A veteran dev’s new project isn’t your usual soulslike: dinosaurs bite down on giant blades, and you can try it at no cost. Dinoblade, born from a joke by Jean Nguyen, now has a surprisingly polished demo on Steam.

Indie games keep proving that imagination doesn’t have a ceiling — even the wildest ideas can click. The latest case in point is a curious soulslike starring sword-wielding dinosaurs. It’s called Dinoblade, a project that began almost as a gag from Jean Nguyen, senior animator on Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yotei, and somehow evolved into a genuinely fun, playable experiment you can download right now.

What started as dev-room banter morphed into an action game where you control a Spinosaurus clenching a massive sword in its jaws. The pitch is as clean as it gets: take on waves of prehistoric foes in tight, Souls-style duels, mastering dodges, parries, and smart stamina use. The world leans into the absurd and the epic; each fight is chaotic yet satisfying, with boss encounters that reward pattern recognition instead of cheap shots.

The Dinoblade demo is live — and it’s a blast

Despite those impromptu origins, the demo has captured attention thanks to its breezy tone and surprisingly solid core. What could’ve stayed a one-off joke carved out a clear identity, racking up 97% positive reviews on Steam in three days. Early players praise the snappy pacing, readable boss movesets, and how natural a controller feels out of the box.

Technically, there’s roughness: bare-bones menus, occasional hit-detection quirks, and visuals that echo the PS3 era. Even so, atmosphere and art direction sell scale and intensity, while bosses push without feeling punitive. Reports mention occasional lock-on wobbles and minor frame dips; still, frequent checkpoints and sensible tuning keep the cadence brisk for soulslike newcomers.

If the demo clicks with you, know that Dinoblade isn’t staying a punchline — a full release is slated for 2026. It’s an absurd yet irresistible combo that seems destined to leave a mark… or at least slap a grin on your face as a sword-biting Spino charges its next duel.

Source: 3djuegos