While FromSoftware has become synonymous with the punishing yet rewarding Souls-like genre, many contemporary fans remain unaware of the studio’s origins in first-person action RPGs. The King’s Field series, which served as a spiritual predecessor to Demon’s Souls, has languished in obscurity for over two decades. Now, indie developer Kasur Games aims to resurrect this forgotten formula with Verho – Curse of Faces. In an era where developers often obscure their influences, Kasur Games takes the opposite approach, openly declaring their creation as “a Dark RPG following the tradition of the King’s Field series.” The question remains whether this homage can successfully revive a style of gameplay that has been dormant for a quarter century, or whether it will simply remind players why such games fell out of favor in the first place.
The King’s Field series holds a unique position in gaming history. Debuting in 1994 as a PlayStation launch title in Japan, it established many conventions that would later define FromSoftware’s design philosophy: interconnected worlds, challenging combat, cryptic storytelling, and an oppressive atmosphere that rewards patient exploration. The series spawned four mainline entries, with the final installment releasing in 2001 for PlayStation 2. Despite critical acclaim in niche circles, King’s Field never achieved mainstream success, and FromSoftware eventually pivoted to the third-person perspective that would make Dark Souls a cultural phenomenon. For years, fans of the original first-person formula had nowhere to turn—until now.
A World Shrouded in Mystery and Masks
Verho unfolds in a medieval realm scarred by catastrophe. Centuries before the player’s journey begins, a mysterious curse devastated civilization, wiping out most of the population within mere hours. This cataclysm ushered in three hundred years known as the Era of Solitude, during which humanity’s remnants survived in isolated caves, hidden kingdoms, and fortified villages. The truth of the curse was eventually discovered by a figure known as the Maker: any human who gazes upon another’s bare face condemns both parties to instant death. Taking on a messianic role, the Maker crafted masks for the survivors, initiating the Era of Masks in which the player’s adventure takes place. The protagonist ventures to the ancient kingdom of Yariv, believed to be the curse’s origin point, only to be enveloped by a strange mist that strips away all memories. This amnesia-driven narrative device provides both an in-universe explanation for the player’s ignorance and a compelling reason to explore every corner of this forsaken realm.
The lore of Verho demonstrates sophisticated worldbuilding that rivals FromSoftware’s best efforts. Environmental storytelling complements the extensive dialogue, with architectural details and item descriptions filling in gaps that conversations leave unexplored. The mask-wearing society creates fascinating social dynamics, as characters must navigate relationships without the benefit of facial expressions or recognition. This constraint transforms every NPC encounter into something memorable, as players must identify characters by their unique mask designs and vocal patterns rather than conventional visual cues.
Authentic Retro Design with Modern Sensibilities
Verho masterfully recreates the visual language of late 1990s gaming while incorporating quality-of-life improvements that modern players expect. The chunky, blotchy-textured polygons recall the first three King’s Field games on PlayStation, while the complex terrain design and impressive verticality evoke King’s Field IV on PlayStation 2. Visual callbacks abound: the foggy, saturated color palette, the floating compass on the heads-up display, the distinctive VCR-slot buttons on dungeon walls, and enemy designs that would feel right at home in any FromSoftware title from that era. Movement has been substantially improved compared to its inspirations, with buttery-smooth traversal that accelerates as the game progresses. The final hours transform from methodical Demon’s Souls-style exploration into something resembling classic Doom, demanding quick strafing in and out of enemy hitboxes.
Combat operates on a rhythm-based system that rewards patience and precision. Sword swings are limited to a single button, with charge times varying between half a second and two seconds depending on weapon weight. A green energy bar beneath the health display indicates swing power—anything less than a full charge is practically wasted effort. Timing the release perfectly with a full bar results in critical damage, transforming melee encounters into a dance of positioning, charging, and releasing. The character progression system offers flexibility through various starting builds including sorcerers, thieves, and knights, though the strength-focused approach provides satisfying results with towering greatswords and devastating axes. Intelligence builds benefit from an extensive collection of learnable rune spells, while Blank Masks found throughout the world allow players to redistribute skill points and experiment with different playstyles.
