Dinoblade has one of those concepts that immediately grabs attention: a Spinosaurus wielding a greatsword. What was the original spark behind the idea, and when did you realize it could become a full game rather than just a striking visual concept?

In early 2022, I decided to try and find another animation position but since my demo reel was out of date, I had to start making new pieces. I focused heavily on combat and creature animations. At that time, I also noticed that a friend of mine on twitter had one of his animations go viral which gave me more motivation since I’ve always wanted to go viral at least once in my life. I kept putting out new animations, growing my account and at the same time strengthening my demo reel. One day, I decided to go easy and just reupload an old animation but maybe change something on it to be silly. I grabbed an old Spinosaurus Walk Cycle I made and put a Buster Sword in it’s mouth. This animation didn’t go viral but I liked how it looked and thought it would be fun to see a combo from it. I made a 6 ish second combo clip of the Spinosaurus using a giant Buster Sword and that clip went viral, gaining over 6 Million views on Twitter alone. Many comments mentioned if this was part of a game, or telling me to make a game out of it but I would reply saying it’s only for my demo reel thinking that it was impossible for me to make a game out of this idea alone.

The premise is inherently wild, but the game also seems to be treating its action-RPG combat seriously. How do you balance the absurd appeal of “dinosaurs with swords” with the need for combat weight, challenge, and genuine player mastery?

The idea is silly and people may think it’s more of a game that would make them laugh but the original animations were appealing because it shows how a Dinosaur could wield a giant sword from its mouth in a realistic way so I ran with that idea but pushing it a bit to be more fantasy since I’m a big anime fan. I’m also a big fan of fast paced combat, so the animations have to be quicker during these moments but weighty on the recoveries. I also don’t want combat to be mindlessly spamming to win so finding ways to make players stay on their toes and focus is important to keep the game engaging.

"The idea is silly and people may think it’s more of a game that would make them laugh but the original animations were appealing"

Dinoblade features rival dinosaurs, some of whom also wield weapons. How do you design believable combat readability around creatures that are not humanoid but are still participating in sword-based combat?

There’s very limited movement a Dinosaur can do while wielding a weapon with its mouth so focusing on readability was a bit challenging. Players have had concerns mentioning that they can’t read when the Dinosaur is about to attack versus them playing hit reactions so 1 way is to add Red Glints which are Attacks that can not be blocked. They can still be parried but mistiming it will be punishing. The Red Glints also have a sound effect to it to make it even more intense. While not all attacks are Unblockable, normal ones tend to have a long enough windup pose that players will learn to distinguish vs a hit reaction, the longer they play.

What kind of structure should players expect from Dinoblade? Is it a mostly linear action-RPG with handcrafted encounters and boss progression, or is there meaningful freedom to explore, backtrack, and discover optional areas?

Half of the maps are linear and a few are more open to explore. Player’s will want to explore to find all the mini bosses which on defeat, will give the player Boss SP to use an unlock or upgrade their abilities. Defeating bosses also allows Players to summon them and each Summon has their own passive. Players can also find Extra Boss SP hidden around the map, as well as Health Stones which are like a heal flask, and weapons. Players can also travel back in case they miss something. I would say the game is more focused on Boss Rush similar to Black Myth Wukong.

The Steam page mentions multiple biomes and Alpha predators ruling different regions. How important are these Alpha encounters to the game’s overall progression and sense of scale?

Each Alpha, which are the main bosses that’s blocking the path to the next map, will reward Players with 3 Boss Sp and potentially a new weapon to unlock. You can’t summon the main Bosses normally but there are ways to summon these Alphas that players have to unlock to do so. The Boss Fights are the main reason why players want to play, and towards the end of the game, Players will discover the lore by defeating these bosses. Each Alpha Boss Fight will be a completely different, unique encounter with their own unique movesets so the game will not get repetitive in boss fights.

What can you tell us about Dinoblade’s progression systems? How deep do skills, combos, parries, dodges, rolls, and abilities become as players move further into the game?

There’s a Souls Art Tree, basically a skill tree with 4 abilities you can unlock plus a single passive which you can unlock 3 levels of. Each time you unlock the new level of the abilities, they become stronger with a new visual look or effects to it. One of the abilities is to stun the enemy but if you unlock level 2 and further, you start transforming to the Dinosaur you’ve binded with. You also have Attribute system where players can put their SP points into 1 of the 4 stats, Health, Strength, Resonance and Stamina. Health for a tanky build, Strength to increase physical damage like light and heavy attacks, Resonance to increase spell damage plus increase the amount of Resonance the player has and Stamina to let player fight longer before waiting for stamina to regenerate as well as Stamina being tied to the Transformation form.

Since every major character is a dinosaur, what kind of storytelling approach are you taking? Is the narrative told through cutscenes, environmental storytelling, creature behavior, or something else entirely?

The story is told through mostly short cinematics which the player will see more of towards the 2nd half of the game. There are also some clues in the environment before each Boss Fight stage. I also want the player to figure out the story on their own, piece it together rather than explaining everything.

"Half of the maps are linear and a few are more open to explore."

