I love a Bullet Heaven/Survivors-like as much as the next guy. So, I’m always on the lookout for the next twist on the genre. When I started browsing the last Steam Next Fest, I knew there would be a few that would try to poke at the genre in different ways, along with a few basic re-skins. Ember & Blade is not at all what I expected when I loaded it up, and that’s a double-edged sword.

Ember & Blade puts you in the shoes of Demon Hunter Fenrix Haven, a young man bound in a pact with an angel. Fenrix is immortal, but must take on the legions of Asmodeus in order to prevent him from rising from his sealed state. Asmodeus was sealed by Ariella, and now the seal has begun to weaken.

In reality, Ember & Blade is a bit more like Hades or Death Must Die than Vampire Survivors or Megabonk. The Survivors-esque style of gameplay exists, but there is a Hades-esque dodge system and boons from Angels (Hades’ god equivalent) that each have their own personalities.

There is an effort here for a more story-focused bend, and the voice acting and story that are presented so far are very interesting. So far, the demo contains 2 levels with 2 main bosses and 8 mini-bosses. Each level is gorgeous in design, with unique elements in each level. The gameplay is engaging and enthralling, but there are a few elements that I think could be improved.

There are a few stats that need tweaking or elements that can increase them. For example, there isn’t really a way to increase XP gain, which limits how you can progress in each run. If you don’t pick just the right buffs and boons, you won’t make it through the level boss. Other stats like pickup range feel neglected, too, and there is currently only one ranged weapon (with 3 melee weapon options), which feels strange for a game like this.

There is no release date yet for Ember & Blade, and I’m fine with that. It already looks polished, and the Demo is supposed to be updated over time to give players a chance to provide feedback. This gives it a pseudo-Early Access feel, but it also gives the developers more time to cook and work Ember & Blade into the solid experience it should be.

If you haven’t already, give Ember & Blade’s demo a try. This is definitely a game to keep an eye on. With the right tweaks and a bit of polish, I could see it being the next great story-focused Rogue-like experience.

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