An Ankou is an upcoming roguelike game focusing on your role as the mythical servant of death itself. Alkemi, the indie developer behind other whimsical games like Foretales, is delving deep into Pagan mythology for the inspiration behind An Ankou. Said to be the henchman of death, Ankou appears within folklore as a robed man, often portrayed with a scythe in hand. The gameplay itself presented by Alkemi for its take on the myth thus far is strikingly reminiscent of other brilliant indie gems, from Hades to V Rising.
You play as the Ankou, or the servant of death, in an alternate version of 19th-century Brittany. There are three different playable classes that you can choose from upon being reborn as the Ankou, depending on what you want to be. You can play as an apothecary, nun, or soldier re-entering the world to guide spirits to their final resting place. Whenever you die and fail, you will simply be born back into the world to act as the Ankou again.
As you do so, you will encounter hordes of demons. It almost feels similar to Vampire Survivors in this way, as you fight your way through powerful, relentless forces from the dark. While you do so, you will also be crafting equipment, exploring various haunted areas, gathering resources, and leveling up to better prepare yourself to face enemy hordes.
An Ankou’s map is open and filled with unruly spirits. It definitely looks as though getting what you need to craft or upgrade equipment won’t be easy, but just as with any roguelike, it will certainly be rewarding. You will also have multiple game modes to choose from and a variety of difficulty options. I am personally excited to see how these choices pan out, especially as someone notoriously bad at roguelikes, despite my ever-growing love for them.
Alkemi has also stated that following its early access release in July, An Ankou is set to receive regular updates, meaning more content is to come. Wishlist the game on Steam here and play An Ankou’s demo starting Thursday, June 29.
If An Ankou seems like your kind of game, be sure to check out some of our other favorite indie games. You can also browse through a few of the coolest-looking upcoming PC games if you want more things to put on your Steam wishlist. Alternatively, take a look at the best PC games that are currently out and ready to play if you want something to do while waiting for releases.