Alternative Headline Ideas:

1. Dragon Age Scribe Hints at Upcoming Arcane-Themed Deckbuilder from Stray Gods Team
2. Stray Gods Studio, Led by Dragon Age Writer, Teases Magic-Focused Deckbuilding Game
3. Former Dragon Age Writer Teases Enchanting New Deckbuilder from Stray Gods Studio
4. New Arcane Deckbuilder in the Works from Stray Gods, Says Dragon Age Veteran
5. Dragon Age Alum at Stray Gods Drops Teaser for Mystical Deckbuilding Project

Let me know if you’d like a more casual, playful, or specific tone!

The folks who made roleplaying musical Stray Gods have announced they’re working on a new arcane deckbuilder in which you play a “former priest turned exorcist and demon hunter”. The game is called Malys and (as with the studio’s previous game) it’s being led by former Dragon Age writer David Gaider, which probably means a bunch of magical sarcasm and harrowing deaths. It’s very early days though – the game hasn’t yet launched a planned Kickstarter.

Here’s a bit of description from that Kickstarter page.

“The city teems with demons, and among them lies your prey: Malys, a demon of extraordinary cunning and power. Use your deck to expose the rot within. Find unique combinations and strategies to withstand the horrors. Help the hopeless and free the possessed, or die in the attempt… over and over again.”

And that’s really all we’ve got to go on for now, apart from the promise that the game will be “pushing the boundaries of roguelite storytelling and delivering a satisfyingly moody experience”. You might hope so, with a narrative lead as experienced as this. Gaider, was lead writer on Dragon Age: Origins and Inquisition but left BioWare in 2016 to work elsewhere, before finally setting up a new company, Summerfall Studios.

Malys seems quite different to the studio’s first game. Stray Gods was a branching single player adventure game about the Greek gods trying to exist in a modern US city, but with singing. Every scene would eventually see its cast burst into song, harmonising in a sometimes combative, sometimes cooperative manner. Then you could choose what lyrics to sing next, and in what style. It also got some DLC featuring OG sad boy Orpheus a year after release.

“Stray Gods handles big emotions and epic poem tragedies with a dignified touch,” said Jon Bailes in our review of the mythical musical, “then shimmies back to mischief and humour like an especially supple salsa dancer.” It’s true. I played it on a weekend whim and liked it, although I agree with our review that there was more than a whiff of Whedon in its quippiness.

We’ll keep an eye out for Malys and whether or not it hits its crowdfunding target.