What if Bloodborne was on PS2? Dark horror No Vacation for an Executioner is so old school even the dev insists you try the free Steam Next Fest demo before buying "to make sure you like this control style"

No Vacation for an Executioner feels like a PS2 survival horror game that never actually existed. Almost certainly inspired by FromSoftware's Bloodborne, it's another bit of proof that yearning for a Bloodborne PS5 remake is a little bit tired, and that the wired option is for a demake. While Bloodborne PS1 gave us the goods in the style of Sony's debut console, the completely original No Vacation for an Executioner, which I've been playing during Steam Next Fest, translates the horror vibes into a PS2 format – complete with graphical toggles to emulate that console's specific visual style (which lean a touch more baroque than gothic).

Coming from solo developer JayO, No Vacation for an Executioner has you playing as a town executioner in the 17th century who becomes caught up in a conspiracy revolving around a bestial infection when a simple hanging at the gallows goes wrong, the people you serve becoming too hungry for blood. With only a mysterious set of killing tools provided to you by the new King, you must set out to find bloody meaning between streets filled with groaning infected and rotting flesh, and the baroque ornamented halls of the nobility. The free demo is well worth trying for yourself – and our Steam Next Fest guide can help you get started with exploring February's demo season.

Fangs for that

No Vacation for an Executioner's developer would certainly like you to try the demo – but almost as much to give you warning. Multiple disclaimers on the store page are placed to remind potential players of the "intentionally back to PS2 feeling", citing the likes of Resident Evil 4 and Silent Hill as gaming inspirations. Though, if you're anything like me, seeing such a warning will only make you more eager to mash that download button – I'm always craving more games that evoke the PS2 era, and after only a short time with this demo the vibes are on point.

Also inspired by The Hangman of Paris by Claude Cueni, and the Paintings of Zdzisław Beksiński, No Vacation for an Executioner's dour color palette is stunning to look at, with sketchy textures bringing clarity to the action while the crunchy lo-fi models add just enough fuzziness to the shapes that your mind fills in the horrifying blanks when enemy skulls crunch and deform into snapping jaws.

Armed with a large sword and a massive musket, the Bloodborne comparisons are obvious. But the pace of play is a touch slower by design. You need to be careful about alerting mobs of enemies and lines of sight, as getting surrounded by groups can be super deadly, and some foes have guns of their own that can devastate your health from afar. The ability to sneak by crouch-walking means you can get the drop on enemies from behind, covering the often grey visuals with stark red as you perform an instant execution, living up to your job title.

Take enemies head on, however, and you can slash away at them to deal a basic amount of damage. If you actually want to bring the pain, parries are vital – with a fairly forgiving activation window making up for enemy strikes that can really vary in speed. Enemy attacks can come in the form of weapon slashes of their own, or their body cracking into a new deadly shape to lunge at you with pointy fangs. Timing a riposte to stab them right in their gaping mouths can definitely feel satisfying once you get used to the rhythm.

So far, maps are short and simple, which doesn't stop enemy density from getting chaotic. No Vacation for an Executioner does at least allow you the classic breathing room found from running to the next screen. A herbal workshop hub also gives you space to take a break, and access a dream realm where you can practice the timing of parries with a weird jester. This strange world has me intrigued, and its weighty and dangerous combat has me itching to play more, even if I might just become a laughing stock at the gallows. No Vacation for an Executioner is heading to PC in March 2026.

This musical turn-based RPG hits all the right chords, and you can play the free Steam demo right now