As the masses rushed into underground vaults, hastily shut thick doors behind them, then ducked into cryo sleep while world-rocking explosions obliterated the horizon outside, Alabaster Dawn began to remind me a bit of Fallout in its opener. Which is a fun coincidence given that it's a fantasy RPG, and 'fantasy Fallout RPG' would ordinarily suggest a modern Elder Scrolls game. Instead, here we have a top-down action RPG from Radical Fish Games, the makers of CrossCode, which is still home to some of the best pixel art and combat you can find in this space. So far, if early signs are any indication, Alabaster Dawn looks and feels even better. It is by far the best Steam Next Fest demo I've tried during this week's event and all I want to do is play more of it.
Digging into the game's newly updated demo, I shake off the Fallout-esque motif as protagonist Juno steps out of her vault and into a ruined world abandoned by the gods and overrun with demon-like beings. Armed with a divine sword and crossbow by a heavenly capybara, I realize within seconds that Alabaster Dawn is every bit the CrossCode successor I've been hoping for.
Radical Fish says combat was also inspired by Devil May Cry and Kingdom Hearts, and it shows. Each weapon has its own skill tree for new moves, like special combos for attacking stunned enemies or following a perfect parry, and the pacing is such that combat is constantly evolving. Upgrades are plentiful and meaningful, your main skill tree fleshes out your play style with offensive and defensive bonuses, and the basic attack string, dodge roll, and, really, everything are just lightning in your hands.
The backdrop to this silky-smooth combat is the kind of pixel art that makes it hard to imagine a video game looking any better. This is it, folks. I could look at this forever. Cancel Unreal Engine 6 right now. Foliage is lush, every enemy has character and clearly communicated attacks, your own hits are swift and punchy, and Juno has one of the best walk cycles I've seen. It's a good thing combat is so fun, otherwise I might resent all the fights for interrupting my sightseeing.
Alabaster Dawn is set to launch in Steam Early Access in the first half of 2026, and as Radical Fish adds and updates content like different areas and villages, I hope it doesn't change a thing about the core design pillars on display in this demo. All I want right now is more of this – CrossCode 2 in all but name, and a must-try for anyone with a fondness for games like Secret of Mana or Zelda: A Link to the Past, top-down action games, or frankly just good games in general.
