Wyldheart Demo: A Fresh Take on Classic Co-op RPGs

A recent demo of Wyldheart, ahead of PAX East 2026, offered a nostalgic glimpse into classic RPG experiences. The game's graphics and gameplay evoke memories of early online RPGs such as RuneScape, and the shared camaraderie of exploring dungeons with friends, a feeling familiar to players of titles like EverQuest or World of Warcraft.

Wyldheart is an upcoming co-op action RPG set in a rustic fantasy world, developed by the new independent studio, Wayfinder Studios. Despite a small team of just over ten people, many of whom are avid tabletop RPG enthusiasts, the studio has created a richly expansive world. During the demo, I had the opportunity to play alongside Wayfinder Studios' Creative Director and co-founder, Dennis Brännvall, and Marketing Director, Erin Bower.

During the co-op campaign, Brännvall and Bower shared the origin of Wyldheart. Brännvall and his Swedish ex-AAA veteran colleagues, while still at EA DICE, frequently played Dungeons and Dragons in the evenings. This shared passion led Brännvall to ask his colleagues what kind of game they would create if given complete freedom, and the unanimous answer was an RPG. Recognizing that their then-employer was focused on shooters, Brännvall and his co-founders seized the opportunity to form Wayfinder Studios and pursue their dream project. This passion-driven approach is evident in Wyldheart, even with its modest development team.

Wyldheart features a classless character creator, offering surprising depth despite Brännvall's modest assessment of its initial options. Players can choose from three ancestries: Halfling, Human, and Ogre, and select from 19 roleplaying backgrounds. These backgrounds range from the humorous, like a Fisher starting with a fishing rod, or a Baker with a rolling pin, to more traditional roles such as a Squire with a longsword. An interesting mechanic is the low initial weapon durability, encouraging players to constantly swap weapons. However, gear can be repaired at campsites, and party members can easily share spare weapons.

The skill trees offer diverse specialization paths. Under "Weapon," players can master Sword, Axe, Mace, Bow, and Staff techniques. Additionally, main skills like "Adventuring" (with subsections for Attributes, Survival, and Dungeoneering) and "Magic" (featuring Animism and Elementalism) provide further customization, exemplified by the Halfling Fisher character build.

Brännvall and Bower confirmed that Wyldheart supports both solo and co-op play, with difficulty scaling dynamically based on player count. Each campaign is designed for approximately 10 hours of gameplay and supports up to four players simultaneously. The game also offers 20 character slots per campaign, facilitating flexible group configurations. A notable feature is the branching dialogue system, where player choices influence future narrative developments, adding significant replayability.

Bower highlighted a standout feature: players interested in crafting and gathering can pursue these activities independently, while other group members can venture into dungeons without needing a dedicated host. This allows for asynchronous participation, suggesting a design where friends can coordinate through voice chat for combat encounters but also undertake solo tasks like grinding.

The gameplay experience in Wyldheart felt familiar and intuitive, especially for those accustomed to traditional RPGs. Controls are standard, featuring WASD for movement, left-click for primary attack, and right-click for block, parry, or secondary attack, with number keys for items and weapons. Brännvall accurately likened the combat system to that of The Elder Scrolls. Encounters in the initial dungeon, typically against skeletons and slimes, were characteristic of the genre. The game incorporates realistic actions and sound design, such as using lockpicks for doors or kicking them open, though the latter risks alerting enemies. Adding a layer of challenge, friendly fire is enabled in group campaigns, necessitating careful tactical coordination.

Visually, the hex-tile movement between regions is a pleasing aesthetic, clearly drawing inspiration from tabletop games like Catan. The overall map design, with its dreamlike lighting and small character representations, also bears a resemblance to maps seen in games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Dungeons are intricately designed with hidden traps and secret compartments, enhancing replayability and encouraging exploration across multiple playthroughs.

Wyldheart is slated for an upcoming Early Access launch, with the development team aiming for a full 1.0 release in 2027. It has been stated that the game's price will increase upon leaving Early Access as more content and features are added. Players are encouraged to follow official channels for updates and to provide feedback during the Early Access phase.