Indie studio Pahdo Labs, a newly-minted company that counts former Capcom and Riot staffers among its ranks, has announced its debut title, a magical girl roguelite by the name of Starlight Re:Volver.
Pahdo describes Starlight Re:Volver as "an anime-inspired action-adventure with co-op multiplayer and roguelite gameplay". It's essentially a cross between the anime aesthetic of Sailor Moon and the isometric action gameplay of Hades.
The game is split between two main locations: the bustling city of NIM and the fantastical dream world of So Mi, and it's in the latter world that you'll be battling enemies, looking for treasure, and tweaking your build so you can play exactly as you want.
As far as influences go, Pahdo directly cites Sailor Moon author Naoko Takeuchi, as well as Rumiko Takahashi, the creator of works like Inuyasha and Ranma ½. It's not difficult to see those influences even in static screenshots, let alone in gameplay.
While you're in the city of NIM, you'll hang out in "online servers supporting dozens of concurrent players", engage in "minigames inspired by Asian cultures", and customize your character.
Once you're ready, you'll hop into various different dreamscapes in So Mi, where you'll take part in "whimsical, hyper-stylized combat" alongside your friends, using combos and environmental elements to deal damage to your enemies.
You can check out the announcement trailer for Starlight Re:Volver, which shows off the game's anime-inspired art style and combat (and features a pretty catchy song), right here.
Right now, Starlight Re:Volver doesn't have a release date, but it's due to land on PC via Steam in 2025. It'll be an Early Access release at first, and Pahdo says it's planning to keep the game at that stage for around a year or two.
You can wishlist Starlight Re:Volver here if you want to keep up with its progress. Stay tuned for more on this one.
