Some RPGs save the world with swords and spells. Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands prefers guitars, bass lines and an unhealthy amount of chaotic humour.
After earning a very positive user rating on Steam, this offbeat musical RPG is making the jump to consoles, launching today on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC with Xbox Play Anywhere, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a battle of the bands turned into a fight for survival, this might be exactly what you’re looking for.
At A Glance
- Game: Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands
- Developer: Deathbulge, Five Houses
- Publisher: Deathbulge, Five Houses
- Platforms: Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Play Anywhere, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
- Price: TBC
From Garage Band To Life-Or-Death Battles
Things begin innocently enough as friends Faye, Ian and Briff enter what appears to be an ordinary battle of the bands competition. Unfortunately, it turns out there’s nothing ordinary about it.
The trio soon find themselves caught up in a supernatural curse that gives musicians the power to literally fight with music. Escaping their fate means battling bizarre enemies, surviving increasingly strange encounters and, perhaps most challenging of all, learning to work together.
A Fresh Spin On Turn-Based Combat
Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands isn’t content with simply telling a funny story. It also introduces a combat system that does things differently.
Its Measure Effects system blends traditional turn-based RPG mechanics with real-time decisions, asking players to think carefully about which band member should take centre stage. Keeping one musician in the spotlight for too long can leave them exposed, encouraging constant rotation between the group as battles unfold.
Outside combat, there’s plenty of room to customise your band too, with nine musical classes ranging from Busker to Headbanger, each offering their own abilities, perks and outfits.
Plenty Of Personality
One thing Deathbulge clearly isn’t short on is character. From colourful NPCs with evolving dialogue to permanent collectible merchandise that replaces traditional consumable items, almost every system has been designed with humour in mind. Even kicking down doors becomes something of a running joke throughout the adventure.
Expect around 15-20 hours of gameplay, no random encounters, plenty of optional exploration, an original soundtrack, and yes… even a late-game dating segment.
“Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands is a blast from the past, drawing on our experience of being teenagers and playing what are now thought of as ‘retro’ games while dreaming of one day making a game ourselves,” said Dan Martin, Solo Artist of Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands. “That said, we’ve learned a lot about game design in the intervening years and have created something unique that merges classic games design with modern sensibilities for something entirely singular – at least we’ve never seen anything with a combat system like it. Having it on consoles, where you can play it on a couch – or handheld on Switch wherever you like – just feels so right for Deathbulge’s unique twist on semi-real-time RPGs.”
Console Players Get The Definitive Version
Originally released on PC in 2023, the console launch doesn’t simply bring the existing game across.
This edition includes all of the new content introduced in the latest update, including additional items, an optional Easy Mode and tougher boss variants for those wanting an extra challenge. Existing Steam players receive those additions as a free update, while console players jump straight into the most complete version available.
With glowing reviews already behind it and a wonderfully unusual premise at its heart, Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands could easily become one of the more memorable indie RPG launches of the year.
It’s available today on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC with Xbox Play Anywhere through the Xbox Store. There are versions for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch too.
