Entropy Brings PS1 Horror and Tactical Combat Together in a Grimy New Turn-Based RPG Demo
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Lovely Hellplace, the developers behind Dread Delusion, have released a demo for Entropy, a turn-based RPG that combines classic overworld exploration with a grimy, low-poly PS1 aesthetic and body horror.
Lovely Hellplace, the studio behind Dread Delusion, is back with a striking new project called Entropy. Reported by Rock Paper Shotgun, the upcoming turn-based RPG throws players into a ruined world abandoned by capricious gods, rendered in a distinct aesthetic that mixes retro low-poly charm with fungal decay. Think classic overworld exploration reminiscent of vintage Final Fantasy titles, but dragged through a swamp of rust, spores, and body horror. Enemies range from walking pairs of lungs that you can silence by shooting them in the windpipe to aggressively surreal spectres. Party members are equally far from traditional heroes, consisting of dispensable mercenaries and refugees who look like gargoyles carved from sewage, setting a wonderfully bleak tone right from the prologue.
Beneath the grotesque art direction lies a familiar, tactical combat system that should feel right at home for fans of traditional Japanese role-playing games. Battles feature standard front-row melee fighters supported by rear-guard archers, gunners, and wizards, all managed through a turn order bar on the side of the screen. Strategic depth comes from targeting specific limbs to cripple enemy mobility, managing armor types with blunt weapons, and dealing with status effects like poison and stun. While the mechanics might not reinvent the genre, they provide a sturdy mechanical backbone for a game that clearly wants its suffocating atmosphere and theatrical writing to do the heavy lifting.
The writing leans heavily into a theatrical motif that helps frame the experience. Your protagonist is a wandering troubadour shaking off a hangover while trying to remember their lines, framing stat customisation as an exercise in stage preparation. Dialogue is punchy and cryptic, offering just enough context to hook players without dumping endless lore text on them. For anyone looking to dive into a genuinely weird indie RPG that trades generic fantasy tropes for fungal nightmares, a playable demo is currently available on Steam. It is a sharp reminder that retro aesthetics still have plenty of room to evolve into something wonderfully unsettling.
Tags: Entropy, Lovely Hellplace, RPG, Indie Games, PC Gaming
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun