Play as a demonic red skeleton in the first chapter of Diluvian Ultra, now launching this month.

Diluvian Ultra Chapter One is set to release September 28, 2023, for Microsoft Windows (through Steam).

Here’s a rundown on the new shooter, plus a trailer:

Fulqrum Publishing and Cresthelm Studios are today thrilled to announce that ‘Chapter One’ of retro-inspired first-person shooter Diluvian Ultra is arriving on PC on September 28th, 2023 via Steam, GOG , Epic Games Store and other digital stores. Marrying fast-paced strategic combat and encouraging tactical weapon-mixing, Cresthelm aims to provide a thoughtful challenge for veterans of the genre, supported by a vibrant pixel-art aesthetic that aims to capture retro shooter gameplay in a colorful setting straight from the pulpy covers of yesterday’s paperbacks.

Chapter one of Diluvian Ultra provides a full game’s worth of content, and Atilla’s story will be further continued in subsequent Chapters, released as DLCs. This chapter sees players aboard a living tomb ship in deep space, taking on the role of Prince Atilla, an immortal warrior awoken from stasis to find his vessel’s halls running red with the blood of his crew. With advanced bio-technology fleshing out both the environment and arsenal of bizarre organic weapons, players must feed their thirst for blood and carnage to drive defilers from their domain.

The combat system in Diluvian Ultra is all about staying mobile and making the best strategic decisions for each encounter. Be that switching between Tech and Organic weapons, combining Lethal and Armour damage, or activating a power-up, players must find the best way to outsmart their enemies. Levels throughout Diluvian Ultra are also varied and unique, and each holds an abundance of shrouded secrets for players to expose – from health pickups and ammo to power-ups granting incredible strength, these secrets can prove invaluable on Atilla’s quest. Alongside these secrets, players will also be on the hunt for blood to consume. Build up blood to gain focus points which can then be used to upgrade or customise weapons, from increasing damage and rate of fire to alternate fire modes such as reflecting projectiles or pathfinding.

Chapter One of Diluvian Ultra includes 10 levels and a hub, 6 unique weapons with 30 different upgrades, and 13 vicious enemy types.

Gameplay features:

• Strategic combat – Diluvian Ultra’s combat is built around a dual-damage system where you have to combine weapons to be effective. Armour absorbs damage, but some weapons are designed to quickly strip it off your targets – unable to kill them, but exposing them for a single lethal blow. You have to be careful though, as enemies will mix their attacks in the same way. Collect and consume blood to upgrade your weapons and pick up various power-ups at the opportune moment, to become vengeance incarnate – if only for a while!
• Keep it moving – Surviving in Diluvian Ultra is all about mobility. Dodge enemy fire while you chain together ranged attacks with close combat blows and devastating ground slams. Double-jump, dash, find cover, and even deflect projectiles with your sword, but never stay in one place for too long!
• Organic philosophy – Your spaceship home is a living combination of flesh and stone, and so it is with your arsenal of weapons; use both traditional Tech weapons as well as grotesque, living Organic armaments, and don’t forget to take good care of your closest companion, your sentient Squire Gun, Bella.
• Epic story – Diluvian Ultra may be an over-the-top retro FPS filled with frenetic action, but all that carnage is set on the background of an epic, tragic story tackling the themes of fanaticism, trauma, betrayal, and hope for redemption, playing out in neo-gothic architectural set pieces and immense, cathedral-like spaceships.