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KILL KNIGHT News

A message from our Lead Game Designer

Hello!

Sean here, Lead Game Designer on KILL KNIGHT.

Let me start by giving a huge thank you to all the real knights and gamers out there who have played our little game and been a part of our community - whether we reeled you in with a trailer, you were a Demo OG, or have joined in the last few days. Thank you so much for playing!

When we started making KILL KNIGHT we were driven by a singular vision: Make a game for gamers, and make it fun as hell. We also set out to make something timeless, something players can always come back to, let off some steam with, and constantly improve at. Over the course of development though, something happened. We didn't just "find the fun", we fell completely in love what we were making and pushed ourselves to do everything we could with it. I hope you see this reflected in every pixel of the game. The deep combat mechanics, the immersive and evocative environments, the alien-arcade-machine menu screens, and of course the powerful and rewarding soundscape. I certainly do.

Developing successful videogames has never been more challenging. Gamers have limitless options to choose from and massive backlogs to get to. We demand that our time is respected and our efforts are rewarded. We want games that push the envelope and show us something bold and new. Reading through your feedback and reviews has let us know our efforts weren't in vain.

You are loving KILL KNIGHT as much as we have and we can't wait to continue making more games for you.

On behalf of the team and I, THANK YOU for playing and sharing your valuable time with us, we really do appreciate it.

See you down in the Abyssal Keep...

[h3]If you have been enjoying our game, it would really mean so much to our dev team if you could please leave a review! [/h3]


From L to R: Ben QA, Sean Lead Game Designer, Kill Knight, Ryan GM for PC/Console, at Federation Square in our local city of Melbourne! 🇦🇺

—————

KILL KNIGHT is available on Steam now - and is now fully optimised for Steam Deck compatibility.

Social Links:

Discord
X/Twitter: @KILLKNIGHTGame
TikTok: @KILLKNIGHTGame
YouTube: @PlaySideStudiosOfficial
Instagram: @PlaySideStudios
Facebook: @PlaySideStudios

Find out more about PlaySide Studios on their official website

KILL KNIGHT IS OUT NOW

Knights,

Your time has come to descend the brutal depths of the Abyssal Keep.

KILL KNIGHT is out now, and your challenge begins.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Thank you for joining us on this journey.

The Abyss awaits, Knight.
Embrace the carnage.

The KILL KNIGHT Team

—————

KILL KNIGHT is available on Steam now - and is now fully optimised for Steam Deck compatibility.

Social Links:

Discord
X/Twitter: @KILLKNIGHTGame
TikTok: @KILLKNIGHTGame
YouTube: @PlaySideStudiosOfficial
Instagram: @PlaySideStudios
Facebook: @PlaySideStudios

Find out more about PlaySide Studios on their official website

KILL KNIGHT Launch Day Stream with Devs and Crayator

To celebrate the launch of KILL KNIGHT, we are joined by Alex our Community Manager, Ricky our Producer, and special guest Crayator. Our resident QA legend, Ben, will also be jumping on to show us how it's done!

Thurs 3 Oct 11AM AEST // Wed 2 OCT 6PM PDT, click here for your local time zone.

[h3] Have a question you want to ask the team? [/h3]
Drop your questions in our Discord #submit-questions channel now!

See you in the otherworld…

The KILL KNIGHT Team

—————

KILL KNIGHT is available to Wishlist on Steam now!

Discord
X/Twitter: @KILLKNIGHTGame
TikTok: @KILLKNIGHTGame
YouTube: @PlaySideStudiosOfficial
Instagram: @PlaySideStudios
Facebook: @PlaySideStudios

Find out more about PlaySide Studios on their official website

KILL KNIGHT Dev Diary #5 - “Five Eldritch Layers”

Knights,

Work continues on Kill Knight’s October 3rd release. Until then, we have extracted some more demonic intel from the Abyssal Keep! This time we dive into the Environments and Layers you will descend through underneath Hell itself…

[Spoilers ahead for every Layer in Kill Knight! Proceed if you dare!]


