Unyverse mixes action RPG combat with deep Afrofuturist world-building where tech meets tradition

There is no shortage of action RPGs these days thanks to the decade-spanning influence of Dark Souls, but Unyverse is the first that I can recall that blends a bright Afrofuturistic setting with the slightly more sped-up action of a fighting game. We just got a good look at it during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, including its setting, character creation options, and crunching combat.

Developed by Afrime Studios—a majority black-owned developer with a specific goal to "tell their story their way"—Unyverse marries ancient tradition inspired by African cultures with advanced sci-fi tech. Quadrupedal robots stalk the perimeter of a savannah outpost, geodesic dwellings dotting the background with traditional patterns adorning their domes. Later on, we see grand hallways lined with towering statues, then desert monuments sat beneath huge waterfalls, only to cut to a sleek bar that wouldn't look out of place in Cyberpunk 2077.

And what would a modern RPG be without a character creator you could spend more time in than in the entirety of some singleplayer campaigns? Afrime Studios has put a lot of focus on its customisation tools in early footage of the game, and the brief glimpse in this trailer shows extensive options for afro-textured hair, melanin and redness sliders, and all sorts of hair colour and highlight choices.

We only get small snippets of combat in the trailer, mostly dodge-rolling away from giant spiders and lizards, but the Steam page promises "fast, fluid melee combat inspired by fighting games" where you "string combos, counter foes, and unleash devastating finishers in real-time." It's a really interesting twist that I'm looking forward to seeing more of en route to Unyverse's planned 2027 release. You can download the demo on Steam now.

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