Welcome to the show 🗡👊🔨

You most likely haven't heard much about the game I'm going to be sharing with you today. It has slid under the radar outside of being featured in a PlayStation State of Play many months ago and an open beta earlier this summer. Other than that, the promotion has been pretty sparse for this title, which is a shame because it really is such a unique game.

In Deathverse you are 1 of 16 contestants in a bloody free-for-all match that happens to also be a tv show. It's considered a third-person battle royale, but it definitely is not your typical BR. Although, yes it is free-to-play.

In 2026, a seismic natural disaster known as the Earth’s Rage sent the world into upheaval. Now, several hundred years later...
The inhumanely violent survival reality show Death Jamboree was born to satiate the devastating human heart.
Will you be the last one standing? The star who thrills the crowd and wins wealth and glory beyond compare? Now is your time to shine! ^Source

Gameplay 🤺

As cool as everything about this game is, none of it would matter at all if the gameplay sucked. Thankfully, that is not the case and this game is actually pretty fun. Each fighter is paired with their own bot named Wilson which allows you to more easily track enemies. Other than that, you're all alone out there and there is no way to play duos or trios, at least not yet.

You start each match with a melee weapon of choice. There are 5 different ones to choose from including a machete, katana, hammer, arms, and buzzsaw. Each of these has many different variants that can be crafted to create entirely unique gameplay styles. More weapons such as the twin knives will be coming in the future. Every weapon has a deathblow, main skill, mastery bonus, and an unlockable perk to go along with a primary and secondary attack. You will level up each weapon individually just by using it and getting kills.

You also have an energy shield, the ability to dodge/roll, and some weapons such as the katana allow you to parry. Battling in this game is a lot like rock paper scissors. If you time your shield correctly, you can counter. If you attack too much, it may leave you vulnerable.

Along with your 15 human opponents, there are some AI-controlled enemies across the battlefield. You will find easy-to-kill monsters called cryptids such as the chupacabra, jackalope, tsuchinoko, and stylish. During certain moments of the match, a super powerful opponent called a Hunter appears and stalks players. They will disappear eventually and it is best to not be spotted by any of the hunters since they are very difficult to defeat.

You will also discover materials that can be used for crafting and mushrooms that can heal you, make you trip, or vomit. To recharge your main skill, you must absorb skill power from power pods that are scattered across the maps. Sub-skills recharge on a timer.

Toward the end of each program, the "Showdown Zone" is opened. This is where the final battle for survival will take place in a closed-off area. It's smart to save your skills and health for this moment, but you don't want to play too cautiously since that will not earn you GP. Basically, the more attacks you land, the more voltage aka health you gain and momentum is in your favor.

The highlight of DEATH JAMBOREE is vicious melee battles fought at close range with specialized weapons. ^Source

Customization 👘🥋🦺🥼

As with most free-to-play games, cool skins are the main way developers are going to be making their money. You do not have to pay to win in this game luckily, but you do have to pay to stand out.

Everyone has the same outfit at the start, although you do get to create a custom character. Just like weapons, outfits can be upgraded, but it doesn't happen quickly. Some unlockable outfits are awesome, but most of the best-looking stuff is purchasable in the store. There is also a battle pass if you're into that type of thing.

There is also the ability to apply skins to your Wilson and energy shield. You can even customize your room decorations. There are a lot of options to personalize your game. If you're like me though, you probably won't want to pay for any of this stuff and will just earn what you can through playing.

Collect a wide variety of skins, and upgrade the appearance of your weapons and costumes to fight in style!

The environment 🌇

There are 4 or 5 maps that are all distinct, but also somewhat similar at the same time. You will find many different levels on each unit of the map. Navigating the areas can be a bit confusing at first, but it gets easier and there is a map to refer to. You can climb some walls and there is no fall damage. That is unless you fall off of the map into the sea of red, which means instant death.

Matches take place on a variety of stages, called Units, each with distinct zones. As the clock runs down, contamination increases and the area you fight in grows smaller. Staying in a contaminated zone spells your doom. If you are crafty, you can catch a foe by surprise from the high ground, hide in tall bushes, or stalk your prey from the shadows. Those who take advantage of the terrain are more likely to survive.

The game looks damn good and it runs well too. The aesthetic reminds me a lot of steampunk things, but Deathverse somehow finds a way to stand out in its own way.

DEATH JAMBOREE battles take place on Bonuriki, an uninhabited island that has grown increasingly contaminated by SPLithium.
On the island are multiple abandoned facilities and ruined structures, and various types of terrain.
Knowing and taking advantage of your environment is a key step toward victory! ^Source

How to play 🎮🖱⌨️

The game is out now on PS4/PS5 and it releases on PC/Steam on 10/05/2022. Cross-platform will be a thing eventually, but not at launch. Season 1 is already underway and you can expect much more content to release for the game down the road.

More info available on https://deathverse.com/

Thanks for watching 👀

I hope you enjoyed the gameplay and commentary for this game. It can be frustrating when you lose, but getting kills and winning a match feels damn good. It takes a lot of skill to survive long enough to crown yourself as champion, but with practice you'll be good at this game in no time.

There is a lot of written information in the blog portion of this, but you can get a lot more from my gameplay video.

Comment below what you think of Deathverse by the looks of it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

My NFTs: @daltono/nfts