We’re always on the lookout for great games, and sometimes we have the pleasure of a great find. That about sums up our opinion of Paraglacial’s Fatekeeper, a grimdark fantasy RPG that balances an uncanny ability to not take itself too seriously against some quality visuals and gameplay mechanics, making it a game that seems easy to get lost in.
But what makes it so good? What has us so interested in it when all you can find on it is an announcement trailer and a gameplay reveal? Why should you be on the lookout for it when it hits early access sometime next year?
We’re here to answer all that and more as we dive into what makes Fatekeeper tick, and why we think it’s one of the experiences to watch out for in 2026.
From the very first minute of the gameplay reveal to its last, there’s one element that really pops out about Fatekeeper. Its first-person point of view is helped along by some incredible visuals and level design. Let’s start with the visuals, which bring an astounding level of detail to your character and the world around him.
The castles and underground areas you explore are suitably dark and desolate, the very air around you feeling oppressive as a result. However, their designs boast of a grandeur once at its peak, making you wonder what befell these lands, and your role in the events that are now taking place among their ruins.
Of course, that level of detail has managed to weave itself into the gameplay, with brutal finishers on enemies and numerous breakable blockades stuck on obscure corners of exploreable areas that you can smash through to get to collectibles or pick-ups in the semi-linear world.
With dark corners being quite common across the game’s levels, it’s easy to see the developers set up some enemy traps and ambushes that could have you jumping out of your shoes as you explore its many dungeons and crypts. Combined with the visuals, this is an experience that could have you forgetting about the real world for quite a while.
Picking up an ornate container early on in the gameplay revealed that the game switches to an examination screen, where a rather prominent handle revealed that it could be opened, with a reward waiting for the player inside it. If these visuals are sustained throughout the game, such puzzles could very well ramp up the challenge, requiring you to keep a sharp eye out for exceptions in increasingly ornate pieces.
It works wonders for immersion as well, with the game immediately drawing you in with the world and some darkly humorous conversations with your unlikely travel companion. It’s also brilliant when your own sword has very intricate carvings along the blade and hilt, a sort of showcase of the blade’s history and potency. It was a lovely touch to see our character wipe down their blade once a battle was done, although the blood on it stayed put weirdly enough. It was the only noticeable glitch in an otherwise visually flawless presentation.
But it’s 2025, and we all know that excellent visuals alone don’t really make a game great (MindsEye, anyone?). Fortunately, Fatekeeper is more than just a pretty face.
Encountering an enemy in Fatekeeper immediately feels like a deadly encounter, with your character and their opponent drawing their blades and squaring off against each other. Your character can weave in and out of combat, landing carefully calculated blows to whittle away at enemies.
You could also take a more aggressive approach, diving right into the fray and parrying enemy attacks to throw them off balance. The gameplay showcased telekinetic abilities as well, with one very unfortunate grunt enemy being flung into a wall of spikes that was probably meant to be a trap for us. The game’s promotional materials promise magic and a lot of build potential, along with meaningful upgrades to your character that can make the most of this title’s RPG trappings.
The enemy designs are largely great from the sliver of the game we’ve seen, and the bosses could get far deadlier than the rather large warrior who took on our character at the end of the showcase. Although the combat in Fatekeeper might be at a slower pace than other action-RPGs, it’s that pace that seems to make it as immersive as it is.
That’s because it’s about carefully managing space and choosing the best moment to unleash your deadliest attacks, maximizing the damage you can cause without exposing your character to the enemy’s attacks. There’s a rhythmic push and pull to Fatekeeper’s bladework that calls to us, and we can’t wait to take on more enemies than the simpletons we saw in the game’s early moments.
So that’s solid visuals and a great combat system already in the bag. But wait, Fatekeeper has more!
Before getting on his way to the next point of interest along their journey, your character and his companion stop to have a chat about whatever predicament has them on the road. Your companion quickly scoots out of your backpack and onto your forearm to admonish you and offer smart yet snarky advice on your next course of action.
Yeah, you heard us right. Your companion lives in your backpack, and that’s because they are a talking rat, complete with an attitude that could make them delightful company. Your character and the rat seem to have an uneasy alliance, their journey being mutually beneficial to both of you.
But what could have drawn them together? Where are they on the road to, and why? What has happened to cause so much decay in a land that has obviously thrived at some point in its past?
All of these questions are sure to be answered in a setting that seems to be split between cutscenes and expository descriptions on items you find as you explore the world, meaning that Fatekeeper could be an RPG that rewards you the more you try to get out of the experience.
With the game’s setting confirmed to be linear with a lot of side routes to interesting gear, loot, and extra content to discover along the way, this one could be an RPG that brings a community together to earn a fan following that withstands the test of time. Your character and their companion certainly pass the vibe check you need for two individuals on an adventure that could test their skills and their friendship.
We’re definitely curious to see if your rat companion can help you navigate the world and perhaps even pop out of your bag for a quick bite at your enemies in battle as the game progresses, but for now, we’re going to have to dream of the many ways we’re taking on enemies in Fatekeeper.
But it isn’t all roses and butterflies. Let’s take a look at a few things we believe could be improved in the game ahead of its release into early access.
Aside from the blood remaining static on your character’s weapon despite cleaning it off, the game could use a few more enemies along the way lest its world feel too empty and desolate. While that could be an issue restricted to the game’s current build or perhaps just something during its early hours to allow its players a bit of time to settle in, we believe it was worth mentioning.
Aside from that, having no indication of how much health an enemy has left is a bit of a bummer in a game that requires you to be quite tactical in the heat of battle. That could be a design choice, but perhaps having an option to toggle it on or off based on our preferences could be a suitable compromise? That could be us just nitpicking, though. Fatekeeper really looks like it could be a treat!
When it’s this hard to find things to complain about when a game hasn’t fully revealed all it can do yet, you know that things could turn out very well indeed. Fatekeeper looks and plays like a game that could have its players coming back for more at every turn, while its world gives them reasons to stop and ponder its themes if the setting manages to land as well as it seems primed to.
This is a game we’re going to have an eye on in 2026, and is one we hope delivers on all it promises, thanks to how awesome the end result would be. If nothing else, it would be worth taking on a dark fantasy adventure in which your closest companion is a talking rat whose sassy demeanor is a delight all on its own.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
