Every frame of Possessor(s) drips with personality, from demonic potted plants to whip-slinging showdowns. I’ve been a fan of the Metroidvania genre for quite a while now. It’s my go-to for handheld gaming or when I travel, and some of my all-time favourite games sit squarely in that category. But in all my time playing through the genre’s highlights, I never knew I needed more demon-based sex appeal—at least, not until now.
Possessor(s) is a unique experience from the studio that brought us Hyper Light Drifter and is published by Devolver Digital—and it’s fantastic. Set in a world where a disaster has unleashed demons into the city of Sandy, you play as Luca. With the help of the (extremely hot) demon Rhem, you must uncover what happened to your family, escape the city, and fight to survive along the way.
With tight controls and a surprisingly haunting world, Possessor(s) was a standout during my time at Summer Game Fest 2025. From the moment I picked up the controller, I was hooked. After playing well over an hour of the demo, the world, characters, and design had fully captured my attention in a way I didn’t expect. Heart Machine is a studio known for crafting fantastic games, so it may have been naïve not to expect something special from this title—but here we are. From what I’ve played so far, they’ve knocked it out of the park.
“Every frame of Possessor(s) drips with personality, from demonic potted plants to whip-slinging showdowns.”
Possessor(s) wastes no time setting the stage. In the opening, Luca loses her legs in the chaos that unleashes demons onto the streets of a sprawling corporate mega-city. This sets into motion a dark pact with the oddly seductive Rhem, who offers her new legs in exchange for help. From there, our young protagonist is thrust into a journey of slicing through demons across a city that has fallen from grace. It’s a grim setup that immediately hooks you with its concept and keeps you invested with a style and gameplay loop that delivers unique challenges and visual splendour, sinking its fangs in all the best ways.
The art style of Possessor(s) feels like a mix between Castlevania and a Japanese visual novel, with every frame injected with enough flair and talent to make the world feel lived-in—dense with personality, and begging to be explored. You’ll interact most often with Rhem, who appears with the classic bad-boy look: unbuttoned shirt, horns, and a chiseled jawline hiding his inner turmoil about being trapped in the human world. He longs to return home and, despite being a cosmic demon from some horror dimension, is simply misunderstood, wanting what we all want.
The idea of demons needing a host to survive is a clever one, giving the developers creative freedom to design enemies and characters that feel memorable and distinct. It also sets the stage for clever combat encounters. From demonic potted plants to corrupted filing cabinets, it’s clear the team at Heart Machine let their imaginations run wild with Possessor(s), and I’m absolutely here for it.
Bringing this universe to life is a hand-drawn art style that gives everything in Possessor(s) a distinct visual identity. From the combat to the world you explore, it’s all rendered with a captivating appeal that oozes style and charm. I’ve never seen the hallways and alleys of a crumbling mega-city look this good, and the presentation is made even more compelling by a story filled with dark concepts that stretch far beyond the protagonist’s understanding, making every new piece of the complex puzzle both wondrous and terrifying.
While Luca may be only 16 years old, the game imbues her with a clear sense of purpose and determination, along with a growing range of powers and weapons to cut and fight her way through the many threats eager to make her their next meal. You start off with just a kitchen knife for defence, but your arsenal quickly grows as you explore, ranging from a corded computer mouse to a whip-like power granted by Rhem. Each tool offers a different way to approach obstacles. But make no mistake—while Possessor(s) may be visually stunning, it’s not an easy game.
Possessor(s) is very much in the vein of more difficult platformers—where the jumps are tight, you need to master both the controls and your weapons, and the enemies, while not overly complex at first, quickly ramp up the challenge as you progress deeper into the game. You’ll die a lot as you explore these crumbling streets—and that’s okay. With each death, you slowly learn the attack patterns and how everything works.
“Bringing this universe to life is a hand-drawn art style that gives everything in Possessor(s) a distinct visual identity.”
Thankfully, the roguelike elements mean that while you will die often, the penalty is relatively forgiving. You’ll only lose some in-game currency, known as Chrome, and progression, and you’ll be dropped back at your hub location, where you get one shot to return to your place of death and reclaim your lost Chrome.
It’s a system that rewards experimentation and forces you to learn how the game works, pushing you to find the best strategy for each new challenge. As difficult as it can be, Possessor(s) gives you all the tools you need to overcome everything it throws at you. The sense of accomplishment is real. I was excited by each new area I discovered, and while I died plenty, the challenges never felt insurmountable.
If you can’t tell, I liked this game—a lot. Possessor(s) is a game filled with style, challenge, and strong design, and I can’t wait to experience more when it eventually launches later this year. Heart Machine has crafted a fantastic metroidvania with charm, challenge, and a concept all its own. If the full game can maintain this level of polish, it will be an indie title that deserves a spot on everyone’s wish list.
