HoYoverse Previews Dark Fantasy Action Game Nodusfall

HoYoverse, the developer behind Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, is stepping away from its traditional aesthetic with its upcoming title, Nodusfall. The game, which was playable at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, departs from the developer's typical bright colors, cute creatures, and bountiful anime women. Instead, Nodusfall adopts a darker, grittier realism reminiscent of dark fantasy titles like Elden Ring, utilizing mysterious magics and vicious monsters.

A recent hands-on demo at Gamescom offered a first look at Nodusfall's cooperative multiplayer and combat systems. The preview session featured four-player co-op matches against two distinct boss encounters. Players could choose from four character options: two melee-focused fighters and two ranged characters. Among the ranged choices is an archer equipped with a mechanical arm, designed to deal heavy damage from a distance while remaining highly mobile.

Nodusfall's combat system utilizes a basic attack that fills a specialized gauge. Once filled, players can unleash a more powerful attack. Characters also have a secondary move, such as the archer's bomb arrow, which deals extra damage to enemies upon being hit. In addition, characters possess four unique cooldown-based abilities. For example, the archer can summon a spirit wolf to attack in close quarters or perform a backward dodge maneuver to regain distance. While executing these moves depletes stamina, the game features a generous stamina bar that supports rapid positioning.

The boss design in Nodusfall draws heavy inspiration from global mythologies. The Gamescom demo showcased two specific boss encounters. The first is Qiongqi, a beast from Chinese mythology depicted as a griffin-like creature. The second is the Maldrake, a multi-stage dragon boss. The Maldrake fight features a dramatic shift mid-battle, as a fast-moving, sword-wielding knight tears its way out of the dragon's torso to initiate a new phase. This Maldrake Knight phase introduces dangerously fast polearm attacks and pools of black goo that sap player health.

Although Nodusfall is a free-to-play title developed by a studio renowned for gacha mechanics, its monetization structure may differ from previous HoYoverse games. According to the developer, characters are planned to be unlockable through continuous gameplay rather than the traditional banner system. HoYoverse is currently considering cosmetic options for monetization, though further details on the release date, platforms, and solo play features have not yet been finalized.