Skyrim Meets Ultima In New Turn-Based RPG You Can Try Free Now

If you pick up The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, you could feasibly be playing it over the course of the next decade. That’s how much staying power (and more) Skyrim has had since launch, inspiring countless similar settings and dragon-based lore.

It’s an extremely useful game to have in your back pocket, as tons of mods are coming out for it on a weekly basis. With total conversion mods, you can change it into something else entirely, often with little effort.

That said, Skyrim is very much a modern open-world RPG, and there’s plenty of room to chase some old-school experiences instead. Over on Steam, you can find something that is going for an older Ultima aesthetic, but with some of the motifs of Skyrim.

This May Be Your New Favorite RPG

As a turn-based RPG, Tuoni aims to blend elements of retro PC gaming with modern sensibilities. You’ll explore a landscape inspired by Finnish folklore, all in an attempt to reach Tuoni, the titular land of the dead. The game is procedurally generated, with turn-based combat that seeks to be “tactical and unforgiving.” You’ll be able to freely explore the world as you embark upon your quest, and there aren’t any set classes.

There are also two distinct modes: adventure (where checkpoints record your progress) and traditional (where a death means you start back at the beginning). The inherent CRT filter can be removed from the game if that’s not your thing, but it’s baked into Tuoni’s aesthetics to evoke the feel of classic PC RPGs.

Here’s how Old Dog describes the game: “A turn-based Roguelike RPG set in a mythic northern wilderness. Explore procedurally generated lands, battle eerie folkloric creatures, and craft powerful builds on your journey to the land of the dead. Experiment with diverse playstyles in a richly tactical, old-school-inspired adventure.”

Try The Tuoni Demo Now For Free

Tuoni is listed as “coming soon” with no release date, though a demo is available now. It launched in late July, and the studio suggests that there is “1-3 hours” worth of content to get through, though saves won’t transfer from the full game: “This demo is a customized package of content that roughly translates to Act 1 of the full game. Existing Demo content will be extended and possibly altered in the full game.”

If you’re a Steam user and want to try Tuoni, the team is taking feedback from this demo build and suggests people sign up on their Discord server.