam.
You control a young Spinosaurus that wields its greatsword directly in its mouth. While it sounds bizarre, initial impressions suggest it plays surprisingly cohesively: dodge rolls, counters, and combo animations are built entirely around the dinosaur's neck movements, body mass, and tail position, rather than simply slapping a human combat system onto a dino model. The game world spans multiple biomes, with each new region unlocked only after a boss fight against a so-called Alpha Predator.
Behind the project is solo developer Jean Nguyen, operating under the studio name Team Spino LLC. Nguyen works full-time as a Senior Gameplay Animator at Sucker Punch Productions, the studio behind Ghost of Tsushima and the upcoming Ghost of Yotei. Dinoblade is therefore a genuine passion project alongside his main job.
And the community approves: The free demo garnered over 3,300 reviews with a 97 percent positive rating. Even before the official launch, over 460,000 wishlist entries were recorded on Steam – a figure that industry observers estimate to be about ten times higher than the threshold considered necessary for a well-positioned top indie release.
For anyone who enjoys unconventional changes in perspective within the Soulslike genre, Dinoblade should be one of the most exciting indie surprises this week.
Source: Tech Times, PC Gamer
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