As the self-proclaimed Fox Mulder of games about kicking goblins down flights of stairs, I truly hope that Alkahest can revive the underappreciated swashbuckling brilliance of Dark Messiah: Might and Magic. Last year, the game made waves with a flashy announcement trailer that hooked me on the concept.

However, that trailer also drew skepticism due to its use of a blend of in-game assets and pre-rendered animations. The developer acknowledged that some of the angles and animations were specifically crafted to enhance the spectacle for the trailer.

Recently, developer Push On dropped a new teaser trailer depicting the game in action. However, it mirrors the original announcement so closely that many players are again questioning its authenticity, calling it “a cinematic disguised as gameplay”.

The recent trailer, which runs just over forty seconds, features gameplay elements like a player launching into the air and executing acrobatics to thwart goblins, stirring up debate among viewers concerning whether the presented gameplay is genuine or pre-programmed. One commenter remarked, “I hope people can recognize that this wasn’t ‘gameplay’. It’s in-engine, but this was preprogrammed. Nobody did this with a controller.” Conversely, another user argues that the animations appear dynamic, similar to what would be expected in a live gameplay scenario.

Regardless of these discussions, the abilities showcased in the trailer are undeniably thrilling. Your character has an unseen archer ally who can dispatch arrows to enemies, adding a layer of coordinated action. The destructible shield mechanics also fascinate me. I hope some abilities carry more punch in the final rendition.

Importantly, Alkahest’s developer now has a publisher, HypeTrain Digital, behind it, which adds credence to its development journey. Although there’s no confirmed release date yet, I trust the Push On team to take the time necessary to deliver the spiritual successor to Dark Messiah that fans are anticipating.