Gaming PR companies are getting good at grabbing my attention, because my eyes were immediately drawn to this outrageous description in my inbox this morning: “Fire Emblem meets PaRappa the Rapper.” What in the…?
The newest title from Mopeful Games and indie publisher Team17, Wardrumis worth checking out for that description by itself. And I’m glad I clicked, because it looks like it may actually be up my alley, and the uniqueness of it will likely garner attention from gamers everywhere, too.
The idea of these two kinds of games coming together sounded so silly, but as you can see in the gameplay trailer above, it sure seems to work. And it’s a roguelite, which means replayability will be ready to go on day one.
“Wardrum sees you set in a harsh and unforgiving fantasy landscape you plan and execute your tactics in time with the primal pounding of a tribal wardrum for maximum impact,” the press release said. “Off-beat magic has infected the lands, neighboring settlements have fallen and it’s up to you and a band of five warriors to keep the beat. Venture out into a harsh fantasy world filled with rhythm magic and stop the source of this off-beat threat once and for all.”
The release says Wardrum sports “deep tactical turn-based combat,” which I’m also all for, and I think that the rhythm-based gameplay has some potential for good fun as well. Does anyone else use their whole body to stay in time with the beat in games like this? I hope it’s not just me, and I’m willing to be that is not the case. You gotta feel it with every ounce of your being.
Anyway, Wardrum is available now to be wishlisted on Steam, and it’ll be yet another that I will keep an eye on as we head into 2026, which is already looking to be filled with more wonderful indies like this one.
