Few games have the guts to call themselves the “Greatest Game Ever Made,” however, 2016’s Let It Die boldly claimed that it is, in fact, the “Greatest Game Ever Made…Probably.” This off-beat survival RPG kicked things off with players in nothing but their undergarments and let them battle their way through floor after floor of enemies while picking up new loot and listening to the guiding words of a skateboarding reaper known as Uncle Death. Six years later, GungHo Online is ready to launch the follow-up to its cult classic title with Deathverse: Let It Die, a 16-player battle royale that looks just as bloody, weird, and stylish as the studio's previous “Greatest Game Ever Made, Probably.”
Suda 51’s Grasshopper Manufacture is not at the head of this project this time around; however, Deathverse still contains much of the same charm and eccentricities. Those qualities make sense since a lot of the same developers team from the original Let It Die are now working on this battle royale under SuperTrick Games. Game Director Shin Hideyuki states that Deathverse was not originally intended to be a PvPvE arena-based battle royale, but after seeing the success of Let It Die’s PvP elements, the team decided to “hone in on a few good ideas,” leading to the creation of Deathverse: Let It Die.
At first glance, Deathverse looks just as strange as its 2016 counterpart. Starting with world design, SuperTrick honed in on making every detail in the world look and feel as odd as possible, sticking close to that original post-apocalyptic feeling that left a lasting impression on players in the original Let It Die. When designing Deathverse, the team had some more flexibility with what it could do, seeing as the game takes place hundreds of years after its predecessor. Throughout Deathverse, players will find cryptids, strange plants, odd ruins, and an “overall sense of oddness,” fitting for a world that houses a skateboarding reaper.
That sense of “oddness” is complemented by the sound direction led by Akira Yamaoka, known for his work on the Silent Hill series and Lollipop Chainsaw. In the background of all the death and destruction, Deathverse: Let It Die centers on the Death Jamboree TV show that every player is trying to win. That television framework gave Yamaoka an exciting challenge for the sound design of this game, as the mood shifts throughout a round, and the “DJ” of the Death Jamboree changes the soundscape and music of each round. It's certainly an interesting juxtaposition that occurs when players take in the grim world of Deathverse and then listen to the game’s funky main theme.
On the gameplay front, SuperTrick’s mission statement is clear: this will be a new type of battle royale. The team is dedicated to making something that will be difficult to compare to other games and not just because of its colorful aesthetic. Deathverse still holds the same main goal of the genre, to be the last one standing, but fills in the gaps with Hunter enemies who chase players and keep the action going between lulls in PvP combat and then scales down the action with smaller arenas where close quarters combat is the main focus.
SuperTrick says this is a “survival-of-the-fittest” type of game where killing is not the only option; being the smartest one in the room is what will likely get the win. Players will need to know when it would be the best time to fight or perhaps hedge their bets and let the Hunters sweep up some players for them. What’s most apparent about SuperTrick’s battle royale is that it will be a frantic and constantly engaging experience. Deathverse: Let It Die is super dense in its arena size, ensuring that players are always running towards or away from something or someone.
When it comes to how players will be hacking and slashing other players, Deathverse: Let It Die takes a lot of inspiration from fighting games, with one of its biggest selling points being the vast amount of weapons available to players. There are a lot of weapons in Deathverse, and each one has different Deathblows, Main Skills, and Mastery Bonuses to discover. Also a slew of animations. Each weapon takes some consideration to use, opening the door for multiple play styles. For example, the Katana is a dexterous but weak weapon that is perfect for countering enemies. Meanwhile, hammers are slower but deal massive damage if players can time their hits correctly. There are also some purely chaotic weapons, like the sawblade that lets players run full speed at other players while wielding a live power tool.
But it's not enough that players mow down every enemy in sight; they must also do it in style. Part of Deathverse’s TV show framing is that players are doing everything for the camera and should look great doing it. Those who can rile up the audience enough with Deathblows and Hunter kills are granted Good Points (GP) as a reward, which is the key to winning the Death Jamboree. There is no shortage of clothing options for players to make the craziest-looking character they can, and there are plenty of emotes and taunting options for extra style points. The game is so much about style that players can even choose a death taunt, turning the traditional gloating intention of emotes on its head.
Deathverse: Let It Die is intended as a free-to-play live service game and already has a road map lined up for the next year, delivering three seasons' worth of new content. Coming up through the end of the year are five new weapons for each of the five weapons types in the game, along with a brand new Twin Knives weapon set, bringing a grand total of 30 new weapons for the next three months. Additionally, SuperTrick is offering a Let It Die collection of cosmetics in honor of the original game. Through 2023 players can expect to see updates introducing Cup Matches, new Hunters, more new weapons, and new features, including PC and PlayStation crossplay and recording tools for players looking to cut together some gory highlight reels.
The team at SuperTrick seems well aware that they have a lot to live up to after making the “Greatest Game Ever Made, Probably,” but it seems like the studio is keen on honoring the legacy of Let It Die by refining the best parts of its combat while also presenting some new ideas to carve out its own space in the battle royale market. Deathverse is part battle royale, part TV show, part fighting game, and part survival game, all inside one eccentric package. It can certainly be a lot to take in, with its off-beat humor and how much pride it takes in its idiosyncrasies; however, those looking to paint the town red in a fast-paced and dense combat arena that SuperTrick says will "provide a new gaming experience," then Deathverse: Let It Die might be a game to look out for this fall.
Deathverse: Let It Die releases September 28, 2022 on PS4 and PS5, and October 5 on PC.