Summerfall Studios has officially released its exorcism-based deck-building roguelite Malys in early access, inviting players in for a look at its spooky, demon-infused world. While the game remains very early in development, and this is obvious in key art and overall design, it brims with a supernatural charm that demands attention. Even with bare bones, Malys has a potential that can’t be overlooked.
There is so much that goes into gathering support for new games. Malys very recently failed to complete a Kickstarter established so it could release in the best possible state. As of writing, it doesn’t have a secured publisher. The reality is that it’s getting harder to release games, as investor wallets tighten, at the same rate audiences are losing stable income and discretionary spending. But rather than focus on that, it’s best to talk about why Malys deserve a chance to thrive.
Playing many, many rounds of the game over the last week, it’s become clear it has a bright and creative approach to deck-building, and exploring the world of the supernatural. In its Kickstarter, Summerfall Studios identified inspiration from Constantine (2005), and as a self-described stan of this particular series (moreso the comics), it’s fair to say this is the nearest pop cultural touchpoint.
In the game, you play as a former priest turned exorcist named Noah who must wield his knowledge of the arcane arts to save a city from demonic corruption. I was constantly thinking of Constantine: City of Demons, the five-issue comic miniseries from Si Spencer and Sean Murphy, as this plot unfolded. Against the backdrop of a city teeming with demons, you must venture through an array of spaces, identifying demons and then expelling them in tense turn-based combat.
Most of the nodes in the game’s explorable city lead into a fight of some form. Sometimes, it’s a battle against a lesser demon where you can rest on your laurels. Sometimes, you’ll go into combat against a towering and bloody higher demon, which requires plenty more planning.
Battles in Malys are where the game really shines. In short snippets of story dialogue, you’ll come across a roaming demon hiding in the body of a human. You shouldn’t really target the human itself, but work towards defeating the spirits inhabiting their body. When combat begins, you get an array of cards to wield, with the caveat that you must sacrifice some to play others.
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A bit like Disney Lorcana, you must have candles (in Lorcana, this would be ink) to burn through cards. So once you have your hand, you’ll need to access your priorities. Do you want to take down the demon by firing a barrage of damage, but risk getting damaged in turn? Or do you want to take things slower, balancing warding (defence) and attacking, to ensure you escape the battle with minimal damage, and reduce your risk of dying in later battles?
Malys has persistent damage in its roguelite runs, so you’ll need to plan to survive as long as possible, by giving yourself a good start. You could blast through everything that bars your way, but if you get to the end of the line, and find you’ve got 3 health to fight and exorcise a multi-stage boss, you might get in trouble. It’s all about sacrifice for the greater good.
With a long-term goal in mind, and systems that allow you to choose the slow or fast path, Malys has layers of strategy baked in. It’s these systems that will enchant you, even when things like less-than-polished UI or repetitive character art may distract you. Even though Malys sometimes looks ugly, you can still see its strength and beauty in its combat loop, and how layered each battle is.
What further adds stakes is the overarching narrative, which grows and evolves as you run through loops, attempting to defeat as many demons as possible. Along your many paths, you’ll meet an array of strange folks, all of whom have the name of one particular demon on their tongue: Malys.
In snarky asides, these semi-friendly but untrustworthy companions will give you aid to help you on your travels, while teasing the arrival of a much bigger, more powerful demon. One you’ll need to prepare for, by running through the gauntlet of battles first. All roads lead to Malys, so as you wander, you’re constantly aware of the threat dogging your every steps.
It makes each encounter feel riskier, and each new node filled with possibilities.
Malys promises something grand in its overarching narrative, if only you have eyes to see it. As it stands, the game’s promises aren’t yet realised fully, but I can certainly see how bright and unique the game will be in its final form. With new options for starting items, new ways to change up your deck, and more flavour in the game’s many demonic encounters, I can see Malys evolving to be something very special.
It does have a long path to get there, and it will rely on audience support, but the Summerfall Studios team has proved very resourceful in the past, and there’s certainly hope for this game yet. In the months ahead, the studio plans to continue developing the game, with new features added over time.
For those keen to support it early, it’s now available on Steam, and comes highly recommended.
