Pathea Games just dropped a 9-minute gameplay reveal for The God Slayer, and it’s nothing like the cozy farming sims they’re known for. The studio behind My Time at Portia and My Time at Sandrock is going dark with this Eastern-inspired steampunk action RPG where you play as an Elemancer bent on revenge against tyrannical gods called Celestials. Originally announced as a PlayStation China Hero Project title in 2023, the game has now gone multi-platform, coming to PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam, though it’s still targeting a 2027 release.
What The God Slayer Is About
You play as Cheng, an Elemancer whose family was brutally slaughtered during an event called the God Fall. The Celestials, divine beings who discovered that mortals were harnessing their divine energy without permission, decided to make an example of humanity. In a single night, they conquered the strongest kingdom in the land, hunting down and killing the king along with all the kingdom’s Elemancers. Now fueled by rage and grief, Cheng must master elemental powers, build a resistance, and take down the gods themselves.
The game takes place in Zhou, a massive Eastern-inspired steampunk metropolis where divine tyranny meets industrial revolution aesthetics. Think Avatar: The Last Airbender meets Dishonored with Chinese architectural influences. The setting alone makes The God Slayer visually distinct from almost anything else in the current RPG landscape. Pathea promises a 40-hour story-driven campaign filled with interesting characters, political intrigue, and the kind of narrative choices that let players approach objectives in multiple ways.
Elemental Combat That Looks Genuinely Creative
The gameplay footage showcases a combat system built around combining different elemental powers in creative ways. Cheng can use water to soak enemies, then freeze them solid with ice, before shattering them with fire or crushing them with earth attacks. The trailer shows earth-bending, fire-bending, water-bending, and more, creating obvious Avatar comparisons that Pathea seems fully aware of and leaning into.
Combat appears to blend martial arts-style melee attacks with elemental abilities on cooldowns, similar to Final Fantasy XVI’s combat structure. You’ll learn new skills from ancient scrolls and elemental masters scattered throughout the world, refining the flow of qi within you to become powerful enough to challenge the mightiest Celestials. The footage shows Cheng wall-running, grappling across rooftops, and engaging in both stealth and direct combat encounters, suggesting multiple approaches to encounters.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Campaign Length | 40-hour story-driven campaign |
| Setting | Eastern-inspired steampunk metropolis (Zhou) |
| Combat System | Elemental powers with combo mechanics |
| Gameplay Style | Open-world action RPG with stealth options |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X and S, PC (Steam) |
The Open World and Faction Systems
Zhou isn’t just a backdrop but a living city filled with multiple factions, each with their own interests and agendas. The gameplay reveal shows bustling streets filled with NPCs going about their business, steampunk vehicles moving through the city, and verticality that encourages exploration. Players will need to cultivate allies, trade favors, and bribe officials to gain advantages against the Celestial army and their collaborators.
The faction system sounds deeper than typical open-world fare. According to Pathea, eyes are everywhere in Zhou, and a single mistake could mean the end of everything Cheng holds dear. This suggests a reputation or notoriety system where your actions have consequences beyond immediate quest outcomes. The freeform RPG gameplay promises fully customizable elemental combat and mission design that enables different approaches, whether you prefer stealth infiltration or direct confrontation.
A Massive Departure for Pathea Games
Pathea Games built their reputation on wholesome life simulation games. My Time at Portia, which launched in 2019, let players restore a neglected workshop in a charming post-apocalyptic town, focusing on crafting, farming, and relationship building. My Time at Sandrock continued that formula in a desert setting. The God Slayer represents the studio’s most ambitious project yet and their first attempt at a darker, more serious tone.
Founder and creative director Zifei Wu addressed this tonal shift directly, explaining that while The God Slayer is a thematic departure, Pathea has made multiple open-world RPGs filled with beloved characters and varied systems. The studio’s experience with open-world design and NPC interaction systems from the My Time series translates to The God Slayer, just applied to thrilling elemental combat and political intrigue instead of workshop management and crop cultivation.
From PlayStation Exclusive to Multi-Platform
The God Slayer was originally revealed at ChinaJoy 2023 as part of Sony Interactive Entertainment’s China Hero Project, an initiative that funds and supports Chinese developers creating innovative games. The program has produced titles like F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch and Lost Soul Aside. When first announced, The God Slayer appeared to be heading for PlayStation exclusivity, at least for a timed period.
The December 2025 re-reveal changed that narrative. The game is now confirmed for Xbox Series X and S alongside PS5 and PC, suggesting Sony either didn’t pursue full exclusivity or decided not to fund the project beyond its initial development support. For players, this is good news as more platforms mean wider accessibility. The game will still come to PS5, and the gameplay footage looks stunning, so PlayStation owners haven’t lost anything in the process.
Built on Unreal Engine 5
The God Slayer runs on Unreal Engine 5, and the visual quality shows it. The gameplay footage demonstrates impressive lighting, detailed character models, and environmental variety that suggests Pathea is leveraging UE5’s capabilities to their fullest. The steampunk aesthetic combines traditional Chinese architecture with industrial machinery, flying airships, and divine energy manifestations that create a unique visual identity.