Challenges Both Intentional and Inherited
Any honest assessment of Verho must acknowledge that some of its frustrations stem from deliberate adherence to retro design conventions. Enemy tracking demands considerable patience—once aggravated, foes pursue relentlessly through areas, unlike modern Souls-likes where breaking line of sight typically ends pursuit. Flying enemies prove particularly troublesome, with bats and bloatflies phasing through obstacles and bouncing unpredictably. Some creatures appear to teleport directly to the player, occasionally clipping through walls at inopportune moments. Extended NPC dialogue can be interrupted by enemies that followed unnoticed for considerable distances. Whether these quirks constitute authentic period design or unnecessary annoyance depends largely on individual tolerance and nostalgia for the era being emulated.
Most environments recycle one or two enemy types with variations in size and elemental properties like poison or fire. Attack animations are quickly readable and easily memorized, shifting the challenge toward maintaining composure and consistently applying pattern recognition. Fortunately, the world of Yariv features numerous distinct areas that never overstay their welcome, and enemy complexity increases meaningfully as progression continues. Boss encounters range from barely more complex than standard enemies to genuinely epic confrontations with multiple phases and attack patterns. The simplified combat system creates unique movement demands—players must frequently jump over or crouch beneath attacks, maintaining constant engagement. Death comes swiftly, often within a few hits, but Maker shrines function as bonfires, fast travel waypoints, and leveling stations, minimizing punishment for failure. The Nameless Village serves as a central hub populated by merchants, blacksmiths, and melancholy warriors, including a memorable giant snake blacksmith coiled around his forge.
A Soundtrack and Atmosphere Worth Experiencing
Composer Valentino Cervini delivers an ambitious three-hour soundtrack that perfectly balances atmosphere and melody. The music evokes high fantasy in the tradition of Jeremy Soule’s celebrated Elder Scrolls scores, particularly Oblivion and Skyrim, while incorporating moments of whimsy during exploration sequences. Fingerstyle guitar features prominently throughout, lending an intimate quality to tracks like “Yariv – Lower City” and the haunting yet soothing “Nameless Village” theme. Each area receives its own musical identity, and battle themes escalate appropriately without becoming overwhelming. The overall effect creates a delicately balanced mood oscillating between hope and hopelessness—exactly the emotional register that defined the best King’s Field experiences.
Voice acting presents a more divisive element, with performances that sound amateurish and occasionally peculiar, as if actors whispered their lines while attempting unusual vocal characterizations. However, this apparent weakness ultimately contributes to the game’s distinctive atmosphere, becoming the most distinguishable characteristic of NPCs whose polygonal appearances offer limited visual distinction. The environmental variety exceeds expectations, progressing from foggy, saturated early areas reminiscent of Boletaria in Demon’s Souls to crimson-soaked swamps and bioluminescent hellscapes that continually refresh the visual palette. Level design expertly blends maze-like corridors, open plains, environmental puzzles, and consistent combat encounters within layouts that frequently loop back upon themselves through unlockable shortcuts. Various visual filters allow players seeking an even more authentic retro experience to push the aesthetic further toward its inspirations.
Over approximately fifteen hours, Verho – Curse of Faces establishes itself as a worthy successor to a dormant franchise it openly reveres. The retroness proves more beneficial than detrimental, and the steadily increasing pace maintains engagement throughout a dense weekend of exploration. For players curious about the origins of FromSoftware’s design philosophy but intimidated by the inaccessibility of original King’s Field titles, Verho offers an authentic yet palatable introduction to a unique subgenre that mainstream gaming left behind decades ago.
Expert Opinion: Verho – Curse of Faces represents an increasingly important trend in indie development: the resurrection of abandoned subgenres that major studios consider commercially unviable. As FromSoftware continues evolving toward broader accessibility with titles like Elden Ring, indie developers have emerged to serve dedicated audiences seeking specific experiences the mainstream market ignores. Kasur Games has demonstrated that passionate, focused development can successfully revive gameplay styles dormant for decades, potentially opening doors for similar projects exploring other forgotten corners of gaming history.