- New Time Hacker ‘Hamlet’ and Hidden Boss Added… Up to 10 Hours of Playable
- Publisher Founded by ‘Diablo’ Creator Participates… 3D Anime Visuals Catch the Eye
- Scheduled for release on PC and PS5 in Spring 2027… Limited demo available until September 23
Publisher Skystone Games and developer Streetlamp Studio unveiled a new story trailer and released a new playable demo for the 3D anime side-scrolling action roguelike ‘SlashZero’ at Sony’s ‘State of Play’ showcase.
This demo will be available for a limited time on the PlayStation Store and Steam from 3:15 p.m. on September 3 (Pacific Standard Time) to 3:00 p.m. on September 23. Slash Zero, first unveiled at the Future Games Show last March, is scheduled to be released on PC and PlayStation 5 in Spring 2027.
[Related Article: ‘Slash Zero,’ the 3D Animated Roguelike Selected by Diablo Creator, Revealed]
Battles and deductions of a time-traveling ‘Time Hacker’
‘Slash Zero’ is set in a cyberpunk world on the brink of time collapse and tells the story of a ‘time hacker’ who traverses multiple timelines to fight against a mysterious force called ‘HIEROS-I’.
The game combines side-scrolling action utilizing 3D space with a roguelike structure.
Players must freely move between the ground and the air to execute flashy attacks and combos, and combine various combat builds to face increasingly powerful enemies. As they repeat battles, they acquire new abilities while simultaneously uncovering the truth hidden within the world.
This demo contains the most content among the versions released so far, allowing for up to 10 hours of gameplay.
The gameplay involves selecting a Time Hacker to experiment with combat styles and builds, acquiring new characters, and utilizing an out-of-round growth system to prepare for the next challenge. Meeting specific conditions also allows you to challenge new rounds featuring hidden bosses.
New Time Hacker ‘Hamlet’ and Hidden Boss Added
The new playable character ‘Hamlet’ makes his first appearance in this demo.
Hamlet is a stage robot awakened under mysterious circumstances and is a time hacker wielding a longsword and shield. He can reconfigure his weapons during combat and specializes in close-quarters combat that attacks a wide range, making him strong against multiple enemies.
Hamlet is not a character you can select from the start. After completing the first loop with Nyx or Fina, if you interact with a specific character at the camp and meet the conditions, you can start Hamlet’s story in subsequent loops and use him as a playable time hacker.
Erik and Ye, who appeared in previous demos and trailers, make their first appearance as hidden bosses. A new Authority, ‘Infinity of Space,’ has been added, along with additional buffs and build options.
The newly released story trailer also offers a first look at Hieros-I, the ‘Lord of the Void’. Hieros-I, whose true form remains unknown, seeks to use the power of ‘Imaginary’ to establish new laws across all timelines and create entirely new dimensions.
‘Triple I’ action featuring high-quality 3D anime visuals
‘Slash Zero’ is an action roguelike that combines anime-style 3D graphics, a cyberpunk worldview, and time travel elements.
Developer Streetlamp Studio explained that while maintaining an indie-scale development team, they are aiming for a so-called ‘Triple I’ level in visuals and animation. Their goal is to implement high mobility and deep combat through various techniques utilizing 3D space and dynamic skills.
“We wanted to push the boundaries of side-scrolling roguelikes with Slash Zero,” said Jun, a producer at Streetlamp Studio. “We invested in high-quality 3D animation and in-game performance, and by launching simultaneously on PC and consoles, we aim to deliver an experience that rewards players’ skills with visual spectacle.”
Taking on a challenge with a publisher founded by the creator of the blockbuster ‘Diablo’
Skystone Games, the publisher, is a global game publisher founded by David Brevik, the creator of the ‘Diablo’ series, and industry veteran Bill Wang.
Skystone Games has supported various projects including ‘Mistfall Hunter’, ‘Tiny Bookshop’, ‘Crystal of Atlan’, and ‘HELLCARD’, ‘ACECRAFT’.
A highly anticipated work that has steadily built buzz through phased releases
Since its first reveal last March, ‘Slash Zero’ has been consistently featured in overseas game media outlets such as Gematsu, VGChartz, Noisy Pixel, and Final Weapon.
In particular, the first Steam playtest held in April limited the number of participants to 5,000, and subsequently, parkour-style movement and aerial combos utilizing 3D space, as well as a roguelike structure that crosses timelines, were highlighted as the game’s main features.
The development team will also host Dev Streams via Steam and official community channels from September 4 to 7. Producer Jun and the development team will personally introduce the game’s core systems and new demo content, and answer user questions.
The new title ‘Slash Zero’ aims for high-quality 3D animation graphics and thrilling action that transcend the limitations of indie scale. The appearance of the newly revealed time hacker ‘Hamlet’, the hidden boss, and the final antagonist ‘Hieros-I’ further clarifies the true nature of the game’s worldview and content, which had previously been shrouded in mystery.
This demo is available to play on Steam and PlayStation 5 until September 23, and is expected to serve as an important test run to gauge user reaction ahead of the official launch in the spring of 2027.
Information regarding ‘SlashZero’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Streetlamp Studio |
| Publisher | Skystone Games (founded by Diablo creator David Brevik) |
| Genre | 3D Anime Side-Scrolling Action Roguelike |
| platform | PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5 |
| Release date | Spring 2027 (Simultaneous release on PC and PS5) |
| demo | Limited release September 3–23, 2026 (Steam, PS5), up to 10 hours of gameplay |
| etc | Dev Stream to be held from September 4th to 7th |
| Reactions/Evaluations | Reported by numerous media outlets including Gematsu since its reveal in March, the April playtest closed at 5,000 participants. |
| Steam Page | Shortcut |
