Thymesia (v2022.10.25)

A plague-ravaged kingdom provides the grim stage for a compact, fast-moving action RPG built around precision and aggression. Hermes has embraced alchemy as a miracle cure, only to collapse when its cost turns citizens into grotesque monsters and leaves the streets drowning in blood. Players control Corvus, a masked, crow-like warrior who awakens with fragmented memories and serves as one of the realm’s last chances for a cure. The mood is bleak and oppressive, drawing heavily from the demanding Soulslike tradition while telling its story through ruined locations, cryptic figures, and recovered recollections.

Combat revolves around Corvus’s saber, evasive dashes, perfectly timed deflections, and a claw strike that tears away enemies’ lingering Wounds after their health is depleted. Foes also carry distinctive Plague Weapons, which Corvus can temporarily steal and wield, turning a hulking enemy’s axe, spear, bow, or strange alchemical tool against the next threat. Careful stamina management, enemy pattern recognition, and smart upgrades matter far more than button-mashing, while talent trees allow builds that favor parries, dodging, plague damage, or survivability. Death sends Corvus back to checkpoints and restores many opponents, but repeated runs steadily teach the layouts and dangers of each tightly designed area.

Its strongest idea is the ability to borrow attacks from almost every major enemy, making encounters feel less like simple stat checks and more like opportunities to expand your own arsenal. Thymesia also avoids an enormous open world in favor of focused levels and challenging bosses, giving it a brisker, more concentrated pace than many genre peers. Memory quests and branching choices add reasons to revisit key areas and pursue alternate conclusions, though the adventure remains shorter than a typical FromSoftware epic. Fans of Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Lies of P who want sharp parry-based combat, macabre creature design, and a manageable Soulslike campaign find plenty to appreciate here.