Do you ever skim a game article (not here, of course) and immediately want to play it before seeing any screenshots or clips, let alone the title? MÖRK BORG: Heresy Supreme is the name, and 'doom-metal action RPG' are the words that did it.
From the appropriately titled Morbidware Studio and Stockholm Kartell, the game is a semi-procedural world with 'apocalyptic choices' that will test your skills to the edge of doom. Board game enthusiasts may already be familiar with this, as it's based on the MÖRK BORG tabletop RPG.
MÖRK BORG Heresy Supreme is a big milestone project and I couldn't be more pumped for it. Not only because Morbidware really GETS the grim world, the dark humor and the whole philosophy of the original game, but also for the amount of extra stuff we're creating specifically for this Kickstarter campaign. It's gonna be a damn fine video game, but we're not just making a video game. It's a whole apocalyptic package – Johan Nohr of Stockholm Kartell, visual artist and cocreator of MÖRK BORG
Key features of MÖRK BORG: Heresy Supreme include:
- The world's loudest tabletop RPG brings ruin to video gaming - Take control of the vilest scum ever to crawl upon the earth and wander the dying lands of the original game through a graphic style inspired by the book. Evade deadly flails aimed to crack your skull open in a combat system both dynamic and unforgiving that’ll require a strategic, ruthless approach. Face horrific quests testing your skills to the brink of the Apocalypse. Literally.
- Journey through the dark path - You wake up in Galgenbeck, a decaying city under the shadow of the Cathedral of the two-headed Basilisks. A voice from its spires proclaims the world's end, demanding an offering to delay the inevitable. In the filthy alleys, a rumor spreads: those who appease this demand will receive Arch-Priestess Josilfa Migol’s blessing and be cleansed. As a cursed walker, plagued by visions of damnation, you seek salvation — any way you can.
- Gather Your Party - Cursed walkers in MÖRK BORG Heresy Supreme aren't heroes. In this dying world, everyone seeks salvation, wealth, or vengeance. You can form a party, but each companion has their own agenda. Betray them, and they'll turn their back or just stab you. Trust is rare in this brutal realm.
- Explore the Dying World - The world outside Galgenbeck’s walls is divided into regions, each one worse than the other. Locations and adventures are dynamically generated based on your progress and the quests you’ll stumble into. Quests, adventures, bosses, and special items reset on every playthrough. Explore the dying world but don't get lost in it. You won't get out alive.
- Getting Better (or worse) - MÖRK BORG Heresy Supreme doesn’t have XP or the like. Instead, you level up by performing certain actions during your adventures. When you level up, some of your characters’ abilities will get better, but some will get WORSE. The more you level up, the higher the chances you may lose something in the process. Can’t teach an old goblin new tricks! They’ll kill you.
- Miseries - The world crumbles as foretold in the Calendar of Nechrubel. Miseries (apocalyptic events) devastate the world as you delve deeper into the filth. The more you play, the more Miseries strike, bringing the doomsday closer. Some say they can be delayed, but prevention is heresy and the cost is unbearable.
- Omens - This world is unforgiving, but Cursed Walkers have a secret trick: Omens that can be spent to deal max damage, reroll an ability check in a crucial situation, absorb the damage from a fatal blow, or guarantee a safe outcome from wielding the Power of a scroll. So remember, you can rely on the fickle fates of alternate worlds tangled with the eyes of eldritch watchers if you want… just don’t tell the Inquisition.
- Arcane Catastrophes - Some classes can wield Powers from esoteric and ancient scrolls. In the dying world of MÖRK BORG, conjuring such witchcraft is never guaranteed. Every scroll has a chance to trigger an arcane catastrophe, and nobody can foresee what kind of disaster it could bring. You may get dizzy and start puking… or explode. However, some arcane catastrophes might even be better than the intended effect. Use at your own risk.
- RPG Elements - Every character has four abilities — Strength, Agility, Presence, and Toughness — that determine your likelihood of survival. They affect mechanics and interactions with the world, enemies, and other characters. Some encounters, events, and choices require you to roll a d20 modified by the relevant ability. You should always put your life in the hands of a die roll. That’s why it’s called die roll.
- The End is (always) - Once you gather the relics demanded by the two-headed Basilisk, travel to the Valley of the Unfortunate Undead to face Verhu and Gorgh. Can you appease them in time, cleanse your soul, and delay the apocalypse—or will your suffering lead to Heresy Supreme?
You can support the MÖRK BORG: Heresy Supreme Kickstarter campaign from October. When successful, the game will launch at the end of 2025 on PC via Steam.