Slained

Slained is a fictional action role-playing video game developed by Emberlight Studio and released in 2022. Set in the ruined kingdom of Ashara, the game follows a lone hunter who traverses interconnected regions to lift a curse known as the Slain. The title’s wordplay on slain suggests the central theme of confronting death and redemption. The game emphasizes a blend of melee combat, occult magic, and stealth.

In gameplay terms, Slained is presented from a third-person perspective, with a non-linear world that includes dungeons and boss encounters. Progression is loot-driven, featuring customizable skill trees and gear. Combat emphasizes timing and resource management, while stealth segments offer alternative routes. The game supports single-player play and optional cooperative modes.

Development and release details indicate that Slained was announced in 2020 and developed with a stylized art direction inspired by dark fantasy and myth. It was released for PC and consoles, with post-launch patches adding new weapons, balance adjustments, and quality-of-life improvements. The soundtrack combines orchestral and choral elements to underscore the game's atmospheric tone.

Reception of Slained noted praise for its art direction, world design, and combat depth, while also pointing to performance issues at launch and occasional pacing problems. The difficulty curve was described as challenging but fair by some players, whereas others found certain sections overly punitive.

Legacy-wise, Slained contributed to discussions on indie production pipelines and non-linear storytelling in action RPGs. It spawned downloadable content and fan mods, and has been cited as a reference point for stylized dark fantasy aesthetics in early- to mid-2020s indie games.