Arkheron preview: A flashy new PVP title that blends isometric ARPGs with Battle Royale mechanics

I recently took part in a presentation that showed off Arkheron: an upcoming isometric team-based PVP game. It blends the loot goblin feeling of Diablo, the intense combat of Souls-likes, and most interestingly of all, the “there can be only one” feeling of a Battle Royale. So, full disclosure, this kind of game really isn’t for me anymore. I don’t have that killer instinct I used to have, when every game I played online, I focused on PVP. That said, I adore the aesthetic and concept of this game.

Arkheron is a genuinely fascinating concept for a PVP-focused game, and I think it’s proof that this kind of game isn’t dead yet. We haven’t seen something new or fresh in the Battle Royale subgenre in a while, and I think Arkheron’s gonna do just that.

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Arkheron is for the hardcore PVP fans that love Battle Royale but are tired of the “same old same old”

Arkheron is set in a “dark, surreal dimension constructed from emotionally-charged memories of the living world”, where teams of three do battle intense PVP battles. Instead of the characters having specific movesets, like you’d find in Hero Shooters, the items are the real heroes.

If you're looking for a new team-based PVP challenge, this is the game for you (Image via Bonfire Studios)

That’s one of the many things I find fascinating about Arkheron; the items you pick up have special abilities, so you can set up some truly wild, powerful combos not just for your own character, but for team-based synergies. It’s going to separate the great from the good, to see people sharing loot to build specific combos, and not just have these, but use them in proper synergy.

You can equip up to four items, and if you get a full set of four matching pieces, you become an Eternal, and gain an incredibly powerful fifth ability, but that’s not required. The only real drawback is that while you can build however you want, you're at the mercy of the items that drop during gameplay. Another feature that I appreciate is just how skill-based Arkheron is.

You can upgrade your equipment as you progress from floor to floor in the tower, but it’s not going to increase your stats. This is important to me, because you aren’t going to be able to cheese the system and overpower players simply by having more resources. It all comes down to how good you are.

Going in alone and ill-prepared is a surefire way to spoil victory for your team (Image via Bonfire Studios)

Another thing that makes this one interesting is that yes, the battleground shrinks, but in a new, interesting way. Your battleground is the Tower. You’ll start with 15 trios, and players will need to claim control of the beacons on each floor of the Tower. However, there aren’t enough beacons for all the teams! That means you’re going to have to be aggressive, to be one of the teams to Ascend.

Each floor will shrink the competition more and more, until at the end, there’s a final, glorious showdown by the teams that were either the best, or at least, the most ruthless. Only one team can claim victory in Arkheron, though.

I also appreciate that while it is an isometric-style game like Diablo, it uses a free-aim isometric camera, so you aren’t stuck looking at just one perspective. It’s not just the camera, either. If you’re paying close attention, you could hear enemies coming, and plan ahead; this is not a game where you’re going to want to blast your favorite music in the background.

The monsters can be just as deadly as the players; including a monster that cannot be killed! Situational awareness is key (Image via Bonfire Studios)

That is, not if you want to have an advantage over other players. The teams that work together and communicate are going to succeed over players that just queue up and do whatever they want. Arkheron is for players that are willing to put their squad ahead of their own personal ambitions.

Arkheron’s a fascinating game, and has a series of Alpha playtests that are available on Steam. Just go to their page and sign up and see how it plays for you! It’s going to be available at the following times:

• Friday, 19th September 2025 11:00am – 11:00pm
• Saturday, 20th September 2025 11:00am – 11:00pm
• Sunday, 21st September 2025 11:00am – 11:00pm

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Honestly, even if I’m not a big fan of PVP games, I’m going to try and dip my toes in. The game has a beautiful, haunting aesthetic, awesome lore, and the gameplay looks tight, intense, and satisfying.