Independent developer Nords Games has officially announced Arcane Overdrive, a survivor-like and roguelike hybrid coming soon to Steam. Set in a fantasy medieval world, players create custom vehicles by combining modular parts and monsters, then battle waves of enemies including orcs, werewolves, skeletons, and other monstrous bosses using medieval weapons and spells. A playable demo will be live during Steam Next Fest, starting on October 13.

Each vehicle is made from three parts: top, middle, and bottom. Each part affects stats, abilities, weapon slots, and movement. The lower parts of vehicle components are the parts that generally affect a vehicle’s movement, whether you’re controlling it like a normal vehicle or a swaying horse-drawn carriage. An option is planned to allow players to control it like a normal player character, separate from the vehicle controller.

“In Arcane Overdrive, we wanted players to fight using their own unique fantasy vehicles. These machines are assembled from mystical parts and monsters found throughout the world. Rather than relying on traditional medieval transports, the vehicles are designed to feel like they belong in this fantasy universe. To reinforce that feeling, we added visuals that show adventurers such as wizards and mercenaries wielding wands and weapons, emerging from the doors and windows as if they’re supporting the player in battle.” – Can Sancaktaroglu, Game Designer

Weapons and spells can be obtained from both vehicle parts and level-up rewards, spanning elemental powers such as fire, ice, electric, physical, and poison. Each vehicle’s configuration determines how many weapons players can equip, and selecting the same weapon multiple times during level-up enhances its attributes and stats, allowing for increasingly powerful combinations.