The beauty of dance is about to be melded with the deadliness of blades. Tsarevna, from Watt Studios, blends folklore and fine art to create something wholly unique and interesting. From the early gameplay footage shown on the Steam page, it looks like Tsarevna is borrowing from combat veterans like Bayonetta, while also trying to do things their own way. Much like interpretive dance or ballet, every attack is beautifully orchestrated and demonstrated. Mixing in Slavic folklore is where I get interested, as the idea of taking down enemies as a kick-ass ballerina sounds genuinely super cool.
‘Tsarevna’ Is Looking Mighty Interesting, but We’ll Be Waiting for a Little While for This One To Release
I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for games like this. Games that are unabashedly not afraid to try something unique and different. Blending the art of ballet with the savage viciousness of bladed combat is something I would have never thought of. Yet, here we are. Tsarevna is hoping to be a beautiful blend of genres, bringing the fluidity of dance to a new type of game. Taking control of the titular character herself, we’ll be fighting against wraiths, mermaids, forest spirits, and other terrifying Slavic legends. All while trying to find out the truth about what happened to the world that she loved.
If you’re feeling lucky, you can try your luck against the Gods to earn their favor. You may need to beat it out of them, but with the power of dance? We’ll be unstoppable. According to Watt Studios, they’re also working with prima ballerinas for motion capture in Tsarevna to create the most authentic experience possible. The teaser trailer has me hyped up, and the early gameplay videos on their Steam Page look very promising. With an estimated 2026 release window, the team at Watt Studios has an ample amount of time to ensure that this turns out to be as beautiful as the dances it takes inspiration from. Seeing as Watt Studios seems to be working on multiple projects at once, there is a chance this could be delayed further along. But until then, I’ll be practicing my pirouettes.
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