Key Highlights:
- Alkahest is a first-person dark fantasy RPG focused on environmental combat and alchemy-based gameplay.
- Players take on the role of a young noble aiming to prove himself during a kingdom’s civil unrest.
- New teaser trailer looks insane and is a must watch.
Alkahest, a medieval fantasy RPG from developer Push On and publisher HypeTrain Digital, has officially revealed its first teaser trailer, offering a dark and visceral look at its physics-driven combat and alchemical mechanics.
Now available to wishlist on Steam, the game is confirmed for release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, though no official launch date has been announced yet.
The trailer highlights a dynamic blend of swordplay, traversal, and elemental manipulation. Players can leap across obstacles, light enemies on fire using environmental interactions, and finish off monstrous foes with brutal melee finishers.
It closes with a brief glimpse of a second combatant firing arrows at an incoming beast, hinting at possible ally AI or cooperative elements.
Set in the embattled kingdom of Kadanor, Alkahest casts players as the youngest son of a minor noble, overlooked and fated to obscurity.
With the realm locked in a civil war between three dominant houses, players must rise above their low status by venturing out to investigate mysterious goblin raids near the county border – an early stepping stone in the character’s bid to forge a legacy.
According to its Steam description, the game’s world is semi-open, filled with secrets, reactive elements, and immersive lore.
Player agency is at the forefront, with branching paths and questlines inspired by Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, Dishonored, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
Whether through brute strength, alchemical trickery, or clever environmental use, Alkahest is designed to support multiple approaches to combat and exploration.
Combat in Alkahest looks to emphasise high interactivity and combo chaining. Swords and daggers are your staple tools, but they’re bolstered by a robust alchemy system.
You’ll be able to craft everything from weapon oils and healing tinctures to explosive flasks and deadly poisons, some of which can even be stealthily slipped into NPC pockets.
Gameplay footage shows a seamless use of fire-based mechanics – one standout moment features the protagonist heating a nearby object to ignite an enemy.
There’s a fluidity to the animations and impact that has drawn comparisons to Dishonored, though some remain sceptical over whether what’s been shown reflects final gameplay or polished pre-rendered scenes.
Push On have openly cited Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Dishonored as touchstones, and it shows in Alkahest’s tone and mechanics, both in its grounded medieval setting and in the systemic depth of its gameplay.
The emphasis on freedom, realism, and immersion positions the game as a spiritual successor to some of the genre’s most detailed RPGs.
Yet, as with any ambitious first-person RPG, Alkahest faces the challenge of living up to its trailer’s promise.
Although not of the same genre, a case can be made for the upcoming Unrecord, whose trailer raised questions about whether the gameplay was real due to its stunning realism.
Critics have compared its announcement to that of Black Myth: Wukong, another title that weathered early doubt but ultimately delivered.
The big question now is whether Alkahest can match that same trajectory.
With stylish footage, layered systems, and a focus on player-driven progression, Alkahest is shaping up to be one of the more intriguing RPGs on the horizon.
If the gameplay proves as reactive and diverse as it looks, and the alchemy system avoids becoming gimmicky, it could stand shoulder to shoulder with its inspirations. Until then, fans of first-person fantasy combat, choice-driven RPGs, and dark lore may want to keep an eye on this one.
