Balkadia
Release date: Apr 28, 2022
Developers: Max Health Studios
Publishers: Max Health Studios
Genres: Action, Indie
Categories: Single-player, Steam Achievements, Partial Controller Support, Steam Cloud, Family Sharing
Supported languages: English

Balkadia features classic platforming, dismemberment combat and giant bosses with multiple forms. This is not a metroidvania, it is a 'classicvania' inspired by Super Castlevania IV. The 8-directional whip has been faithfully recreated and is your only weapon in the game. It cuts through enemies, acts as a shield, shoots projectiles, and can throw objects. Balkadia does not have bottomless pits or one-hit deaths, but will still test your retro skills. The evil wizard Mirev is hell-bent on resurrecting Yaga, the Slavic monster that eats children. He kidnapped your son and intends to sacrifice him for the summoning ritual. His success would mean the end of the world. In Balkadia you will stumble across many Slavic symbols and face off against famous monsters from Slavic mythology, including Leshy and Baba Yaga. You can speedrun the game in about 90 minutes, but your first playthrough will take 3-5 hours, or more, depending on your skill. Balkadia features 15 levels, all quite different from each other. It also includes optional upgrades to make the game easier and add replay value. Every graphical asset in Balkadia is made with 4K in mind, then scaled down when playing in lower resolutions. The game also supports ultrawide monitors up to 32:9. Balkadia is mainly inspired by “Super Castlevania IV”, the only Castlevania with 8-directional whipping. If you are a fan of this mechanic, then Balkadia is for you. Players unfamiliar with SCV4 may have a hard time with the 8-directional whip, but unless you master it, Balkadia will seem very hard to you. Hopefully this helps you make an informed decision.


Notes: - the game is full of dismemberment (humans, animals, monsters, etc.) - enemy corpses remain after death for more gory interaction - the music can be a bit creepy too.