Of all the games I played at Gamescom 2026, Wardens of Avalon was one of the more challenging to figure out at first. Everything about it seemed strange to me: an isometric resource gatherer with hack-and-slash and RPG elements, published by the company most well-known for creating beat-em-ups based on popular IPs. When I started to play it for myself, I wasn’t quite sure whether I would enjoy it or not, as it was unlike any game I had ever played before. Yet, I actually ended up enjoying Wardens of Avalon far more than I expected due to just how well the game’s premise and mechanics go hand in hand.
Wardens of Avalon focuses on a destroyed Camelot, with its guardians, the Knights of the Round Table, now corrupted by the forces of darkness. You take control of a knight chosen by Morgan Pendragon and tasked with rebuilding Camelot and warding off the corrupted threats of Avalon. In order to further rebuild your fiefdom, you must venture out into the corrupted world and hunt for resources. This is where the game’s loop comes into play: you venture out into Avalon, scavenge whatever you can find, and return it to Camelon so you can use it to build a new base for both yourself and any refugees.
The short amount of time I had with Wardens of Avalon was enough to hook me on its gameplay loop. Rebuilding Camelot is a satisfying endeavor, and one I hope to fully immerse myself in once the full game releases. I like the idea that my resource collection has a purpose not just for gameplay, but in the narrative too. Though the buildings you create will still help to increase your potential in combat and exploration as an added incentive.
Speaking of combat and exploration, it is pretty fun so far. Resource collecting feels very natural, as you can easily switch between tools to scrounge for materials from rocks and trees, among other sources. In addition, there are plenty of fast travel points around the world that make it easier to quickly explore and return back to your base if you find yourself wanting to guarantee the long-term preservation of your loot. The visuals also do a great job of preserving the mystery of this world, which seems to be massive if the world map is any indication.
It took me a while to get used to the combat, however. It felt very sluggish when I played, and something about the mouse-and-keyboard control scheme just feels slightly off. I am sure that in the full game, though, the different weapon builds would give me more ways to optimize my playstyle and remove some of that unnatural feeling. I had the chance to talk to one of the lead developers, who not only assured me of said builds, but also informed me that when you die, you drop all of your items on the ground and can pick them up again later. Even if you die multiple times, your previous items will still remain, which is much appreciated for players looking for a slightly less frustrating experience.
Those who are more familiar with the genre will have plenty of opportunities to challenge themselves, thankfully. There were several hard encounters that could be discovered around the environment, and plenty of opportunities for further exploration. To be honest, even if I still haven’t gotten the hang of the controls, I was so intrigued by the narrative and gameplay premise that I want to get better at the game once it fully releases. I am glad to see Dotemu take a chance on a game like Wardens of Avalon, as I think it has the potential to be a great resource-gathering-focused RPG that fans and newcomers alike can enjoy.
Wardens of Avalon will release in 2027 for PC via Steam.
