Alkahest is a new first-person fantasy action-adventure RPG from developer Push On that bills itself as a spiritual successor to Dark Messiah of Might & Magic while also citing Dishonored and Kingdom Come: Deliverance as its influences. In it, you’ll engage in close-quarters combat, explore realistic medieval locations, learn alchemy, and more. Check out the fantastic announcement trailer above and the first screenshots in the gallery below.
Alkahest is set in the kingdom of Kadanor, where you’re the youngest son of a petty lord. The region’s balance of power is tenous at best as three houses vie for control. You’ll explore castles, villages, forests, and other settings befitting of the medieval fantasy setting.
Perhaps even more interestingly, Alkahest promises “dynamic combat with a focus on interactive environment.” Meaning, you’ll build combos with both your attacks and the environment. One example Play On gives: “Drop a tree on [an enemy’s] head, kick them off a cliff, set them on fire.” That fire part comes from Alkahest’s alchemy system, which augments the up-close melee combat in lieu of a magic system. You’ll follow recipes or concoct your own throwables, drinkables, weapon oils, and enemy traps. Stealth and brute-force melee combat are both supported and encouraged.
Alkahest is in development for PC and we’ll have more on it as development progresses.
Ryan McCaffrey is IGN’s executive editor of previews and host of both IGN’s weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our monthly(-ish) interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He’s a North Jersey guy, so it’s “Taylor ham,” not “pork roll.” Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan.