[h3]Layer 1: Solitude[/h3]


The descent into the Abyss begins with Layer 1: Solitude, a stark, foreboding introduction to the Kill Knight’s journey. This layer is marked by a haunting blend of purples, blues, and deep reds that bleed into a background of endless pink abyssal spires. The environment itself feels both alien and familiar, evoking a brutalist aesthetic mixed with medieval undertones. Massive, blocky structures loom over the player, reminiscent of ancient fortresses, their hard, angular forms contrasting sharply with the infinite void surrounding them. The architecture reflects the Kill Knight's own isolation, as each brutalist block is a reminder of the heavy burdens and loneliness he carries into this demon-infested world.


On a deeper level, Layer 1: Solitude isn’t just a physical space, but an embodiment of the Kill Knight's emotional state. As the closest layer to the earthly realm, it touches on the last remnants of his connection to the world he once knew. Yet, here, he feels truly abandoned. The vast, oppressive silence, interrupted only by the distant, eerie wails of unseen demons, accentuates his sense of solitude. The labyrinthine structures shift and twist in the distance, symbolizing the disorienting nature of his mission, where even the ground beneath him can't be trusted. This opening layer sets the tone for the psychological journey ahead, where the Kill Knight must face not only external enemies but the crushing weight of his own isolation.


[h3]Layer 2: Entanglement[/h3]


As the Kill Knight descends deeper, Layer 2: Entanglement thrusts him into a more insidious and suffocating environment. The palette shifts to unsettling greens, blacks, and greys, while the background burns with ominous hues of orange and red, suggesting a hellish undercurrent that creeps ever closer. The once rigid structures of Solitude dissolve into something more organic and sinister - thorny tendrils and veins weave through the space like the arteries of the Abyss itself, forming a twisted, living labyrinth. This layer's insect hive aesthetic adds to the sense of entrapment, with sprawling organic growths and bulbous chambers creating a claustrophobic, almost suffocating atmosphere. The architecture seems to breathe and pulse with life, furthering the Kill Knight's disorientation.


Psychologically, Layer 2: Entanglement represents the next phase in the Kill Knight’s descent - a deepening of his connection to the Abyss, as it begins to trap him both physically and mentally. The thorns and tendrils signify not just the physical dangers he faces, but the growing sense of entrapment within his mind, as the abyssal keep entangles him in a prison with no visible escape. This layer also introduces traps that lie hidden within the environment, reflecting how the Kill Knight is ensnared by the Abyss at every turn. It’s no longer just a fight for survival - now, it’s a struggle against being consumed, with each step forward pulling him deeper into this inescapable nightmare.


[h3]Layer 3: Viscera[/h3]

Layer 3: Viscera drags the Kill Knight into the grotesque heart of the Abyss, where the environment becomes disturbingly organic, a landscape carved from the flesh of dead things. Bloody reds and dark purples dominate the visual space, as brain-like textures pulse and twitch beneath the player’s feet. The background is a nightmarish sea of deep reds and blacks, littered with corrupted spines and bones that jut out like the remains of long-dead, colossal creatures. The walls seem to breathe, their surfaces wet and raw, as if the Kill Knight has plunged into the very viscera of the Abyss itself. It’s a repulsive, visceral experience where the player isn’t just moving through a world - they are crawling through the guts of a dying, yet living, realm.


On a deeper level, Layer 3: Viscera is where the Abyss begins to truly consume the Kill Knight, both physically and psychologically. As he journeys through the beating heart and twisting brain matter of this hellish domain, he too is becoming twisted, his resolve broken, and his identity laid bare. The grotesque gore reflects his inner turmoil - raw, exposed, and decaying under the relentless assault of the demons and the very space around him. This is the moment in the Kill Knight’s journey where he is most vulnerable, where the line between warrior and victim blurs, and the Abyss begins to break him down to his very core. It’s a place of transformation, where the character is destroyed and reborn, scarred by the visceral horrors of this layer.