Character animations during combat look fluid and impactful, with elemental effects that feel weighty rather than floaty. Environmental destruction appears integrated into combat encounters, allowing players to use surroundings tactically. The footage shows Cheng moving through crowded marketplaces, scaling buildings, and fighting atop moving vehicles, indicating significant environmental variety throughout the 40-hour campaign.
Community First Impressions
The Reddit gaming community responded enthusiastically to the gameplay reveal, with many praising the unique setting and elemental combat system. Some users compared it favorably to Avatar: The Last Airbender, noting the similar elemental bending mechanics translated to a darker, more mature context. Others drew comparisons to Assassin’s Creed for the parkour traversal and Kingdom Hearts for contextual interactions.
Not everyone is completely sold. Some commenters expressed concern that the combat might feel like a collection of borrowed mechanics from Final Fantasy XVI’s ability cooldowns, Assassin’s Creed’s traversal, and Kingdom Hearts’ contextual actions rather than something truly original. The wait-and-see attitude is understandable given this is Pathea’s first attempt at this genre, but the studio’s track record with well-crafted open worlds and engaging systems earns them some benefit of the doubt.
The Long Wait Until 2027
Pathea is still targeting a 2027 release window, meaning players face at least another two years before The God Slayer launches. The lengthy development timeline isn’t surprising given the game’s scope and ambition. Creating a 40-hour open-world RPG with complex combat systems, faction mechanics, and meaningful player choice requires substantial development time, especially for a studio scaling up from life simulation games.
The two-year wait also gives Pathea time to polish based on community feedback and ensure the game meets expectations. Given how stunning the current footage looks and how much work remains, the 2027 target seems realistic rather than overly conservative. Players can already wishlist The God Slayer on Steam, and more information will likely emerge as development continues through 2026.
FAQs
When is The God Slayer releasing?
Pathea Games is targeting a 2027 release window for The God Slayer. A specific release date has not been announced. The game was first revealed in July 2023 as part of the PlayStation China Hero Project, and the lengthy development timeline suggests substantial content and polish.
What platforms is The God Slayer coming to?
The God Slayer will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam. It was originally announced as a PlayStation China Hero Project title, suggesting initial PlayStation exclusivity, but the December 2025 reveal confirmed multi-platform availability from launch.
Who is developing The God Slayer?
Pathea Games, the Chinese studio behind My Time at Portia and My Time at Sandrock, is developing The God Slayer. This represents a major tonal shift from their cozy life simulation games to a darker, combat-focused action RPG with mature themes of revenge and revolution.
How long is The God Slayer campaign?
Pathea Games confirmed The God Slayer features a 40-hour story-driven campaign. This main storyline focuses on Cheng’s quest for vengeance against the Celestials, with additional content likely extending playtime beyond 40 hours for completionists exploring faction quests and side activities.
What is the combat system like?
Combat centers on elemental powers that can be combined creatively. Players use water, fire, earth, and ice abilities in combination, such as soaking enemies with water before freezing them solid. The system blends martial arts melee attacks with elemental abilities on cooldowns, similar to Final Fantasy XVI’s combat structure.
Is The God Slayer still a PlayStation exclusive?
No, The God Slayer is no longer a PlayStation exclusive despite being part of the China Hero Project. The game will launch simultaneously on PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. Sony may have chosen not to pursue full exclusivity or allowed multi-platform release after providing initial development support.
What engine is The God Slayer using?
The God Slayer is built on Unreal Engine 5. The gameplay footage demonstrates impressive visual quality with detailed character models, dynamic lighting, and environmental effects that showcase UE5’s capabilities. The Eastern steampunk aesthetic creates a visually distinctive world.
Can I wishlist The God Slayer?
Yes, The God Slayer is available to wishlist now on Steam. Wishlisting helps you track development updates and ensures you’ll receive notifications when the game launches in 2027. The Steam page includes screenshots, trailer footage, and detailed game descriptions.
Conclusion
The God Slayer represents Pathea Games’ boldest move yet, trading cozy farming simulation for elemental god-slaying action in a stunning Eastern steampunk world. The 9-minute gameplay reveal delivers exactly what you’d hope for: creative combat that blends martial arts with Avatar-style elemental bending, a visually distinctive setting that mixes Chinese architecture with industrial steampunk, and production values that leverage Unreal Engine 5 to impressive effect. The 40-hour campaign promises meaningful choices, faction politics, and a revenge story darker than anything Pathea has attempted before. Yes, it’s borrowing ideas from Assassin’s Creed’s parkour, Final Fantasy XVI’s ability cooldowns, and Avatar’s elemental system, but the combination looks fresh enough to stand on its own. The two-year wait until 2027 feels long, but it’s better to let Pathea take the time needed to nail their first serious action RPG. If you loved My Time at Portia but wished it had less crop watering and more god-murdering, The God Slayer might be exactly what you didn’t know Pathea Games could deliver. Head to Steam and wishlist it now, then settle in for the long wait until Cheng’s quest for vengeance finally arrives.