Introduction

With franchises as popular as Dark Souls and Elden Ring, there will always be countless copycats trying to capture the same glory. Rise of Rebellion, developed by GCORES and published by Kodansha Creator’s Lab, is another example of a team throwing its hat into the ring. After playing the demo, I think they understand the concept, but the execution is far from perfect.

Here are my first impressions of Rise of Rebellion and why I don’t think it’s as bad as many others claim. Don’t get me wrong—it’s not great, or even good, but it has some charm.

Watch the Official Trailer

Gameplay

Ever played Dark Souls or any Souls-like game? Then you’ve played Rise of Rebellion. A third-person action-adventure game, players assume the role of a warrior tasked with stopping an invasion. The story feels akin to the Souls series, with lore scattered throughout the world. The real question is whether the combat holds up, and while it’s far from polished, it does have a few redeeming qualities.

Like Dark Souls, you’ll need to mix up light and heavy attacks, parries, and dodges to survive enemy encounters. Likewise, you have special attacks that can help turn the tide of battle. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it works—just not against regular enemies. I found myself spamming heavy attacks against low-tier enemies and rarely losing unless I was overwhelmed by the environment or the game’s occasional buggy animations.

When bosses enter the equation, Rise of Rebellion starts to show its potential. Boss fights require more strategy, with parrying and special attacks dealing the most damage. The bosses were tough but also highlighted the game’s issues. The combat feels floaty, and while functional, it lacks the weight and precision of the best Souls-like titles.

Exploration also feels static, missing the excitement of titles like Elden Ring or Dark Souls. Even using items in the demo felt outdated, reminiscent of the clunkiness in Demon’s Souls. I think that’s the biggest issue most people have with Rise of Rebellion—it feels outdated, especially when compared to modern action RPGs. However, with some gameplay refinements, it could become a decent action-adventure title.

Graphics

Visually, every element in Rise of Rebellion is a mixed bag. Some moments look fantastic, while others feel incredibly generic. Enemy designs—especially non-boss enemies—are uninspired, and environments appear dull, yet the backdrops are surprisingly solid. There isn’t a single graphical element that feels modern, but I won’t deny that I’ve seen worse.

Sound

The biggest flaw in Rise of Rebellion is its sound design, which is downright horrible. The movement and running sounds feel ripped straight from a PlayStation 1-era game like Resident Evil. Enemies have a very limited set of sounds, sword swings lack impact, and environmental interactions sound hollow.

As for the music—it’s practically nonexistent outside of boss fights, and even then, it sounds mundane and uninspired. I can only hope that the final version includes updated sound design because if this is how the game ultimately ships, I could easily deduct three points from my final score. That’s how offensive the sound is.

Conclusion

Rise of Rebellion is receiving a lot of criticism on Steam, and while I understand the frustration, I also feel the backlash may be a bit harsh. This isn’t a AAA title, after all.

That being said, Rise of Rebellion could either become a passable Dark Souls clone or just another forgettable one—it all depends on how much improvement the final version receives. I didn’t hate my time with the demo, but am I eagerly awaiting the full release? Not really. That said, I’d still be willing to review it if given the opportunity.

—Aaron