The Ratman rises in Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster

Dotemu and developer Old Skull Games are taking a trip into the world of the Skaven in Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster.

Skaven rising

The Age of Sigmar has been around for over a decade. And yes, we’re talking about the tabletop game that replaced the original setting for Games Workshop’s Warhammer. That’d be the fantasy wing of the property, which refreshed the original title’s lore and ruleset for a new era.

And as goes the reboot that Age of Sigmar was, things have changed since the days of Fantasy Battles. One of those was definitely the Skaven. Propelled from being a (more or less) background race, the Ratmen of the underground are now a force to be reckoned with. But even with that, they’re still rarely featured in video game adaptations.

Thanks to Dotemu and Old Skull Games though, that’s changing. That’s right, the Skaven are taking the center spotlight in a game all their own. That title would be Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster, just revealed today.

Side-scrolling and stealthy action is the theme, as players will take on the role of a Ratman named Vihneek. Out to do much more than serve as cannon fodder, he’s looking to take top billing in clan Eshin. Not that that’ll be an easy task.

Embark on a dark tale of treachery as the hooded Ratman Vihneek, an ambitious killer devoted to ascending to the top of his shadowy Eshin clan at all costs. Vihneek’s sinister masters demand unwavering loyalty, but a Skaven’s ambition knows no limits, even when scheming on the precipice of doom. Vihneek’s story is anchored in the rich lore of the Age of Sigmar, where the Skaven have erupted to seize the Mortal Realms for themselves.

Dotemu press release

Cunning and stealthy

Old Skull Games’ Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster doesn’t sound like a traditional action title. While the side-scrolling setting might lend itself to that, it’s instead set to serve up what might like some pretty interesting gameplay.

Basically, you can forget about out and out brawling. Instead, players will have to set traps and exploit their surroundings if they want to succeed. And not only that, but avoiding encounters entirely looks like a viable alternative. Makes sense. Vihneek is a Skaven after all.

Set traps, exploit your surroundings and outwit enemies as you ruthlessly carve your fate through the darkest corners of the Skaven world. Slink past threats undetected while devising cunning plans, savagely slaughtering any Skaven who foolishly stands in your way, from cowering dregs to towering rat ogors.

Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster’s gritty, atmospheric environments are beautifully twisted with relentless decay, accented with shadows and dark spaces prime for Vihneek to sneak through – and strike from. A richly detailed art style evokes suspense and thrilling tension while delivering a unique, unsettling vision of a Skaven world teeming with secrets that should never be unearthed.

Dotemu press release

Ready to delve deep into the realm of the Skaven? Well, you’ve got some time top prepare. Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster is coming up for consoles and the PC some time in 2027.