New Steam Side-Scroller Gives Metroidvanias A Dark Fantasy Twist
A brand-new Steam game called The Dark Heart of Balor has been released, blending elements of Diablo and Castlevania to create something fresh. While the new Steam game is a classic Metroidvania at heart, its aesthetic looks like something massively inspired by the Diablo games, and it’s awesome.
The Dark Heart of Balor launched on January 2, 2026, after being in Early Access for over three years. Its history is interesting in that its Early Access release came in August 2022, after which it received just a single update, a minor patch one day after its release. This is contrary to how many games use the Early Access program, iterating over time in response to player feedback to produce the final product. Instead, The Dark Heart of Balor went directly from Early Access release to full release, with nothing in between. This radio silence led many to believe the game had been abandoned, a sentiment echoed in the game’s Steam forums by players disappointed by the lack of updates. However, The Dark Heart of Balor is here at last.
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New Steam Metroidvania Has Serious Diablo Vibes
Gamers can find The Dark Heart of Balor on Steam right now for $12.74, an introductory discount of 15% until January 9 to celebrate its full release. The game is described as a “dark fantasy hack and slash side scroller” by developer Game Artists, where players will head “into dark crypts, demon infested wilds, and demonic rifts in the fabric of the world” to face “deadly traps, ambushes, and puzzles.” Each level has its own unique environment, and will make “interesting usage of player’s skills and locomotion.”
Initial user reviews for the game are marked as being “Positive,” with 91% of them being positive at the time of writing. Most reviews for the game are from its time in Early Access, praising the solid Metroidvania for its platforming elements and its combat, while some others criticize the controls. However, those written since the full release have been universally positive, with one describing The Dark Heart of Balor as being a “cool little gem.”
In terms of inspirations, there are certainly a few that spring to mind when looking at The Dark Heart of Balor. Everything about the visual aesthetic, the monsters players face, and even the UI just screams Diablo. It’s undoubtedly a positive comparison – Diablo has a distinct style, and games about slaying hordes of demons will never get old, whether they’re action RPGs or side-scrollers like The Dark Heart of Balor. But equally, as a dark fantasy side-scroller, comparisons to Castlevania are always going to be apt.
According to the developer, the full release for The Dark Heart of Balor revisits “every level, added new locations, improved NPCs, refined gameplay systems, and polished the UI to make the experience more exciting and rewarding.” It’s a significant step forward over the Early Access version of the game. However, the developer does clarify that “not every originally planned feature made it into this release” because it “chose to focus on delivering higher quality and more fun moment-to-moment gameplay rather than simply adding more content.” That said, it doesn’t seem as though it’s the end of the road for The Dark Heart of Balor. Post-launch, the developer says fan support “allows us to keep improving and expanding the game with new levels, NPCs, worlds to explore, and the continuation of the story.” It will be worth seeing if this cool side-scroller can gather some momentum in the future, especially if it gets even more content going forward.