Don't lie: You've always wanted to be a djent-fueled shapeshifting robot samurai, and Morbid Metal's imminent playtest will finally deliver the goods

Morbid Metal looks over the top even among character action games. You play as not one cyberninja, but three (which I guess makes this a characters action game), and when PC Gamer news writer Elie Gould checked out a preview build at Gamescom, they said their expectations were "blown out of the water within the first five minutes."

Morbid Metal is a roguelike spectacle fighter developed by Screen Juice and published by Ubisoft where you carve through procedurally generated stages, piecing together custom combos and slapping on upgrades as you go. Also clock that style meter in the top right; this is a game that takes after Devil May Cry and Bayonetta.

The triple threat character setup means you can launch an enemy into the air with one character, switch to another, and send them crashing back down in a matter of seconds. Morbid Metal was slated for an early access launch earlier this year before it got delayed, though there's still a demo you can try on its Steam page.

The game resurfaced at today's PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct with a new trailer complete with screaming djent guitars and a call for playtest signups. I'm eager to see how it shapes up, in early access and beyond. I tend to approach character action games as arcadey experiences, repeating the same challenges over and over again until I squeeze out the best medal and clear time I have patience for.

Roguelikes strike a different rhythm, moving the pieces around between each attempt, but if it nails the combo depth and tactility the genre is known for, it could be a fresh spin on two venerable formulas.

If Morbid Metal has your attention, you can wishlist the game, try its demo, and sign up for its playtest—"coming soon"—on Steam.

Check out every game, trailer, and announcement in the PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct.