- Slain 2: The Beast Within - Demo OUT NOW! - 30 July 2026
Greetings everyoneWe're very excited to share that our new title, Slain 2: The Beast Within finally has a demo! You asked for it, and now it’s time to unleash your inner beast. You finally get your first hands-on look at what we've been working on! Download it, tear it up, and let us know what you think! You can share your feedback in the Demo Feedback Thread in Discussions.Try it now! Consoles ConfirmedWe’ve been working behind the scenes, and we are thrilled to officially announce that the hunt is expanding. Slain 2: The Beast Within will also be launching on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S! To celebrate the multi-platform madness, check out the brand new animated trailer ;) What's Next?Go play the demo, leave us your feedback, and if you wanna stay up to date with the freshest sneak peeks, make sure to follow Steel Mantis on Twitter, or join our Discord server. There's more to come…
- Discord Server Reactivation - 7 November 2025
Greetings, Slayers.We come bearing news! As we are soon heading into the Year of The Beast, the Steel Mantis Discord server has been reactivated! What some of you might remember as the Valfaris-titled server has now been fully reawakened as the official home for all things Steel Mantis, past, present, and future. The Discord has been revamped with organised channels, new community spaces, and yes: Steel Mantis himself is back. Expect sneak peeks, playtesting opportunities, and more coming soon. We’d also love to hear your suggestions for the server, what you’d like to see, discuss, or take part in as we shape this space together. See you there. 👉 \Wishlist Slain 2 to join the horde
- Slain 2 | First Official Teaser Trailer - 29 August 2025
We’ve got a killer update for you. Slain 2: The Beast Within just tore its way into the MIX Showcase with a brand new, full-metal teaser trailer. Check it out below. But that’s not all. Our Steam store page just got an update. We’ve loaded it up with the new gameplay trailer and fresh gifs. Thanks to all of you for your support. It's been awesome so far, and there is SO much more to share.So crank the volume, check out the new page, and hit that Wishlist button if you haven’t yet. Thanks for riding with us, more metal, more blood, more steel coming soon. Steel Mantis & Silver Lining Interactive
- Slain 2: The Beast Within | 10 000 Wishlists! - 8 August 2025
We’re absolutely floored. Slain 2: The Beast Within has just skyrocketed past 10,000 Wishlists. Thank you. This is wild. While Slain 2 is still building its bones, your response and engagement are already making us even more for what's to come and we cannot wait to share it with you. And here’s a secret: we’re cooking up something seriously exciting for later this month. Stay tuned 🤘 Steam cannot handle the might of the gifs! Come hang with Steel Mantis for the freshest gifs and sneak peeks. More steel. More metal. More blood. Coming soon. This is only the opening riff. Rock on 🤘 Steel Mantis & Silver Lining Interactive Wishlist NOW!
- Slain 2: The Beast Within | 5000 Wishlists 🩸 - 15 May 2025
We're only a few weeks into the announcement of Slain 2: The Beast Within, and we've already crossed 5,000 Wishlists on Steam! A massive thank you to everyone who's shown early support - it’s been amazing to see the response so far. Whether you’ve followed Slain 2 over here, shared gifs on social media, or just screamed 'BATHORYN'S BACK!' into the void… we see you. This is just the beginning. Development is still in its early stages, but we’ve got a whole lot of blood, steel, and metal-packed action in store. The full moon is rising: we can’t wait to show you more as things come together. If you want to catch the freshest glimpses of what we’re working on - GIFs, pixel art, behind-the-scenes teases - be sure to follow Steel Mantis on Twitter/X. You cannot miss the latest sneak-peaks from the artist himself. And again - thank you. There’s more metal where that came from. Stay tuned. The…
- SLAIN IS BACK - Slain 2: The Beast Within - 16 April 2025
Steel Mantis and Silver Lining Interactive are back to deliver a blood-soaked, pixel-art action platformer like never before! After the massive success of Slain: Back From Hell, Slain 2:The Beast within returns with the same ferocious, fast-paced combat and brutal challenge that fans loved, but this time, it’s set in an all-new, darker fantasy world. The moon is rising, the blood is flowing, and the hunt begins - are you ready to answer its call? What's back and better than ever! Ferocious Hack-and-Slash Combat The signature, fast, satisfying melee combat returns, with even more brutal ways to cleave through enemies. Bathoryn is BACK Bathoryn returns as a sentient sword, now in your hands. The deadly blade is ready to unleash its elemental fury to tear through hordes of monstrous enemies. What new can you expect? Prince Akran, the last of the cursed Wolf Knights is on a quest to save th…
- NEW GAME FROM SLAIN: BACK FROM HELL DEV IS OUT NOW! - 21 November 2023
The new game from Slain: Back From Hell developer Steel Mantis has arrived! Pilot a behemoth suit forged of metal and vanquish the evil that has unleashed chaos upon the cosmos. Become the machine's beating heart and its venegeful rage. SUIT-UP AND UNLEASH MECHA HELL! Valfaris: Mecha Therion has launched and is available to purchase now for $19.99 USD. There's a 10% discount for a limited time. Also, the two previous games from developer Steel Mantis are both heavily discounted right now and you can pick up the complete trilogy in the following bundle: Slain: Back From Hell, Valfaris, Mecha Therion Bundle https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/12286/ A 2.5D side-scrolling shooter, here's just some of what Valfaris: Mecha Therion has to offer: A formidable selection of Destroyer, Melee, and Auxiliary weapons to choose from Endless waves of enemies to annihilate, and powerful bosses to pul…
- NEW GAME FROM SLAIN: BACK FROM HELL DEV HAS A RELEASE DATE! - 7 November 2023
Valfaris: Mecha Therion is the third game from Slain: Back From Hell developer Steel Mantis and it's coming soon! Valfaris: Mecha Therion will launch 21st November on Steam! Be sure to add it to your Wishlist and you'll be notified as soon as it's available. To get ready for launch, the Valfaris: Mecha Therion store page has been updated with new art, new screenshots, and this new trailer: Matt | Big Sugar WISHLIST AND FOLLOW! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1647920/Valfaris_Mecha_Therion/
- JOIN THE DEVELOPER DISCORD! - 16 August 2023
If you're into the games of developer Steel Mantis (Slain: Back From Hell, Valfaris, Valfaris: Mecha Therion), then do yourself a favour and click the following link and join them on their new Discord channel: https://discord.gg/9wEKqUCNug The channel will be the devs' first destination for sharing art and info about their games, as well as shooting the breeze about what they're playing, what they're listening to etc. And, in the very near future, they're going to be putting out a call for playtesters to provide feedback for Valfaris: Mecha Therion, so if that sounds like something you'd want to be involved with, go ahead and join the Discord. See you there! Matt | Big Sugar WISHLIST AND FOLLOW! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1647920/Valfaris_Mecha_Therion/
- DIGERATI PUBLISHER SALE! GET 85% OFF SLAIN: BACK FROM HELL! - 30 May 2023
Slain: Back From Hell publisher Digerati is celebrating its 10 year anniversary with a big ol' Steam sale. There are plenty of deep discounts on Digerati games to take advantage of, including 85% off Slain: Back From Hell. You can also grab the Deluxe Content with an 85% discount. It includes the official soundtrack and a selection of digital artwork. Head to the sale page to see all the deals, discounts, and bundles on offer! >>> Digerati 10th Anniversary Publisher Sale
- SCREAM FEST: MASSIVE 85% DISCOUNT! - 25 October 2022
Slain: Back From Hell is participating in the Steam Scream Fest, which starts today and runs until 1st November! You're going to be able to grab it with a huge 85% discount for the duration of the event, so if you've been holding out for the last six years for a deep discount - congratulations, your patience has been rewarded! Don't forget, the team behind Slain: Back From Hell and Valfaris are currently working on a new game in the series – Valfaris: Mecha Therion. Be sure to click the widget below for a closer look. All hail! Matt | Digerati WISHLIST AND FOLLOW! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1647920/Valfaris_Mecha_Therion/
- NEW GAME FROM SLAIN: BACK FROM HELL DEV – FIRST TRAILER AND INFO! - 25 August 2021
We've just officially revealed the next game from Slain: Back From Hell developer Steel Mantis. It's an action-packed side-scrolling shoot 'em up called Valfaris: Mecha Therion, and it's a sequel to the studio's 2019 action-platformer, Valfaris. It's coming to Steam (and consoles) late 2022. Check out the announcement trailer: Head over to the Valfaris: Mecha Therion Steam page for more details, and to wishlist and follow so you can keep updated with any news. Matt | Big Sugar WISHLIST AND FOLLOW! https://store.steampowered.com/app/1647920/Valfaris_Mecha_Therion/
- Valfaris post: Now available for Xbox One! - 15 November 2019
Reminder for any Xbox gamers out there that Valfaris lands on Xbox One today and is available to download from the store right now! This latest release means you can now grab Valfaris digitally on PC, Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. And if you want to get physical, there are boxed versions for Switch and PS4 (available from GameStop, Game, Amazon etc.). Matt | Big Sugar https://store.steampowered.com/app/600130/Valfaris/
- Valfaris now on PS4! (and coming soon to Xbox One) - 5 November 2019
As of today, Valfaris is also available to enjoy on PS4! It can be downloaded from the PlayStation Store right now with a 10% launch discount for a limited time. PS4 players in Europe will have to wait an extra day – Valfaris hits the EU PS Store tomorrow, 6 November. The Xbox One version launches Friday, 15 November, although it's available to pre-order now with a 10% discount from the Xbox Store. To celebrate how well Valfaris has reviewed so far – the Switch and PC versions currently have 80 and 88 Metacritic rankings respectively – we've put together a new 'Accolades Trailer' because, hey, this trumpet isn't going to blow itself: In other news, we should be able to share more info about Full Metal Mode soon – the New Game+ mode that Steel Mantis is working on at the moment and will be released as a free update in the not-too-distant future. Until then, keep it metal! Matt | Big Suga…
- PSA: Valfaris is out now! - 10 October 2019
