Inspired by the FromSoftware classic, Queen’s Domain looks like a fascinating PS5 adventure

There are far too many promising indie games releasing every week to keep up, but this one, Queen’s Domain, really caught my attention. It releases today on PS5 for £15.99/$19.99 and is inspired by King’s Field, the series FromSoftware made before Demon’s Souls.

Essentially, it is an RPG blending retro visuals and fantasy RPG genre to create a challenging adventure based around combat and exploration. You travel to an island called Naesied Island, where your father has disappeared. From there, an adventure ensues.

Combat seems to be challenging, as there is no blocking or parrying mechanic and attacking only once uses your entire stamina bar. Without autosaving (there are only manual saves), it seems like you have to be very careful when exploring the island. You start the game with a simple wooden spear, but eventually, you find a holy sword that allows you to dash around locations, which unlocks new areas to explore.

Here is the feature set that developer Freshly Bakes Games offers:

• Explore an interconnected island filled with hidden secrets
• Lovingly crafted retro-fantasy aesthetic
• Action combat with stamina meter, special attacks, thrown weapons and much more
• Fly through gaps with your holy sword – use upgrades to fly further!
• Over 50 melee weapons to discover, equip and upgrade
• Use XP to level up and eat delicious food to further increase your stats
• Over 20 types of secondary throwing weapons allow for varied combat strategies
• Over 100 enemies, mini-bosses and bosses to defeat
• Dozens of hours of adventure and exploration