Ablahshikar, a self-described "turn-based salvage-survival CRPG adrift on the Candle Sea," has been released in early access. The game challenges players to rip out the organs of enemy warships and use them to rebuild their own vessel into what the developers call a "doomed chimera."
Developed with a maximalist approach, Ablahshikar presents a world that resists easy explanation. The game's Steam page features evocative, archaic language such as "Lo, destiny crooks a finger only to those whose eyes peer beyond þe next tempest. Take custody of a faltering war-barge that wanders the outer brine of Dastgerd. Thy wrists y-braced to a wan terminal of bone-whyte and tarnysshed latoun, þou steerest Ablahshikar by murke point-nettes and sputteryng tables." This deliberate obscurity is compared to the approach of games like Hylics, where players must decipher the world and its mechanics independently.
Gameplay appears to blend several distinct styles. Players will engage in arcade-style piloting of ancient ships, explore environments reminiscent of 2D dungeon crawlers like Caves of Qud, and experience narrative events presented in a style likened to Disco Elysium, but with a unique, retro-futuristic aesthetic.
Ablahshikar is currently available for purchase on Steam for less than five dollars. The developers anticipate remaining in early access for only a few months, after which the price is expected to increase.