Em Essex, a prolific musician and indie developer, has created End of Starchild, a free, standalone game built on the Doom engine that masterfully merges first-person shooting with JRPG combat elements. The game offers a brisk six levels of intense action, pushing players through ornate environments at speeds exceeding Doomguy's classic sprint, all while navigating dense barrages of enemy fire in a style reminiscent of bullet hell shooters.

The familiar arsenal of Doom is present, but with enhanced impact. The shotgun delivers significant damage, the machine gun rewards sustained fire, and rockets feature an almost instant travel time with skull-shaped explosions inspired by classic shoot 'em ups. Enemies are reimagined archetypes of Doom's roster, often employing a mix of directly aimed and radial bullet patterns. Some new enemy types, like a cosmic wizard who teleports evasively and fires micro-meteorites, offer unique challenges.

End of Starchild enemy encounter. The game incorporates a stylish save system where progress is saved at kiosks run by a gremlin shopkeeper, requiring a trade of health, score, or armor for a checkpoint. Difficulty selection is handled via an elevator panel in the protagonist's apartment.

While the main campaign can be completed in approximately three hours, its design encourages replayability. An "Hard" mode introduces more aggressive enemy behaviors, and a shoot 'em up-inspired ranking system dynamically adjusts difficulty based on player performance. However, the core experience extends beyond this initial layer.

A Deeper Enigma

End of Starchild also functions as a non-linear exploration game, akin to Yume Nikki. Once combat encounters are cleared, players can delve into maps to uncover secrets and utilize the air-dashing mechanics to access hidden areas. Areas of fragmented memory, which the non-binary protagonist Elph struggles to reconcile, introduce permanent, unsettling effects on the game. Solving riddles and uncovering hidden threads can lead to new, bombastic finales, with each significant secret feeling like a crucial unveiling of hidden truths.

This layer of exploration and puzzle-solving can add several more hours to the game, leading to deeper immersion. But a third, even more surprising layer awaits.

Sonata: The JRPG Within

Nestled within End of Starchild is a completely separate, NES-style JRPG called Sonata. This 8-bit-inspired experience, running on a customized GZDoom engine, features minimalist storytelling, ominous flavor text, unsettling enemy designs, and challenging combat that plays out on a 3x3 grid, similar to Mega Man Battle Network.

End of Starchild JRPG segment. Sonata presents its own set of secrets, including a difficult optional super-boss, and notably lacks a save system, amplifying the tension. Success relies on player knowledge and experience, as dying to a boss can result in significant lost progress. Investing early game gold in health potions and escape items is advisable, adding another unsettling dimension that evolves as players explore the 3D worlds above.

Plumbing all the depths of End of Starchild, including its various endings, took approximately 15 hours, earning it a spot on the author's 2026 Game of the Year shortlist. Despite its relatively small scope compared to larger Doom campaigns, its layered design offers a depth comparable to other games known for their intricate secrets and hidden layers.

Players seeking a unique experience are highly encouraged to try End of Starchild, with a recommendation to adjust the difficulty or utilize accessibility options if needed, as the game can be challenging. It is worth noting that some antivirus software may flag the game as a trojan, but extensive testing suggests this is a false positive.