Every once in a while, a game rocks up that so quickly finds itself in my Steam wishlist I don’t even remember clicking the button. Today, that game is Rakshasa, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines and Baldur’s Gate inspired first-person RPG set in modern India where you must face off against demi-gods and “centuries-old flesh-eating monsters” inspired by Indian folklore. Yeah! Hell yeah! Yeah, yeah sign me up!
The reveal trailer for this thing absolutely drips with muck and grime, almost in that nasty cyberpunky kind of way, yet still grounded in a city setting we’re all familiar with. But you’ll also find yourself in ancient temples and rundown slums alongside the luxury apartments. Even from a short trailer there’s a suggestion of a lot of texture environmentally.
Watch on YouTube
Interestingly, despite being first-person, it actually takes a turn-based combat approach, with what appears to be a timing based element when pulling off an attack. Hard to get a read on how this functions moment to moment, but it being an RPG you have your usual upgrade trees to make different builds with, I just can’t garner much more than that so I’ll leave the combat there. Oh and you can throw snakes! Just, throw ’em. I like it!
Interestingly, this game is actually being made by a YouTube channel called Odd Compass, which makes animated history videos about “under-appreciated events and people in Asian history,” predominantly in India. These videos look incredibly well-made too, definitely worth a look if you’re a history buff. In the meantime, you can wishlist Rakshasa here.
