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Fantasy roguelike Dinghai: The Ocean Pillar just got a fresh new trailer showcasing both story and combat elements alike in advance of its release later this year. The top-down action game, which showed off its trailer as part of the Future Games Show Summer Showcase, might well be inspired by Chinese literature in general and certain works in particular, but I can't help but notice that Dinghai is clearly taking inspiration from beloved modern classic Hades - and that alone should be enough to make gamers sit up and take notice.
With a top-down viewpoint on a face-paced hack-and-slash action roguelike, with a story based on a nation's foundational canon (in this case the "Shan Hai Jing", or "Classic of Mountains and Seas") the comparison was perhaps inevitable, but Dinghai makes sure to show off plenty that marks it out as its own beast.
Undead protagonist "The Abyssal Dragon" is given their choice of weapons at the start of every run and allowed to bring two of the available arsenal with them, and it's clear that such extensive firepower will be necessary. Even in just this minute of footage, the Dragon goes up against four-armed giants, fiery phoenixes, and some sort of buxom snake centipede woman demon boss. We're all going to be cool and normal about this, right internet?
If nothing else, I have to say that the game looks pretty damn awesome on a visual level. The presentation of the titular pillar slamming into the ocean is genuinely cinematically impressive, playing with perspective and on-screen text in a way that makes me very intrigued to see more.
If you feel the same way, Dinghai: The Ocean Pillar is scheduled for release on PC within 2026.
If you're looking for more excellent games from today's Future Games Show, have a look at our official Steam page.