What were the biggest challenges in telling an emotional or dramatic story in a world where the cast is made up entirely of weapon-wielding dinosaurs?

The biggest challenge was to decide whether the dinosaurs have dialogues or not. I decided to add some dialogue lines which include voices but they should sound more like talking through telepathically rather than verbally. Only a few special ones have dialogues while every other is not fully bound to their soul warriors to be able to have dialogues.

Will Dinoblade mainly stick to real prehistoric creatures, or does the cataclysmic/fantasy angle allow for more exaggerated, mythical, or even dragon-like designs?

Players will have to play to find out.

Are there plans to introduce other weapon types beyond the greatsword, or is the focus on expanding and deepening the core blade-based combat style?

The plan is for each Dinosaur to have their own type of weapon type. Currently players can only play as the Spinosaurus but there are plans to add more playables for Boss Rush Mode, each with their own weapon style similar to classes.

Are you looking into Steam Deck compatibility or verification? Given the action-heavy nature of the game, how much work is going into controller support, UI scaling, and handheld readability?

I’ve already had a player test the full game using Steam Deck and he had no issues. I’d love to get Steam to do a verification. There is full controller support.

Has feedback from the Steam demo changed any major elements of combat, camera behavior, difficulty tuning, UI, or performance optimization?

Yes, I tried to read as much feedback as I can and apply where it makes sense. I’ve fixed a lot of camera clipping, added an option for players to change target lock system, and heavy focus on optimization. I’ve also made Resonance Attribute to increase spell/magic damage and allowed 95% of unblockables red glint attacks to be deflectable/parriable. There are probably more polish changes but I just don’t remember at this moment.

Are console versions something the team is considering after the PC launch, and if so, what would need to happen technically or commercially before Dinoblade could come to PlayStation, Xbox, or Nintendo platforms?

Absolutely. My 100% focus right now is delivering the absolute best version of Dinoblade possible for the PC launch on Steam. A console port is entirely dependent on our Steam performance. If the game finds its audience on PC and the demand is there, then porting to other platforms makes sense as the next step.

You’re a Dinosaur with a Sword

Okay, getting the obvious out of the way immediately: Dinoblade is a prehistoric action-RPG where you take command of a Great Sword-wielding Spinosaurus, setting forth to wage war against an army of rival dinos, each armed-to-the-teeth with similarly sharp weaponry. As far as concepts go, this one’s pretty out there. And whilst it is indeed a fantastical premise, Dinoblade finds its footing in familiar mechanics, where combat, progression, and exploration loops tread ground well-trodden, meaning intuition will see you through the opening exchanges. It’s just that, you know, you’re a dinosaur… with a blade. A “Dinosword”, if you will.

Its Coming From a Solo Developer

Dinoblade comes from the mind of solo creator Jean Nguyen, who is currently cutting their teeth as a Senior Gameplay Animator at Sucker Punch Productions, with credits on Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yōtei. The first images of Dinoblade emerged as playful experiments; animations shared to the developer’s social media accounts, where they never expected attention significant enough to warrant a fully-fledged game. Yet, just a few years later, here we are – Nguyen’s pedigree as an animator shines in the Spinosaurus’ fluid, impactful movement, with a prehistoric world thoughtfully designed to funnel you toward your next encounter, not unlike Sucker Punch’s feudal Japanese opuses.

Demo Reviews are “Overwhelmingly Positive”

There’s a free demo on Steam that’s been available to download since October 2025, and in that time the hour-long extract has garnered a significant amount of positive feedback, so much so that its current rating is “overwhelmingly positive”. For English reviews, at least, praise centres largely on the game’s solid combat, readable animations, and memorable dino designs, while citing occasionally jagged edges that’ll hopefully be smoothed out come the full release. If you’re unsure whether such an outlandish concept can work in practice, the demo’s Steam reviews should have you assured.

Story Follows a Meaningful Journey

In Dinoblade’s alternate-history timeline, the existence of dinosaurs, and the trajectory of their future survival, has been reshaped by a mysterious, cataclysmic event. As the young Spinosaurus, you’ll take your sword forged by ancient power to the throat of your adversaries, fighting tooth and nail to prevent a looming extinction. There is, also, an overarching plotline, one of a savage world wrapped in an enigma for you to unravel. The game’s description details said mystery could save your dinosaur species or doom you all for eternity. There’s more than fate at stake, then, as your exploits could have a seismic effect on your habitat’s sustainability.

Combat is Soulslike

Straight outta the FromSoft playbook, Dinoblade’s combat brings light and medium attacks, dodges, and specials, alongside a passively recharging stamina meter that refills fastest when executing a perfect parry. You’ll want to study your opponent’s moveset, be prepared to evade, and time your strikes to land when their defenses are down. Your special manoeuvres – with names like Meteor Slice and Alpha Roar – spend mana points to expel, while glowing health packs, magic points, and XP can be collected from downed opponents and scavenged throughout the environment. And some more elements of Soulslike game design: the world hides alternate paths, and mini-bosses are everywhere.