[h3]Layer 4: Echelon[/h3]

Layer 4: Echelon presents a stark, haunting vision of regality within the Abyss. The environment is drenched in monochromatic whites, greys, and blacks, evoking a sense of cold, austere beauty. Glass shards and spires rise from the fog, forming jagged, angular shapes that pierce the landscape like ancient monuments left behind by a forgotten demonic civilization. The silver-tinted staircases twist and fracture into the void, creating a world that is both shattered and eerily pristine. This layer exudes a sense of eerie calm, where the destruction and chaos of previous layers give way to an unsettling quiet - almost as if the Abyss itself is holding its breath before the final descent.


More than just a physical space, Echelon is the most sentient of the Abyssal layers, radiating a demonic sense of royalty. Here, the Kill Knight is confronted not with mindless death, but with a more refined, terrifying intelligence. This layer stands as an entranceway to the final depths of the Abyss, and like its namesake, Echelon suggests a hierarchy - an unsettling revelation that there is a calculated order behind the demonic chaos. These creatures are not mere death machines; they possess their own twisted form of regality, their domain a kingdom of darkness. For the Kill Knight, this layer forces a reckoning with the true nature of his enemies, revealing that he is not just fighting monsters, but beings with a cruel, sentient purpose that may reflect his own darkening transformation.


[h3]Layer 5: Reflection[/h3]

Layer 5: Reflection is the culmination of the Kill Knight’s descent into the Abyss, a space where reality itself bends under the weight of demonic power and angelic corruption. The colors shift to brass, bronze, and dull greens, evoking a tarnished grandeur, as if the space is dripping with the sweat of millennia-old battles between celestial and infernal forces. Warped faces twist and dissolve in the green void that stretches infinitely in the background, casting grotesque visages of those lost to the Abyss. The environment pulses and throbs, a mental landscape where the boundaries between the physical and psychological collapse, leaving a world where anything - no matter how impossible or insane - can manifest. This layer feels like a demonic mirror, reflecting the deepest fears, memories, and questions the Kill Knight has carried with him.


At its core, Reflection is not just the final layer of the Abyss, but the final trial of the Kill Knight’s journey. Here, only the most powerful demons dwell, and their presence forces the Kill Knight to confront the ultimate question: is humanity still worth saving? Ruled by the enigmatic Last Angel, this place represents the epitome of divine and demonic conflict, a battleground for the soul. The Kill Knight must look back on his journey, his past, and the choices that brought him to this shattered, mind-bending realm. As the power of the Last Angel reaches its peak, Reflection offers no clear answers, only the raw truth of the Abyss - the Kill Knight’s reflection of his own purpose, his sanity, and his future. This is where his fate will be sealed, whether as a saviour or a fallen warrior consumed by the very darkness he fought to overcome.




We hope you enjoyed this insight through the depths of the Abyssal Keep!

See you in the otherworld…

The KILL KNIGHT Team

—————

KILL KNIGHT is available to Wishlist on Steam now!

Discord
X/Twitter: @KILLKNIGHTGame
TikTok: @KILLKNIGHTGame
YouTube: @PlaySideStudiosOfficial
Instagram: @PlaySideStudios
Facebook: @PlaySideStudios

Find out more about PlaySide Studios on their official website

KILL KNIGHT Dev Diary #4 - Demons of the Abyss

Knights,

Carnage is drawing near!

We are hard at work getting KILL KNIGHT ready for release on October 3, and have pulled some demonic intel from the depths of the void on three of the most threatening demons you’ll be facing throughout your descent through the Abyssal Keep.

[h2]PURSUER III[/h2]



Offensive Type

Projectiles

Health



Melee + Ranged Offense

Wicked

800 + Demonic Carapace




“PURSUER III” is the most relentless demon in the Abyss. Dropping from above, it will sprint directly at the Kill Knight to get in range for a deadly Demonic Pulse Attack. If the Kill Knight manages to Pulse Counter the attack, the danger only escalates as it gains speed and damage ferocity.

Spawning with a combination of Demonic Carapace, Demonic Pulse Attacks, and a Weakpoint that can only be revealed via a successful Pulse Countering, the PURSUER III is always a force to be reckoned with and will ruin many a descent.

