Publisher Kodansha and developer MegaRock, also known as Persona lead composer Shoji Meguro, will release the demo of Guns Undarkness on PC via Steam on February 24th, as part of the latest Steam Next Fest.
The title was first unveiled in 2022 with a Kickstarter campaign, which has reached its stretch goals. The demo is about 20 minutes long and will only be accessible until March 3rd. Preview bits of gameplay in the demo trailer below.
Guns Undarkness is a sci-fi RPG mixed with tactical and turn-based gameplay. According to Meguro’s latest Kickstarter update, the game is slated for an early access release this spring, with an expected average playtime of 10 hours. Read on to find out more about his first project at the helm.
Guns Undarkness Overview
A strategy JRPG helmed by lead developer Shoji Meguro (composer for the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series).
Customize your arsenal of unique firearms to dominate the battlefield and forge relationships with your team to bolster your combined abilities during intense turn-based combat.
- A turn-based tactical JRPG inspired by games like Metal Gear Solid and Persona
- A relationship system that boosts the protagonist as you grow closer with your teammates
- A story set in a futuristic world on the verge of global and societal ruin
- A meeting of the minds Shoji Meguro (Persona, Shin Megami Tensei), Ilya Kuvshinov (Ghost in Shell: SAC 2045, The Wonderland), and Lotus Juice (Persona Series)
The Story
The year was 2045 and humanity was in a state of abeyance that allowed technology to flourish, but deepened the social divide between the rich and the poor, the Haves and the Have Nots. Within the ranks of the latter grew a faction who planned the Great Reset — an event steeped in primitivism that would change the course of humanity. The Thousand Plateaus launched two weapons of mass destruction, triggering a worldwide nuclear war. And so, the Great Reset was accomplished.
Enter our Protagonist, a rookie member of a private military company tasked with handling the worsening situation. It is up to you to discover the truth behind love in a world wracked by devastation and whether humanity is capable of being revolutionized.
The Gameplay
Guns Undarkness is a futuristic JRPG that combines tactical positioning with turn-based strategy.
On the Field
On the field, the player will control the Protagonist and up to 3 allies. Use hand signals to instruct your allies to hide at select spots and then order them to cover you. Once you have the highlighted enemy in your sights, it’s time to open fire! If your team engages the enemy while totally hidden then you’ll activate an attack bonus. The more you fire during this bonus, the more damage you’ll deal before the battle begins. Hidden or not, once you fire on the enemy your team will leap into a turn-based battle.
Attacks are basic actions that don’t consume SP, while Skills use SP but pack more punch. Attacking from behind cover? Then unleashing your skills with no cost to your SP!
The affinity of your weapon and that of your target’s TAGS (defense suit) will determine how much damage you deal. Manage to strike your enemy in a weak point and you can deal massive damage, while an enemy’s defense value can also reduce the amount of damage they take. Hit an enemy’s weak point with a normal attack and you’ll be able to duck into cover. All skills are powerful, but there are also guns with special buff/debuff abilities.
Status Screen
Winning a battle earns your team two types of experience points: Character EXP and Gun EXP. Leveling up boosts a character’s stats and unlocks new skills for guns.
Off the Field
Off the field, you and Alpha Team will spend your downtime outside of missions in the Maroon, an amphibious submarine that the team uses as their hideout. You’ll use the hideout to accept quests or visit shops and other locations on the world map.
Gun Customization
You’ll be able to enhance the guns you own by adding parts. You’ll even acquire blueprints and materials that’ll let you build new guns as you progress through the story.
Screenshots
Guns Undarkness‘ demo is part of the Steam Next Fest lineup for February 2025. It goes live on February 24th and ends on March 3rd.
If you’re as excited as I am for this title, keep checking back here at RPGFan for more updates!