The wait is over. The time to rip the galaxy a new wormhole is now! I am beyond thrilled and am pretty much bordering on delirious to confirm that Valfaris has launched. It's out there. It's real. You can buy it. You can play it. You can get metal AF on its ass. If you want to live the dream and buy Valfaris right now, it's priced $24.99 and comes with a 10% launch discount for a limited time. You can part with your money at any of these places: Steam Humble GOG Nintendo (for Switch, obvs) Before we get into some other details, let's have a quick, self-indulgent and shamelessly self-promotional look at what some of the reviewers and streamers have had to say about Valfaris so far: "Blew me away... Valfaris is metal as fuck" Saving Content – 5/5 "The badass baby of Iron Maiden and Contra. It rocks" Vice Waypoint "The most metal game you’ll play this year. It’s absolutely worth checking o…
- Valfaris post: You can now add Valfaris to your Nintendo Switch 'Watch List' - 2 October 2019
Quick PSA for anyone interested in playing Valfaris on Switch – the game page is now live, which means you can find Valfaris in the eShop's 'Coming Soon' section and add it to your 'Watch List'. Once added to your Watch List, you can then conveniently purchase it from there when available, rather than having to search or navigate the eShop for it again. I *think* Nintendo updated the Watch List function earlier this year so it alerts you when a game on your Watch List is released or if it goes on sale. But don't quote me on that – I've had games on my Watch List, but don't ever recall being sent an alert. So... not sure? Anyway, don't let my lack of Watch List knowledge detract from the exciting news that Valfaris is now viewable in the eShop, and the release is imminent, arriving on 10th October, just like the Steam (and GOG and Humble) version. And no need to feel left out if you can'…
- Valfaris post: Release date confirmed! New trailer! YAAAAAAAAAS! - 26 September 2019
Extremely cosmic news everyone! Valfaris will be launching on Steam, GOG, and Humble on Thursday, 10th October. That means there's really not much longer to wait before you can boot-up, download, and blow your mind with a hedonistic concoction of uncompromising run-and-gun action and a powerful megaton of heavy-metal sounds! To get you in the mood, here's a brand new trailer to beam into your eyes and blast into your ears: For those of you who can handle more than 'just' the game, there will also be a Digital Deluxe Edition available on launch day that includes the game, original soundtrack (composed and recorded by former Celtic Frost guitarist, Curt Victor Bryant), and digital artbook. And if console is more your thing, or if you want to double dip and buy multiple copies (which we fully encourage), these are the release dates for gaming boxes: 10th Oct: Switch 5/6 Nov: PS4 NA/EU resp…
- Valfaris post: Signature Edition now available to pre-order for Switch and PS4 - 21 September 2019
The physical Valfaris Signature Edition is now available to pre-order for Switch and PS4. in addition to the game, the Signature Edition includes the soundtrack, artbook, digitally signed artwork, two metal pins, and an art card. Here's how it all looks: For more info and to pre-order either the Signature Edition or standard physical lversion (just the game), check the links below: Signature Edition Switch version Standard Switch version Signature Edition PS4 version Standard PS4 version The physical versions are expected to ship mid-November. We will also have a release date for the Steam and other digital versions very soon, hopefully in the next week or so. We want to be sure the release date is fully locked down before we share what it's going to be. Thanks everyone for your patience! Matt | Big Sugar https://store.steampowered.com/app/600130/Valfaris/
- Valfaris post: How to wield the shield like a boss - 31 August 2019
In addition to being armed with light, heavy, and melee weapons, Therion is also equipped with a shield that can be utilised to your advantage in multiple ways. Keeping the shield activated will protect you for a limited time – until its energy is fully depleted – from incoming projectiles and melee attacks. But there's more to the shield than it merely acting as a barrier. Activating the shield just before a projectile hits Therion will cause the incoming missile to become held/trapped in its stasis field until the shield is deactivated, at which point the projectile is deflected back towards the enemy. Here's the shield counter-blast in action: https://i.imgur.com/bhNfOQ9.gif And here it is being used to rather smartly take down a couple of bombships: https://i.imgur.com/0E67bKq.gif Activating the shield earlier can send some projectiles bouncing off its protective field, which can be…
- Valfaris post: GIFs of metal: Eco Domes danger! Plus, closed beta is closing - 10 August 2019
https://i.imgur.com/nDnMQN9.gif The Eco Domes is Valfaris' second level and, as you can see above, it's a dangerous place full of things trying to kill you. Bubbling acid. Toxic pollen. Giant bloodsucking bugs. Spiky balls. It's definitely no walk in the park. Luckily, you get to collect your second Destroyer class weapon – the Hellhammer – just before you start the Eco Domes. As you can see below, it's pretty nifty at turning enemies into chunks, even when it's being used one-handed while dangling from a vine. https://i.imgur.com/OcojA96.gif In other news... If you're one of the hundreds of players who has participated in the Valfaris closed beta, please be aware that it will officially end this Monday, 12 August, sometime in the AM (Pacific Time). A massive, MASSIVE thank you for all the feedback and bug finding. Really phenomenal stuff. During the course of the beta, well over 100,00…
