Morbid Metal and the Art of Expression in Character-Action Games | Dev Interview

Character-action games (CAGs) have long been defined by precision, mastery, and repetition. From Bayonetta’s acrobatic combos to Devil May Cry’s rhythm of attack and counter, the genre thrives on mechanical rigor. Yet this focus often comes at the cost of spontaneity. Expression, what makes a player feel uniquely stylish, is frequently gated behind high skill thresholds or optimal sequences. Many games promise freedom but end up delivering formulas.

Morbid Metal, a forthcoming roguelite, takes a different approach. Here, expression is the starting point. For a closer look at the combat and biome design, see our full review of Morbid Metal.

“It’s all about jumping into the action, and just kinda slaughtering your enemies with stylish combos,”
— Felix Schade, Game Director of Screen Juice

The game foregrounds momentum, spectacle, and instinct. Combat is visceral, fast, and playful from the first run, while death, the roguelite’s staple, is framed not as frustration but as iteration. Each failure refines the player’s understanding, encouraging experimentation rather than rote mastery.

At the heart of Morbid Metal’s approach is a shapeshifting system that allows players to switch between distinct combat forms in real time. Each form emphasizes different qualities like precision, weight, or control. But the game does not treat them as isolated styles, more as interlocking components. Launch into the air with one form, reposition with another, finish with a third. It’s clear that the system rewards improvisation as players progress.

“They had an epiphany… ‘if I shapeshift and combine different skills… it’s so effective and fun,’” Schade recalls, reflecting on early player reactions. Unlike many CAGs, Morbid Metal does not demand this from the outset. The fun emerges naturally, as players connect the dots between forms.

Where Morbid Metal truly diverges from genre norms is in how it balances guidance and freedom. “We don’t want to force players to play a certain playstyle… shapeshifting is the central piece,” Schade notes. The system suggests methods of play without enforcing them, allowing experimentation while still providing structure.

This philosophy extends to its roguelite framework. Encounters, upgrades, and hazards recombine through semi-procedural generation with each run, preventing any single approach from dominating and keeping the experience fluid.

Comparison to other titles within the genre highlights Morbid Metal’s distinctiveness. Unlike Bayonetta, where mastery is defined by perfect combos and timing, or Hades, where expression is constrained by fixed abilities, Morbid Metal emphasizes sequence over perfection. Players no longer have to struggle with combo memorization as the depth is in their own interpretation. From how the player connects forms, improvises in the moment, and defines their own style. Even Returnal, with its procedural loops and emergent tactics, maintains rigid character constraints. Morbid Metal encourages the player to link disparate tools into a singular, flowing expression.

The narrative, though secondary, echoes these mechanical themes as well. Players inhabit an AI in a simulation tasked with evolving by eliminating others of its kind. “The stylish action is in the forefront,” Schade admits, “but there’s also the narrative… it takes the backseat.” The story contextualizes rather than dictates how you play, themes of artificial evolution and cyclical destruction linger in the background, but the player’s choices in combat are the primary vehicle for expression.

Morbid Metal also consciously avoids certain genre conventions. Schade mentions jump-cancelling, a must in CAGs, which, while common, has been reimagined to fit the game’s fluidity. With this comes an extension to accessibility. Newcomers can easily jump in with a single form, while deeper mastery emerges as players explore the interplay between characters. “To really master and beat the game, you’ll have to explore the combat system and develop your skillset,” Schade says, highlighting the balance between approachability and depth.

Finally, the game’s character roster reinforces its philosophy. Schade’s personal favorite, Ekku, embodies the visceral action central to Morbid Metal, while the system shines most when multiple characters’ abilities are combined. “Playing with one character feels like playing with only one arm,” he says. Shapeshifting isn’t just a mere gimmick anymore. It’s the connective tissue that turns combat into expression.

And while Morbid Metal’s systems feel complete, Schade hints there’s more to come. When asked about the possibility of facing characters like Ekku, Flux, or Vektor as enemies, he simply smiled. “I’m not gonna comment on that, but I’m also smiling right now.”

What Morbid Metal demonstrates is that the thrill of a CAG doesn’t have to be locked behind perfect timing or memorized combos. Fluidity, improvisation, and personal style can be the driving forces of engagement. Linking moves, experimenting with forms, and discovering emergent sequences turn combat into a language, a way for players to communicate their approach, instinct, and flair. In a genre often celebrated for mechanical virtuosity, Morbid Metal suggests that expressiveness itself can be the ultimate mastery.