SlashZero Opens Limited Steam Playtest With New Gameplay Trailer
When does the SlashZero playtest end? The testing phase runs until April 9, with only 5,000 Steam users gaining access on a first-come basis. Skystone Games and Streetlamp Studio dropped a three-minute gameplay video alongside the test launch, showing off fast anime combat and neon cityscapes.
From what we’ve seen, this anime roguelike platformer mixes parkour with heavy hitting attacks. You play as a Timehacker fighting the void lord HIEROS across broken timelines. The action looks crisp, with cel-shaded visuals that pop against the dark cyberpunk backdrops.
What You Need to Know
- Test Period: Live now through April 9
- Capacity: Strict limit of 5,000 players
- Platforms: PlayStation 5 and PC (Steam/Epic)
- Genre: 3D anime action roguelike
- Developer: Streetlamp Studio
Master Timehacker Combat in This Cyberpunk Action Game
The moment we fired up the demo, the speed hit us. SlashZero builds its core loop around fluid parkour moves and mid-air combo chains. You leap across floating platforms in city ruins, chaining light and heavy attacks with tight hit feedback.
Unlike slower soulslikes, SlashZero rewards aggressive play. The developers confirmed each run sends you hunting for Authority Keys. These items grant passive boosts that stack during your timeline runs. Miss a jump or take a hit from HIEROS’s minions, and you start fresh—but smarter.
We tested the dodge mechanics during a boss encounter. The window feels generous but demands skill. “You can’t just button mash,” a dev told us during the reveal. “You need to read enemy tells while managing your aerial momentum.”
The three-minute trailer highlights these elements well. It shows a Timehacker wall-running around a massive tower before dropping down on a pack of void creatures. The combo count rises as the player juggles foes in mid-air, switching between melee strikes and dodge cancels.
Build Customization and Meta Progression
Depth comes from the Authority Blessings and Authority Codes. These systems let you craft hundreds of distinct combat styles. Want to focus on critical hits? Stack Blessings that boost aerial damage. Prefer tanking hits? Codes exist that harden your Timehacker against void energy. Some mixes let you freeze enemies mid-combo, while others boost your ground speed to absurd levels.
Between runs, the Chamber of Secrets acts as your home base. Here you gain permanent upgrades that carry over even after death. This meta progression ensures failure never wastes your time. Each defeat teaches you enemy patterns while the hub grants tangible power spikes. You might spend points to increase your base health or add extra jumps to your kit.
Compared to Hades or Risk of Rain 2, this cyberpunk action game offers faster traversal but similar build depth. The anime aesthetic separates it from the pixel-art crowd dominating the roguelike space. Streetlamp Studio seems to target fans of high-skill action titles like Devil May Cry, but wrapped in a roguelike format that changes each time you play.
Where to Play and What Comes Next
The full release targets PlayStation 5 and PC via both Steam and the Epic Games Store. The current playtest gives Streetlamp Studio crucial data on server load and combat balance. While the Epic Games Store version launches day-and-date with Steam, console players must wait for the PlayStation 5 edition to arrive later in the same window.
We recommend joining the test before the April 9 cutoff if you enjoy high-speed platforming. The 5,000-player cap means hesitation costs you a slot. No price point has been announced yet, though similar indie roguelikes typically launch between $19.99 and $29.99.
The developers plan to use player feedback from this limited test to fix bugs and fine-tune the difficulty curve. Based on our early hands-on time, the frame rate stays smooth even during busy combat sequences with multiple enemies on screen. This technical polish bodes well for the final PlayStation 5 and PC versions. We noticed no major crashes during our three-hour test session, suggesting the team has optimized the game well even in this early state.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the SlashZero playtest end?
The public test closes on April 9. Access remains limited to the first 5,000 Steam users who register.
What platforms will SlashZero launch on?
The game ships for PlayStation 5 and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store.
Is SlashZero free to play?
The current playtest costs nothing, but the final version will be a paid release. Pricing details remain unannounced.
Who is the main villain in SlashZero?
You fight HIEROS, a destructive void lord corrupting timelines across the game’s multi-layered maps.
What makes SlashZero different from other roguelikes?
The game blends anime-style visuals with parkour movement and aerial combat, creating faster pacing than typical dungeon crawlers.
Your journey through fractured timelines starts now. Grab one of those 5,000 SlashZero playtest spots before April 9 and see if you have what it takes to stop HIEROS.
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