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Former FromSoftware dev releases his own action RPG on Steam and hits a harsh reality just a week later

Not every solo project works out and this developer had to learn that the hard way. Sometimes, big dreams just aren't enough.

Olga Racinowska

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Former FromSoftware dev releases his own action RPG on Steam and hits a harsh reality just a week later, image source: Rise of Rebellion; Developer: Team Hytacka.
Former FromSoftware dev releases his own action RPG on Steam and hits a harsh reality just a week later Source: Rise of Rebellion; Developer: Team Hytacka.

When you hear FromSoftware, you probably think of atmospheric games, immersive worlds with deep lore and unique combat systems – everything that makes Elden Ring stand out. So when a former FromSoftware developer sets out to create a solo project, it’s exciting. Indie games without the limits of a big studio can be truly special. But this time, things turned out differently.

Rise of Rebellion won’t be your next Soulslike obsession

Rise of Rebellion launched on Steam on April 21, 2025, but it didn’t take long for players to notice it wasn’t meeting expectations. There were tons of technical issues, awkward controls, poor balancing, and an overall lack of polish that made it feel unfinished. Some people respected the ambition behind the game, but the was pretty brutal. Steam reviews turned negative in just a few days, and the player count dropped fast, though it was already pretty low from the start.

I have played many horrible games in my life, but this is genuinely one of the worst ones. The controls are irredeemably bad and it's completely rng if parry or dodge trigger the special attack or not. It's insane that they released a game in this state, it's practically unplayable.

- kenrin

Default controls are atrocious for keyboard and mouse, also there is mouse acceleration that cannot be disabled

- KingoSawada

According to Automaton, the developer Hytacka, openly itted that Rise of Rebellion didn’t do well. As a result, he’s not planning any major updates, just a few bug fixes and possibly an optional easy mode. Despite this, he still wants to make more games, though losing from his publisher, Kodansha, could slow things down. Even with people suggesting he take on smaller projects, Hytacka says he’s sticking to his big, ambitious ideas.

Rise of Rebellion

April 21, 2025

PC
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Olga Racinowska

Author: Olga Racinowska

Been with gamepressure.androidapks.biz since 2019, mostly writing game guides but you can also find me geeking out about LEGO (huge collection, btw). Love RPGs and classic RTSs, also adore quirky indie games. Even with a ton of games, sometimes I just gotta fire up Harvest Moon, Stardew Valley, KOTOR, or Baldur's Gate 2 (Shadows of Amn, the OG, not that Throne of Bhaal stuff). When I'm not gaming, I'm probably painting miniatures or iring my collection of retro consoles.