Afterburner Studios released a free PS5 demo for Elta: Defy All Gods today, October 1, 2026. The full action-platformer launches February 2, 2027, and the demo is available now on PS5. Afterburner Studios shared the demo details on the PlayStation Blog.
Explore Lerna in the free demo
The PS5 demo covers the beginning of the game. Players retrieve the lost dragon-god, brawl corrupted enemies, and explore Lerna, a glacial world with hidden secrets, ancient ruins, and industrial remnants. The opening section offers an early look at the game’s platforming and hand-to-hand combat. Pre-ordering Elta: Defy All Gods grants the Vanguard Armor, a cosmetic skin for Victus.
Brawlervania combat and movement
Afterburner Studios calls the game a brawlervania. It blends brawler hand-to-hand combat with search-action platforming and non-linear exploration. The protagonist is Victus, a warrior monk. His companion is Elta, a dragon who is also the millennia-old god that the player worships. Combat includes three martial art stances, each with its own skill tree, plus magic systems that unleash built-up energy in large attacks. Players juggle enemies in dynamic encounters across sprawling worlds that do not always hold their hand.
Movement abilities include double jump, dash, wall run, and grapple. Elta also grants new abilities to hit harder and reach previously inaccessible locations. The game spans three winding sci-fi worlds, and its painterly art direction makes each vista look like living concept art.
Inspirations and Focus Entertainment partnership
Afterburner Studios cites Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, God of War, Darksiders, and Jak and Daxter as inspirations. Shonen anime, especially Dragon Ball Z, and Hong Kong martial arts films from the Ip Man saga to Shaw Brothers classics also shape the game. 1001 Threads of Mizan is another upcoming PS5 action game with God of War-style combat.
Afterburner Studios has three co-founders and around a dozen core members. The game was developed over roughly five years with constant iteration. Focus Entertainment, the publisher behind Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, provided design, production, and QA experience. Focus Entertainment also partners on Clutch, the racing game from Maverick Games.
On PS5, the DualSense controller haptics give punches and platforming tactile weight.
