HellSlave II: Judgement of the Archon, A New Hellish Dungeon Crawler Arises in 2026

French independent developer Ars Goetia and publisher Dear Villagers are proud to reveal HellSlave II: Judgement of the Archon. The sequel to the demonic Dungeon Crawler will release in 2026.

After a first successful collaboration with Dear Villagers’ sister branch, PiD Games, solo developer Baptiste Miny (Ars Goetia) wanted to delve deeper into the handcrafted Demon World he has given life to with Hellslave, and to celebrate this announcement, Ars Goetia and Dear Villagers are delighted to share that Hellslave, the first game in the franchise, is free to collect for a limited time on Steam, during Dear Villagers’ Publisher Sale on Steam, starting today, until June 16. The Publisher Sale also features discounts on other great experiences published by Dear Villagers, such as Caravan SandWitch, Fabledom or The Forgotten City.

“I’m thrilled to offer a new HellSlave experience with a deeper, bigger and better designed game.” said Baptiste Miny, solo developer on the game.

“HellSlave II is the result of listening to the players while trying to surprise them and offer them even more than they could expect.”

In the same way as its predecessor, HellSlave II: Judgement of the Archon will be a dungeon crawler, in which players will have to put an end to the eternal conflict waged by 6 Demon lords. In a demonic twist of fate, demonic powers will await players, but their use will come at a terrible cost as the Heaven has granted a last reprieve to humanity after sending the Archon of Judgement to wipe out the Demon lords and humans alike.

In each of their runs in HellSlave II: Judgement of the Archon, players will have the opportunity to discover a deeper narration, enriched gameplay features, and handcrafted art more detailed than ever, all wrapped in a grim dungeon crawler gameplay experience.

KEY FEATURES

  • Customize Your Damnation

    • Start as a Warrior or Sorcerer and specialize in six deadly classes from spectral assassins to plague-bearing mages. Mix and match powers in a flexible talent tree and forge your path through fire and fury.

  • Turn-Based Combat with a Time Twist

    • Plan every move carefully with a unique time-based combat system. Each skill takes real-time seconds to execute, forcing you to balance aggression and survival in every brutal fight.

  • Explore a World on the Brink

    • Walk inside the map to travel an immersive overworld/underworld and explore cursed dungeons, ruined villages, and sanctuaries. Every location is filled with lore, secrets, and NPCs clinging to the last threads of hope.

  • Fight or Be Forgotten

    • Face hordes of monstrous enemies and hellish bosses. Use active powers and passive talents to unleash devastating combos and ride the edge between light and complete corruption.

3. Juni 2025, von Thore Varga