Character Progression Follows Familiar Paths

Throughout your odyssey you’ll be presented with new skills to learn and level up, alongside attributes such as overall health, damage output, mana use, and stamina power which can be independently boosted with XP. Those special moves just mentioned? They’ll need to be unlocked by spending specialist boss skill points – earned, of course, by downing one of the game’s many mini-bosses. From what’s been shown, Dinoblade’s RPG mechanics do seem light compared to others in the genre. Despite this, there’s still scope to tailor a build to your preferred playstyle; investing in mana to become a special move powerhouse, for instance, or maximising damage output over health and stamina to encourage an aggressive approach that ends fights quickly.

Bosses are Bigger Dinosaurs (With Even Bigger Blades)

So, during Dinoblade’s hour-long demo, our Spinosaurus encounters three bosses: a pair of mini-bosses Kira the Exile and Axe, the latter wielding, unsurprisingly, a serrated axe as their weapon of choice. The demo culminates with Kasei the Tyrant, a T-rex-type who stomps, chomps, and tailwhips with power and purpose. Most strikingly, during the battle’s first phase Kasei swings a poor Ankylosaurus in its jaws, using its hammer-like tail as a weapon. They eventually summon a colossal barndoor on a stick once the Ankylosaurus loses its form, and if this fight is any indication Dinoblade is set to feature a gauntlet of gruelling dino-foes to test your reflexes, spacing, and ability to handle multiple attack patterns at once.

A Posture Meter Turns Parries Into Counters

Because your stamina gauge builds most efficiently through perfect parrying, you’ll want to engage with that mechanic from the outset. But, there’s another reason too: when facing one of the game’s myriad bosses, a posture meter appears beneath their health bar. By executing perfect parries and by landing attacks, the posture meter fills until your opponent becomes staggered and vulnerable. Then you can unleash one of your specials as a devastating counter. It’s not a revolutionary system, sure, but it’ll serve you well during the game’s tougher boss encounters.

Exploration Rewards Curiosity

Whilst combat may be Dinoblade’s primary activity, venturing off the beaten path should prove just as worthwhile. Its prehistoric world is divided into numerous distinct biomes, each adorning their own aesthetic, from millenia-old canyons carved by ancient water-flow, to scorched forests, burnt volcanic plateaus, and mist-strewn jungles. Exploration, however, isn’t just for the scenery – hidden routes conceal optional encounters, valuable resources, and legendary weapons.

Each Biome is Ruled by an Apex Predator

Even though they begin as rudimentary encounters, each biome’s regular, more modestly-sized enemies grow in danger, ultimately channeling the region toward an even greater climax. See, each biome is ruled by an Alpha; an apex predator that blocks the route forward, serving as the area’s defining challenge. Again, this structure isn’t entirely novel, but it does bring a sense of purpose and escalation as you move through the world. And, if the early game is any indication, overcoming an Alpha won’t just mark the end of a level but feel like you’ve earned the right to venture forth into the next untamed wilderness.

Launching to PC Only (So Far)

Scheduled to release on July 23rd, Dinoblade is, so far, set to be playable on PC via Steam only. Depending on how sales fare, the game could find a home on consoles, but currently there is no official information on whether more platforms will ever arrive.

PC Requirements

To comfortably play Dinoblade on your hardware, the system requirements listed on the game’s Steam page detail an Intel Core i5-7500 or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 CPU, a GeForce GTX 1050 4GB or AMD Radeon RX 560 GPU, and 4GB RAM. Storage-wise, you’ll need 13GB.

Based on a viral animation by Nguyen from August 2022, Dinoblade unfolds in the prehistoric age following a “cataclysmic event.” No, the meteor didn’t wipe out all the dinosaurs – at least, not yet. Instead, they’re all wielding massive weapons for unknown reasons. As a Spinosaurus, you pick up a Great Sword and embark on a journey of your own, traversing various biomes and fighting off powerful foes in the process.

The release date trailer may not showcase the smoothest performance, but there’s no denying the appeal of facing a dino who alternates between scythe and claw swipes or going up against a T-Rex. Even the demo has received a strong reception on Steam – it’s rated “Overwhelmingly Positive” with 97 percent of over 3,300 user reviews giving it the thumbs-up.

Some issues were noted, namely the camera and how intuitive the attribute upgrading can feel, but hopefully these have been ironed out before the game’s release. Stay tuned for more updates in the meantime.

Developed by Alive Inc, this one’s a Soulslike 2D action-platformer that takes you to a place that’s decidedly not what sweet dreams are made of. Instead, you play a young boy trapped in a dark and gloomy nightmare, facing off against horrifying creatures with some cool weapons to bludgeon them into oblivion.

Of course, that’s easier said than done, and you’re going to have to adapt on the fly and use every trick in your arsenal to be the last one standing in a world that looks quite gritty. There’s a unique vibe to its art style that reminds us of Bloodborne and Lies of P.

The Early Access version promises 5 hours of gameplay, letting you experience a prologue and the first of three episodes in its entirety, while the second episode’s beginning is also available to you. The third and final episode, along with an epilogue, will be available with the final release, expanding the total playtime to around 12 hours.

The official trailer is showcased below if this one’s caught your eye.