If you want to wring nostalgia out of many millennial gamers, look no further than referencing a specific era of beginner-friendly MMOs that were downright ubiquitous (mostly because they were free). Before Facebook swept over the internet, games like RuneScape, MapleStory, and even Club Penguin functioned as virtual hangout spaces where players would chat, go dungeon crawling, and only occasionally swindle newbies out of their stuff.
Starlight Re:Volver, an upcoming title from freshman studio Pahdo Labs, is laser-targeted at recreating at least some of that aughts magic, so much so that the company’s CEO name-dropped most of the previously mentioned titles during our preview session with the game. However, there’s at least one immediately noticeable difference between this new release and many of the games that inspired it: visually, Starlight Re:Volver is a very good-looking videogame (sorry RuneScape, but those chunky graphics were ugly back in 2001).
Its anime-inspired aesthetic combines fluorescent colors with characters that would seamlessly fit in shows like Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon, an otaku mish-mash that dodges the scene’s more unsavory elements while keeping the eye-catching style. Here, Divers traverse the shifting dream world of So Mi to discover treasure and climb the adventurer rankings, using their Re:Volver to transform.
In terms of gameplay, this journey through So Mi is structured around run-based loops where you pick one of four Divers and cut through procedurally generated dungeons with up to 3 other players. After claiming victory or coming up short, you return to Nishi Island Metropolis, a hub world where you can hang out with dozens of other players and check out mini-games like fishing (every RPG needs fishing).
As far as digital hangout destinations go, this home base already feels quite lively, allowing large numbers of players to trek through treehouses, town squares, docks, and other destinations that are suitably cozy On top of the mini-games and vistas, there are other fun details as well, like the ability to summon a vehicle that serves as your mount—my character had a motorcycle that did the Akira slide every time I came to a stop.
After some downtime in this relaxing area, you’ll likely go for another dungeon dive, which starts with selecting your character. The preview build I demoed featured three playable Divers (there will be at least one more when the game releases), each with different toolsets. First, there’s Effy, a bubbly pink-haired bruiser who wields a massive hammer and is focused on close-ranged strikes. She has major protagonist energy and begins each run with a well-animated magical girl transformation where she sprouts oni horns. On the opposite end of the spectrum in personality and appearance, there’s Kira, a sharply dressed gunslinger who remains chic in and outside of battle. Lastly, there’s the character I chose to play, Ren, a Super Sentai type whose playstyle falls in between his teammates, switching between melee and ranged attacks thanks to his shape-shifting weapon. Each of the three sport sharp character designs that make you want to know more about them, and their distinctive outfits make these chaotic melees more readable than they would be otherwise.
Over each run, you’ll find new character-specific abilities bound to hotkeys and cooldowns. Here, it becomes clear that MMORPGs aren’t just an inspiration for the hub world design but also for the battles. Case in point, there isn’t controller support at the moment, movement is handled with the WASD keys, and you use the mouse to aim and perform attacks.
However, while the controls draw from things like World of Warcraft, Hades is just as significant an influence. Not only is Starlight Re:Volver an isometric roguelike, but it also features a similar flow to Hades where after clearing out a room, there’s a choice about where to go next represented by a big circular icon. Clearing these areas lets you unlock new powers, gain various currencies, hit up shops, and more.
On the positive side, there was a clear sense of progression over each run, as you go from entirely relying on your basic starting attacks to wielding numerous powerful cooldown abilities that pump out damage and help keep your allies alive. For my playthrough with Ren, I picked up a turret that gave buffs to my teammates, a shield technique that absorbed hits, and a giant death laser that melted monsters half a screen away, letting me both tank and fight from range if need be. While I’m not sure how many skills each character will be able to choose from, it seemed like there were a lot of options that allowed for customization and player expression.
That said, while I was impressed with the build options, there was a disconnect when it came time to actually do the hacking and slashing. To put it succinctly, these fights landed in an awkward spot between traditional MMORPG combat and what’s found in a more reflex-heavy action game, requiring the nimbleness of the latter while awkwardly controlling like the former. As I dashed through rooms full of bad guys, I struggled with how attack direction is determined by the location of your reticule, making it feel like I was fighting against my mouse as much as the guys shooting energy blasts at me. Part of my frustration admittedly came from the lack of controller support, as I prefer the analog movements of a joystick when navigating this kind of frantic action experience, but even still, there was an absence of feedback on my blows that made combat a bit weightless.
And even outside this control preference, some of the encounter designs were a sensory overload. Red warning indicators filled the map as every other melee swing was interrupted by an annoying shadow creature taking potshots—maybe it’s just the limited time I spent with the game, but it really seemed like the fully ranged characters were dramatically more effective than the ones who need to get up close. While there are a few cool mechanics built around teamwork, like how these runs encourage choosing upgrades that complement your partners, I couldn’t get past these disconnects with the core combat.
Another concern (that may prove unfounded when we learn more about how the game works) is that the overarching progression structure seemed a bit light. I wasn’t clear if there would be an equivalent to Hades‘ Heat system, where you unlock new difficulties as you complete runs, but at the very least, there will be multiple biomes of increasing difficulty. Additionally, while I’ve been told there will be some story tidbits here and there, I’m not sure if the narrative will move forward as you finish loops. Thankfully, you’ll be able to upgrade accessories that provide passive benefits across runs, and the Steam page describes blacksmiths and other places to seemingly upgrade your character permanently. Perhaps the biggest worry, though, is that there hasn’t been much communication on the monetization scheme: not to be cynical, but it’s hard to imagine this type of game coming out these days without some form of microtransactions, whether cosmetics or something more gameplay-driven. All that said, if there’s a major silver lining, it’s that the game is launching in Early Access, meaning it may have time to course-correct these issues when it’s released in Q3 of this year for PC.
Hopefully, Starlight Re:Volver comes together because certain aspects stand out, such as its punchy presentation and cozy hub world laser-targeted at people who spent too much time in Gielinor (and who also just turned thirty). With the internet rapidly devolving in every measurable way, there’s a demand for digital hangout spaces that aren’t a dumpster fire, and at least visually, Pahdo Labs has crafted a digital respite. While Starlight Re:Volver can’t turn back the clock to what the web was like when its points of inspiration were released, hopefully it ends up partway there in the ways that count.
Elijah Gonzalez is the assistant Games and TV Editor for Paste Magazine. In addition to playing and watching the latest on the small screen, he also loves film, creating large lists of media he’ll probably never actually get to, and dreaming of the day he finally gets through all the Like a Dragon games. You can follow him on Bluesky @elijahgonzalez.bsky.social.
