Dark Souls and Shadow of the Colossus are certainly great things to take inspiration from—unless, I suppose, you're trying to make a game that won't drive people into a stress-induced puddle on the floor. There are no such conciderations here, as Death's Gambit a side-scrolling action RPG with a combat style that does look very Soulsian. How well that works on a 2D plane remains to be seen, but the trailer does well to convey a satisfying sense of weight and impact to the fights.

In Death's Gambit you play as an agent of Death, on a quest to rid the world of 'Immortals'. These, it seems, are towering Shadow of the Colossus style monstrosities that must be scaled with the aide of a grappling hook. The developers say that the environments are non-linear, and will be unlocked by defeating these big bosses. "There will always be multiple routes to take," they note. "If you are having trouble with a specific area, try seeking an alternate path."

Death's Gambit looks interesting, if just because I'm intrigued by how Souls's slow and considered combat will work in an environment where you can't side-strafe around an enemy's attack for a backstab. Also, it looks pretty great in motion.