PC gamers are raving over a brand new fantasy RPG game that’s a love letter to the classic ‘Dark Messiah of Might and Magic’ games, Fatekeeper. While the full game will eventually be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, its early access demo is currently only available to those with a gaming PC.

Developed by Paraglacial and published by THQ Nordic, Fatekeeper is a narrative based, first-person fantasy RPG that lets you loose with both a sword and spells to dispatch hordes of Orcs.

It’s powered by Unreal Engine 5, taking advantage of bleeding-edge technologies like Nanite to create a world that almost looks photorealistic. Its world is handcrafted with a heavy emphasis on exploration, allowing players to uncover its history and lore through their own curiosity.

When you’re not taking in its glorious mountainous vistas, Fatekeeper has a robust combat system that tasks players with figuring out the strengths and weaknesses of their foes. While puny Orcs can be dispatched with ease, there are plenty of more difficult enemies to take down, including several bosses.

Spells such as fire bolts and wind pushes can be used frequently, and must be timed with well-aimed sword strikes and dodges to fell foes. New spell schools can be unlocked over time with a robust progression system and massive skill tree that lets you build a character that fits your playstyle.

Fatekeeper’s description on Steam reads: “Venture into a handcrafted world where ruins whisper of past cataclysms. Master the art of sword and sorcery and forge your path with relics, spells and choices that shape who you become in this first-person RPG.”

So far, Fatekeeper is in early access on Steam, which comprises about two hours of gameplay. It costs £8.49, which can be viewed as a pretty low price of entry for a game that’s expected to spiral into a 15-hour story by the time its 1.0 launch rolls around.

The developer clarifies that the price will increase once the full game is released.

As for when that might be, Paraglacial is expecting Fatekeeper to spend around 18 months in early access with a full release date planned for early 2028.

Early reviews of the early access portion of Fatekeeper are listed as ‘Mostly Positive’ on Steam. “The game world looks great. You are encouraged to explore, find secrets, gather resources to make potions/vials for buffs and heals. It’s a good dungeon crawler with fun interactions with the environment and good fights,” reads one gamer’s impressions.

Another adds: “I just want to say right off the bat that this is an absolutely breathtaking game, I could just wander around in it for hours because of how beautiful it is!”

Meanwhile, another reviewer says: “Combat and gore feel great, world design is partially stellar to watch and overall it seems that the looming promise of what could potentially be makes this feel like the second coming of Dark Messiah.”

However, some other reviews are less positive, pointing out some of the flaws this early version of Fatekeeper has right now. “The combat can feel a bit samey – I think the psychic pull ability could be a bit more of a grab and toss scenario which would give the environmental hazards more depth,” says one gamer.

Another says: “After playing for a while I honestly enjoy the premise of the game and have had some fun with it, but the combat is extremely unpolished and clunky.”

Will you be trying out Fatekeeper in early access or wait for the full release?