There is no shortage of games drawing inspiration from the Metroidvania formula, but Elta: Defy All Gods immediately stands out by combining that exploration-driven structure with third-person brawler combat and a rather unusual sci-fi setting. Developed by Afterburner Studios, the team behind Dreamscaper, and published by Focus Entertainment, the game puts a hulking warrior monk and a tiny dragon god together on an intergalactic quest that involves lost deities, hostile worlds and plenty of punching. After spending an extended session with the PC demo at Gamescom, there is already plenty to like about this unusual combination, although some of its rougher edges suggest there is still work to do before launch.
What we know
Elta: Defy All Gods is a third-person action-platformer with Metroidvania elements, built around a combination of melee combat, platforming and exploration. Players take control of Victus, a warrior monk from the nomadic Edinnite civilization, who is sent to locate Elta, the lost god of his people. His journey takes an unexpected turn when he crashes onto a hostile planet, where he encounters Elta in the form of a small dragon. With the pair now dependent on one another, the goal becomes escaping the planet while restoring Elta’s lost powers and confronting the gods that have brought ruin to the surrounding worlds.
The game’s exploration takes place across three large environments filled with abandoned temples, industrial ruins, hidden routes, secrets and collectibles. Victus gradually expands his traversal capabilities, with abilities such as double jumps, air dashes and wall-running joined by Elta’s own powers, including grappling and gliding. That progression is central to the Metroidvania structure, as previously inaccessible areas can be revisited once the right ability has been acquired. A choice between a more traditional Metroidvania approach and an Adventure mode also allows players to decide how much directional guidance they want while exploring.
Combat is similarly focused on progression. Victus relies on his fists rather than conventional weapons, using different martial arts stances, light and heavy attacks, dodges and counters to deal with groups of enemies and tougher individual opponents. Building energy through combat allows special Lost Art abilities to be unleashed, while additional upgrades and Prism combinations can alter what those attacks do. Elta also develops alongside Victus, gaining new elemental abilities as the adventure progresses. The game is currently scheduled for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a release planned for February 2nd, 2027.
What we saw
This preview is based on a lengthy hands-on session with a demo build of Elta: Defy All Gods during Gamescom, following a meeting with Focus Entertainment and Afterburner Studios. The playable section provided a substantial introduction to the game’s movement, exploration and combat systems before culminating in a boss encounter, giving enough time to see how Victus and Elta begin to complement one another and how the Metroidvania structure starts to take shape.
What we thought
The premise is certainly one of the game’s strongest hooks. Victus is already an imposing warrior when the adventure begins, while Elta starts out as a tiny, seemingly helpless dragon that is actually a diminished god. Their relationship is presented with surprisingly little dialogue or exposition, with environmental scanning and visual storytelling doing much of the work instead. That approach can make the opening feel somewhat vague, but there is something appealing about watching the two characters develop alongside one another. Elta’s diminutive appearance also provides a welcome contrast to Victus’ enormous, heavily armoured frame, and the combination gives the game a personality that goes beyond its familiar genre influences.
The combat is arguably where Elta: Defy All Gods makes its strongest immediate impression. Victus’ punches and kicks have considerable impact, with the animation, sound effects and visual flourishes making even basic attacks feel substantial. Fights encourage an aggressive rhythm, with successful attacks building energy that can subsequently be spent on more powerful abilities. That system works particularly well once the special attacks start appearing, although the demo occasionally made the energy mechanic feel underused, with some encounters ending before there was much opportunity to unleash the more spectacular moves. The basic combat also felt relatively straightforward at first, and the limited enemy variety in the demo means it remains to be seen how much depth the system will ultimately develop. Boss encounters provide a better showcase for the defensive side of the system, requiring more careful dodging, counters and attacks against an enemy’s guard.
Movement and exploration complement the fighting surprisingly well. Victus is already fairly agile, and the gradual addition of double jumps, air dashes, wall-running and other abilities turns the environments into increasingly elaborate playgrounds. Elta’s abilities add another dimension, with the little dragon allowing Victus to grapple across gaps and eventually glide through the air. Moving through the environments is generally smooth and satisfying, although there were moments when the platforming felt slightly imprecise. The larger concern is that the game’s three-dimensional spaces can sometimes make it difficult to determine where the player is supposed to go next. The map provides plenty of information, but its presentation is not always as clear as it could be, while some environmental barriers and invisible walls can make otherwise open areas feel more restricted than expected. The option to reduce or increase directional guidance is a sensible solution, but the underlying level design will still need some refinement.
Visually, Elta: Defy All Gods has a distinctive painterly aesthetic that gives its science-fiction environments considerably more personality than a conventional futuristic setting might have. The brushstroke-inspired presentation, pastel colors and exaggerated character designs create something closer to a moving graphic novel than straightforward photorealism, and the contrast between the grim industrial ruins and the colorful characters works particularly well. Combat benefits from similarly expressive effects, with impactful animations and moments of slow motion helping attacks land with extra weight. The audio contributes to that sense of physicality, particularly during combat, although the demo does not yet provide enough narrative material to judge how effectively the soundtrack and sound design will support the wider story. There is clearly a promising game underneath the rough edges, but the remaining months of development will need to tighten the exploration, improve guidance and expand the combat variety. If Afterburner Studios can build on the foundation shown here, Elta: Defy All Gods could offer a refreshing take on the increasingly familiar 3D Metroidvania formula.