Spiritfarer devs release 33 Immortals, the early access co-op hellraiser that plays like an MMO raid
Time to out-level God
Spiritfarer and Jotun developers Thunder Lotus Games have released the early access version of 33 Immortals, their 33-player co-op fantasy action game that aims to simulate the experience of an MMO raid via matchmaking, without the experience of playing through a whole-ass MMO. Speaking as both an enjoyer of their previous Sundered, and somebody who has neither time nor friends, I am down for this.
The premise is that oops, you and 32 other sinners are in Hell and you don’t like it much. So begins a quest to stomp various demon bosses, "upgrade your soul", and ultimately, out-level God. It’s a top-down action-basher with a scorching comicbook palette and many an AOE marker to avoid.
In the course of your blasphemous anti-pilgrimage you'll need to do some looting and character customisation. The Epic Games Store page explains it thusly: “Expand your epic arsenal with weapons empowered by sins and virtues, loot the spoils of His realms, equip potent new relics to match your playstyle, and gain permanent upgrades to your soul.”
33 Immortals is inspired by Dante Alighieri’s the Divine Comedy, western literature’s best-known dungeon delve. I do not remember Virgil schooling Dante on the finer points of cooldowns and aggro while trudging the terraces of Sloth, but perhaps that’s in an appendix. 33 Immortals isn’t the first game to take inspiration from the old master – it’s much less abundant in gargantuan demon boobs than EA’s Dante’s Inferno.
As Alice O (RPS in peace) noted back when Thunder Lotus announced 33 Immortals, the big question is whether the game’s matchmaking structure can cultivate the same sense of teamwork and collaboration you’d associate with an MMO raiding party.
“Perhaps the experience will be closer to tackling big world events and world bosses with randos, which can have a huge range of awareness and ability but are still fun as you cut through hordes and mob bosses,” she suggested. Myself, I'm keen to hear more about the breakdown of roles in 33 Immortals. Can I be a dedicated healer, or has the reliance on thrown-together parties obliged Thunder Lotus to make each participant more self-sufficient?
Thunder Lotus say the game will remain in early access till 2026, with three main updates coming this spring, summer and fall. As for what you’re getting right now, “the game is fully playable with two worlds to explore: Inferno and Purgatorio, four playable weapons, dozens of monsters, two major bosses and many items to equip to make every run different.” Find it on EGS or the Microsoft Store.