Depending on your preferences, many different games can be as easy or as hard as you like. However, there are a few genres which take that out of your hands, forcing you to make the tough decisions that either lead to splendid victory or a punishing death. Prelude Dark Pain is one such experience.
Coming from indie studio QUICKFIRE GAMES, it is a tactical role-playing game that sees players take on the role of Soren. This local blacksmith has a mysterious past and will have to take up arms once more to lead an uprising against the Order of the Ash Crusade and save a world ravaged by war.
I had the opportunity to check out the Alpha demo ahead of the Kickstarter launch (which runs till June 5 and has been fully funded in just 12 hours), and its depth and brutality instantly stood out. With the action taking place from an isometric perspective, you must master the grid and positioning to destroy your enemies and survive.
And surviving is indeed a tough ask in Prelude Dark Pain, with formidable enemies and demanding encounter designs helping to spice things up. That it’s turn-based doesn’t take away from the tension of weighing up your next move. Do you attempt to flank an enemy for bonus damage, but leave yourself open, or would you rather fight conservatively and risk getting overrun?
The tactical depth is further enhanced with the eight classes in which more than 20 heroes can specialise. Each brings pros, cons, and abilities that, when used right, can turn the tide. This is because they are seldom just effective in the next square over; affected areas could be surrounding your hero or in a cone shape, with proper positioning emphasised once more.
At the same time, the Order of the Ash Crusade has its own tricks up its gothic sleeves, making close shaves more the norm than the exception. Needless to say, it has been a while since I have felt suitably challenged in the genre, and that’s a good marker that Prelude Dark Pain is setting down.
The few battles that could be played had varying objectives as well, so you don’t have to worry about just mindless killing. One that focused on moving carriages was a pleasant surprise, and developed into a nasty one as a powerful boss came onto the scene. Defeat swiftly followed, but it remains a lesson well-learned and remembered.
At this early stage, it appears QUICKFIRE GAMES has gotten the combat loop in good shape, but there’s more to come besides spilling blood. There will be a hub area where you can craft weapons and gear, upgrade, and gather necessary resources. A light management aspect is to be expected, and there will be additional missions that can net new heroes for the cause.
More importantly, the short story sequences hinted at something more intriguing that will unfold in Prelude Dark Pain. The developers have stated that it will be a complex, non-linear story, and I am excited to see just how it will all turn out.
QUICKFIRE GAMES is looking to launch Prelude Dark Pain on Steam Early Access sometime in 2026. You can support the Kickstart campaign until June 5.
