Paper Cult, an indie studio based out of Montreal, has announced an open beta for their medieval hack and slash co-op roguelike, what a mouthful. Commanding a battalion of Scots, Tears of Metal has you wading through hordes of enemies to uncover information about the mysterious Dragon Meteor and the evil enemy invasion.
Shown off at today’s Triple-i Showcase, Tears of Metal is an indie roguelike that calls themselves a hack and slash but damn if it doesn’t look like a musou game. Especially the hook of fighting through hordes of enemies, though gameplay feel is going to have a lot more to do with that than simply having a mass of enemies at your disposal. Tears of Metal is a follow-up to Paper Cult’s 2021 release Bloodroots, which was a critically acclaimed “murder ballet.” Though similar art styles, Tears of Metal has a more refined painterly look to it with impressively gritty visuals. Though the UI is minimal, it feels like a lot is going on within the screen. I’m excited to see what all Paper Cult has in store for us.
The Open Beta will allow players to access the first act of the game with the starting character squaring off against the boss, Gilles. Offering a challenge shop once beaten, Tears of Metal will allow players to team up with up to three friends to make the hack-and-slash roguelike a co-op experience.
Tears of Metal Key Features
- RECONQUER YOUR ISLAND – Carve through hordes of enemies on vast battlefields, by yourself or with your friends. Difficult challenges await at every turn. Fight your way across the island and wield unique combinations of mighty powers on every attempt. Rally more Scottish troops and grant them permanent upgrades as they acquire experience and grow stronger. The Dragon Stone Meteor event brought swarms of occupiers to your doors, and along with it, mysterious and dangerous powers. Inscribe your name in legends, and lead your troops in a campaign to reclaim your home.
- COMBINE POWERFUL UPGRADES – Obtain powerful upgrades and combine them with over a hundred artifacts to create distinctive and devastating builds. Choose from multiple unique playable heroes and unleash increasingly explosive and lethal attacks directly from the frontlines. As the action unfolds, prepare to face the ominous power mined from the Dragon Stone.
- IMPROVE YOUR SOLDIERS – Your soldiers gain permanent skills between campaigns. Recruit, upgrade and fight alongside them as they become essential assets in your upcoming battles.
- EXPAND YOUR SETTLEMENT AND UNLOCK NEW WAYS TO PLAY – Expand your settlement between campaigns to gain access to new shops and buy permanent upgrades or even unlock difficult challenges for greater rewards. Complete special objectives to discover new artifacts, playable characters, cosmetics, upgrades and combos. Unearth plenty of secrets as you traverse the war-torn battlefields.
- PLAY SOLO OR IN CO-OP – Reconquer your island with your friends or by yourself through over 45 handcrafted environments with endless opportunities for unique scenarios and objectives. Invite friends to join your campaign and share the glories of victory!
I can see the desire for an open beta, allowing you to gather data on how people play and attempt to lean into it. It’s a bit of a gamble, though; if players bounce off of it, they’ll remember. Of course, be mindful OF Tears of Metal being an open beta and remember that games change throughout development. I’m excited to check out Tears of Metal this week, though. The gritty hand-drawn aspect of the art has me interested, and I’ll see if I can grab a few people to play with me.
Though there’s no official release date for Tears of Metal, Paper Cult is looking to release it sometime this year. The open beta is available on their Steam page and is running from today, April 10th, to April 17th. Though there is no official release date, we’ll keep you updated on Tears of Metal and other indies releasing in 2025, so keep an eye on MonsterVine for more updates.
