Deathmaster plays like a Stealthy Hollow Knight Preview
Key Preview Takeaways:
- Playing as a Skaven offers a uniquely fluid movement experience in 2D sidescrollers.
- The level design evokes the atmosphere and rewarding exploration of games like Hollow Knight.
- The narrative quality remains to be seen, though the action is compelling.
Most Warhammer games focus on the giant, horrible rat men of the Skaven as expendable fodder in horde battles. This shift in perspective is immediately thrilling. In Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster, the player is thrown into the stinking rags of Vihneek, a resourceful rodent who finds himself unceremoniously dumped into a festering pit of corpses. Forget simple combat; this is a deep dive into the scheming and murder that defines the Skaven civilization.
Vihneek’s journey is one of rediscovery. Starting almost powerless, bound in wooden stocks, the initial challenge is pure escape. But through clever, percussive problem-solving, Vihneek transforms into an agile little scamp. The gameplay introduces a sense of mobility previously unseen in similar side-scrollers, allowing the player to run along walls and ceilings, making every movement feel distinctly unique to the subterranean world.
Survival hinges on stealth. Armed guards react instantly to any contact, meaning hiding behind drapes, extinguishing lights, and tossing abandoned skulls become essential survival tactics. Yet, Vihneek is not helpless. A handy instinct vision mode allows him to spot enemy vision cones and interactable objects, and a unique right stick allows for camera movement, helping the player locate elusive ledges and exits.
The environment itself is a character, boasting layered caverns painted with gloomy malice. This level design echoes the rewarding exploration and thoughtful navigation found in games like Hollow Knight, demanding that the player observe and strategize before making their escape.
As Vihneek navigates this world, he seeks out precious warpstone, the magical essence that fuels Skaven intelligence. This pursuit expands gameplay, unlocking additional skill points and new abilities. Eventually, Vihneek gains access to the mantle of a Night Runner—the elite assassins of the Skaven world. This new status unlocks powerful tools, including a grappling hook and stealth enhancements, turning Vihneek from a simple survivor into a predator.
The gameplay elegantly blends stealth mechanics with platforming challenges. While movement can be slow and thorough, finding the perfect sequence of actions to outwit guards and find warpstone rewards adds a satisfying layer of progression. The action shifts from mere hiding to calculated execution, where Vihneek can leverage environmental traps and a makeshift shield to turn a desperate escape into a gory display of malice.
The story’s true heart lies in the internal conflict. The violence witnessed is predominantly Skaven-on-Skaven, highlighting that the great conflict in this universe stems from the endless plotting and murder among the rat clans, rather than external threats. It’s a dark, moldy masterpiece of subterfuge. While some lore elements remain murky, the experience delivers a maniacally delightful slice of furry mayhem, reminding us that in the subterranean world, the real war is fought in the shadows.
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