Aurum Dust’s Ash of the Gods is a brilliant looking rogue-like due for release this March. Just last year the Russian development team was still compiling the rotoscoping data and putting together the character animations and filling out the soundtrack. This year they’re finalizing all the nooks and crannies of the game to iron out the kinks and smooth over the glitches. They recently released the trailer that reveals that the release window is set for March of this year, next month.

The trailer is perfectly put together, insofar that it makes it known that you’ll make life and death decisions for the characters you seemingly care about, as they make alliances or establish enemies in an attempt to do what they can to avoid the reaping of the gods.

There are some amazing animations and combat sequences in this game, and the character designs are based on the classic Western-style depictions cartoon art inspired by rotoscoping legend Ralph Bakshi of American Pop fame. In a way, the game almost looks like an evolved version of Prince Valiant, or similar to Daedalic Entertainment’s Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth. You can check out the trailer below.

I love how inhuman they actually make the gods look in this game. It’s not something too kind or warm, but you can still see the humanity there. The similitude fused with the strangeness and a hint of the bizarre works well for making these otherworldly beings seem imposing and frightening.

Players take on the roles of Captain Thorn Brenin, along with a bodyguard named Lo Pheng, and a scribe named Hopper Rouley. The trio will attempt to stop the Reapers from reviving the old gods.

Much like The Banner Saga, when someone in your party dies… they die for good. Permadeath doesn’t mean the end of the game, though. The story continues to unfold until you reach the end.

The striking visuals were inspired by both Bakshi and the Soviet studio Soyuzmulftilm. They’re also accompanied by a turn-based strategy combat system that’s also similar to The Banner Saga. However, unlike The Banner Saga, in Ash of Gods you’ll have access to collectible cards, which you can use during combat to modify moves, perform certain attacks, and maximize your skills.

I love the setting a look of the game, along with the themes. In a fair universe where meritocracy and development skill were put to the forefront of most game awards, I could easily imagine this game walking away with quite a few awards. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that universe.

Nevertheless, we do live in a universe where you’ll be able to pick up a digital copy of Aurum Dust’s Ash of Gods starting this March. You can learn more by visiting the Steam store page.