[h3]Attacks:[/h3]

Demonic Pulse Attack: PURSUER III leaps from a distance to deliver a crushing blow, dealing huge damage. This attack can be Pulse Countered, exposing the Weakpoint.

Barrage Fire: If the initial strike misses, PURSUER III will begin firing a series of alternating Wicked Projectiles that must be avoided.



[h3]Knight Strategium:[/h3]
Considering the array of offensive options the PURSUER III can attack with, it’s important that Knights prioritize stopping the demon in its tracks as quickly as possible. Fire Wrath Bursts to Detonate the Demonic Carapace and gain Health Shards, then allow the enemy to launch a Demonic Pulse Attack. Once Pulse Countered, destroy the Weakpoint, then dash in for a flawless Execution, gaining maximum Carnage points.

[h2]GHAST III[/h2]



Offensive Type

Projectiles

Health



Melee + Ranged Offense

Normal + Homing

600



"GHAST III" is a formidable demon, blending a tactical mind with offensive power. Its appearance is menacing, often supported with swarms of lesser demons which make taking it head on a challenge.
While attacking, a Weakpoint is exposed from the GHAST IIIs chest, which if the Kill Knight can find a position to destroy it, can put an end to its frustrating avoidance.

[h3]Attacks:[/h3]

Teleport: GHAST III moves unpredictably across the battlefield, instantly teleporting from one location to another. Each time it teleports, it launches a barrage of Homing Projectiles that track the Kill Knight’s position, requiring fast reflexes and strategic movement to avoid.

Projectile Stream: When stationary, GHAST III unleashes a relentless stream of projectiles in a straight line. However, during this attack, its most vulnerable spot - a Weakpoint located in the chest - briefly becomes exposed. This moment offers a critical opportunity to inflict major damage, but players must act quickly before the Weakpoint is once again covered by its plating.



[h3]Knight Strategium:[/h3]
Balance dodging the Homing Projectiles after each Teleport while seizing the moment to target the Weakpoint when GHAST III is attacking with Projectile Stream. Then find a gap in the swarm to trigger an Execution. It's a high-risk, high-reward encounter, where timing and positioning are key to success.

[h2]QUAKER III[/h2]



Offensive Type

Projectiles

Health



Charging Melee

Mortar + Homing + Laser

1200



“QUAKER III” is a colossal demon, towering and relentless, built for brute force and devastation. Its monstrous size and durability make it a formidable challenge, with a health pool far exceeding most enemies.

[h3]Attacks:[/h3]

Unstoppable Charge: QUAKER III surges forward in a straight line, bulldozing anything in its path. As it charges, it unleashes Mortar Projectiles to its flanks, forcing players to navigate a barrage of explosives while staying out of its direct path.

Wall Impact: When QUAKER III slams into a wall or obstacle, it momentarily halts, but the impact triggers a deadly Ring Laser that spreads across the ground in all directions. This forces the Kill Knight to quickly dodge to avoid the devastating area-of-effect attack.



[h3]Knight Strategium:[/h3]
QUAKER III has three glowing Weakpoints on its body, vulnerable to precise attacks. Destroying each Weakpoint temporarily stuns the demon, making it open to further damage. With every Weakpoint destroyed, QUAKER III releases a swarm of homing projectiles that relentlessly track the player, requiring quick manoeuvring to avoid.

Once all three Weakpoints are obliterated, QUAKER III is fully stunned, leaving it open for a brief window where players can trigger an Execution with a final, lethal blow.

-
We hope this intel serves you well when KILL KNIGHT releases next month on October 3rd!


The KILL KNIGHT Team

—————

KILL KNIGHT is available to Wishlist on Steam now!

Discord
X/Twitter: @KILLKNIGHTGame
TikTok: @KILLKNIGHTGame
YouTube: @PlaySideStudiosOfficial
Instagram: @PlaySideStudios
Facebook: @PlaySideStudios

Find out more about PlaySide Studios on their official website