Crowdfunding Chronicles: DOWNHILL

Campaign Ends: July 4th
Platform: Windows. Stretch goals may add a Nintendo Switch version.

It’s common practice to control the main character in a video game, but this time, she knows someone is pulling her strings! DOWNHILL is a bewitching pixel graphic action RPG and debut title from all-female trio Sisterhood Games. With a gloomy aesthetic that evokes H.P. Lovecraft fused with woodland fantasy, DOWNHILL centers around themes of power and how we use or abuse it. Take the lead in protagonist Fade’s life and become her savior or her nightmare, deal with a world-shattering catastrophe, and befriend a colorful array of talking animals. Exciting times await, especially if the demo is any indication!

Thousands of years ago, day and night were split into parallel dimensions: a triple-sunned Dayworld and the treacherous, monster-filled Nightworld. The story begins in the sunny Dayworld realm of Raghned, a land filled with natural wonders and powerful magic, yet fraught with tension and ruled by a heartless queen. What’s more, an inky and destructive substance known as “Gloom” has been slipping through the rifts between dimensions, often accompanied by monstrous Nyxes. As DOWNHILL opens, our heroine Fade is going about her duties at the Trisun Temple when a panicked (yet still sassy) fox spirit arrives at the temple gates, followed by terrors from the Nightworld. If this wasn’t bad enough, an explosion soon damages the Heart of Ror, a magical crystal that provides power to the land. Could the evil queen be responsible? Amidst the chaos, Fade is overwhelmed by the Gloom until a mysterious voice calls out, offering to help by taking over Fade’s body and granting her mysterious powers. That voice is none other than…MORGAN FREEMAN. Wait, that’s not quite right. It’s actually you!

Take control of Fade and introduce her to the wider world outside of the temple walls, visit the capital city, and perhaps even confront a queen. Will you and your reluctant charge bring peace to the land, or stir up even more chaos? The two of you will keep in constant contact; nudge Fade for a relaxing chat, give her some gentle reassurance, or insult her life choices. Fade has her own ideas about things, but can be persuaded or coerced into following your lead instead. Your relationship with Fade (and the storyline itself) will be affected by how you treat her, which, alongside your other story decisions, will lead to one of several endings following a 6–10-hour quest.

Let’s talk about combat now, including the fact that within the first 15 minutes of DOWNHILL, you force Fade to pull a magical sword out of her EYE. Honestly, this sounds so much worse than summer pollen or even pinkeye that I’m surprised our heroine doesn’t automatically hate you. Combat is fast-paced and action-oriented; you’ll often find yourself sending Fade into the Nightworld (her other new power), conveniently stopping time so she can give her enemies a good whack or get past dangerous obstacles (though waiting too long in these dark places can result in a slight loss of HP). Luckily, healing crystals are abundant, and you can instantly revive Fade as many times as you want, though she doesn’t appreciate the experience. Could too many revivals result in a ruined relationship, or maybe a bad ending? I will probably find this out in the full game, since I expect I’ll end up overusing this mechanic based on my initial experiences with the demo. Darn.

Dealing enemies a killing blow or showing them mercy will grant you one of two forms of currency that you’ll need to purchase new abilities across light and dark skill trees, in addition to some interesting story surprises. The cold-blooded approach may bring Fade some powerful upgrades, but at what cost?

A little warning to potential demo enjoyers: the base game and current version of the demo use keyboard and mouse inputs as the default, with full controller support listed as an early (and already reached) stretch goal. Unfortunately, my skills with keyboard controls are the equivalent of a cat running across a piano, so despite the warnings, I ended up trying out a third-party controller anyway, only to discover that some critical functions don’t have an assigned button or aren’t properly explained in-game. Thankfully, some setting adjustments fixed the worst of the problems (making my second playthrough much, much more comfortable), though additional controller support will be a welcome addition to the full release.

DOWNHILL has a distinct folk horror atmosphere, filled with melancholy backdrops, suspicious woodland creatures, and shadowy terrors. The pixel art backgrounds feature some very nice detail in places (such as the jewel-decorated hallway from the Trisun Temple), and I especially love the large and expressive character portraits. You can never meet enough fox spirits, especially if they’re wearing cute outfits! Meanwhile, the music, though sparse at times, is suitably creepy, citing Silent Hill, Layers of Fear, and Dishonored as influences.

DOWNHILL has already reached its initial funding target, plus the stretch goals to add Steam Deck support and extended endings with animated cutscenes. Your journey downhill to the capital of Raghned (whether as Fade’s pal or puppetmaster) arrives in Q4 2026, and the demo is available to try at your leisure. Will you save the world and build a beautiful friendship, or let your ethics also go downhill? Safe travels, and be sure to avoid the Gloom!

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