Former Devs Behind Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow And Halo Bring Their Next Game To Kickstarter

Holmgang: Memories of the Forgotten is a new game coming from Spanish developer Zerouno Games, made up of former creatives from 343 Industries, Rockstar, and Mercury Steam. You'll journey across diverse lands and fight off monsters pulled from different forms of real-world mythologies in this action-adventure game that takes cues from Dead Cells and the 2018 God of War reboot. It's a cool premise, and the creators are looking to crowdfunding to see the game to its finish.

The game is just planned for release on PC at this time, but there are plans for stretch goals that would see the game releasing on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Before the game's debut on Kickstarter on March 24, GameSpot got an early look of Holmgang in action, showing off its retro-inspired combat and vibrant, cell-shaded aesthetic. Set in the world of Dracorum, you play as three heroes who must band together to fight the evil Emperor Hazulem and his army. With the three heroes--Tatsu the samurai-inspired warrior, Valentina the amazonian brawler, and Kandar the viking--you'll explore different regions, take on quests, and gradually expand the trio's strength to face off against new threats.

The game, which initially began as a student project known as Memories of the Forgotten, eventually grew out into a more realized game once the creatives from the different studios formed Zerouno Games. According to the Kickstarter, Mercury Steam's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow games served as a big inspiration, with the game designer--Víctor Cerezo--helping to form Zerouno Games in the years since its release.

What's interesting about Holmgang is its ties to ancient mythology--or rather the way it tries to blend different cultures. While the game's title itself references the ancient act of dueling from ancient Norse civilization, the larger story and setting are inspired by myths and legends that include Eastern mythos and iconography as well. You'll explore different regions of the world with each character throughout the game, allowing you to learn more about their personal story and how they fit into the larger narrative.

While there's a significant focus on story, you'll also spend most of your playthrough strengthening each character and uncovering more details and history for each setting, which is intriguing. With a planned 2021 release on PC, the developers hope that the Kickstarter campaign will be able to get the game to completion, allowing them to fully realize a project that has been in the making since their days as students.