The Citadel Project blends Thief and Dark Messiah stealth, hits Steam early access November 11

The Citadel Project, a first-person stealth game from solo developer Reliquary Software, is set to launch into Steam early access on November 11. A demo is already available, letting players try a stretch set in a network of subterranean caverns after the protagonist escapes imprisonment.

The game casts you as a sickle-wielding prisoner trying to escape a sprawling medieval fortress patrolled by shambling undead guards. According to PC Gamer, it combines the designs of Thief and Dark Messiah with first-person indie gaming's current interest in megastructures.

The Thief influence is visible at a glance. Environments are wrapped in shadow, stealth is the main tool, and the character carries a crossbow that fires different kinds of bolts, including water bolts and moss quarrels. The Dark Messiah side shows up most in the physics engine: you can shove enemies in the back, pushing them off ledges or into spike traps placed around the fortress.

There is also a bit of Dark Souls in the mix. Bonfire-like checkpoints let you upgrade your character, and the story is told through item descriptions and notes collected as you progress. PC Gamer notes that while there is combat and even a parry system, The Citadel Project is a stealth game through and through and is not as demanding as FromSoftware's RPGs.

PC Gamer's early impressions describe the stealth as fairly meat and potatoes, with some player and enemy interactions that could use refinement. The atmosphere was called enjoyably moody, and the environments were praised for their pleasing scale.

The Citadel Project arrives during a busy stretch for fans of its inspirations. A Thief remaster from Nightdive, which features a new campaign, is due on December 3. A Ubisoft-approved community edition of Dark Messiah, adding co-op and new modes, is expected sometime in December. Other spiritual successors are also in the works, including Gloomwood, Fatekeeper and Alkahest.