Drinkbox Studios is developing a Metroidvania action RPG with cooperative multiplayer elements, but don’t expect it this year.

Battle your way through a psychedelic Western nightmare to reclaim your people’s memories in Blighted, a Metroidvania action RPG from the creators of Guacamelee! Harness the deadly, reality-altering power of the Blight to unravel the world’s mysteries. In the past, the dead were buried with seeds planted in their brains. These seeds grew into trees that surrounded the player’s village. The fruit from these trees was special; it contained the memories of the deceased. Knowledge and traditions were passed along through this fruit for generations. This continued until Sorcisto defiled the ritual. By eating brains raw, he gained vast power and knowledge. He consumed the entire village, destroyed the memory forest, and infected the world with a deadly blight.

You play as the sole survivor of Sorcisto’s rampage and must fight to reclaim your people’s memories before the Blight consumes you. Explore a world full of mystery in this psychedelic Western nightmare. Learn to harness your blight, which serves as both a source of power and an added challenge, making the game difficult for players of all skill levels and unlocking some of the world’s deepest secrets. Play through the entire campaign alone or with a friend in cooperative mode.

Combat in Blighted is nuanced and deadly. Time your attacks carefully to weave through enemies, chain together combos, and perform powerful finishers. The player’s own Blight serves as a dynamic difficulty system that constantly changes enemies, the player, and the world as they play. Devour the brains of defeated bosses to gain their memories, become more powerful, and unlock new abilities and paths in the world. Pay careful attention while exploring to unlock the many deep secrets of Blighted’s world. Play through the adventure with a friend via drop-in/drop-out cooperative multiplayer. Blighted features new music by Jim Guthrie, acclaimed composer of Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP, Below, and Nobody Saves the World.

“Blighted is our largest and most ambitious game to date. We’ve built on our experience creating past games while experimenting with new ideas. We’re working hard to finish developing Blighted, and we’re excited to finally reveal it to the world!” wrote Graham Smith, DrinkBox Studios co-founder and producer, in the press release.

Blighted is in development for PC and consoles to be determined; it’s due out sometime in 2026.

Source: Gematsu