Community7 Nov 2025Discord Server ReactivationGreetings, 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, a…
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 ca…
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.…
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, an…
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.…
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…
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: 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. A…
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…
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…
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…
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
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 St…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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 shiel…
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 turnin…
As development on Valfaris hits the final stretch and things get increasingly frantic behind-the-scenes, please enjoy this selection of especially chill GIFs: Therion takes a break in the Cathedral level and enjoys the view from the high altar Just a hunch, but this may not be the safest place to stop for a breather Looks like Therion's found a good spot to wash all that blood off his battle ax…
Say 'hi' to Itnan – one of the bosses you'll encounter as you battle your way through Valfaris. Inhabiting the 'Tombs' of Valfaris, Itnan is armed with a rather large, and very dangerous, railgun. But there's more to fear about Itnan than just his enormous firearm – he has the ability to transform into a swarm of deadly bugs, so that's something you'll definitely want to watch out for. For a cl…
Above: Here's Therion trying out the 'Skysplitter' on a couple of bloated blood fleas. A Destroyer class railgun, the Skysplitter takes a little while to charge, but – once it's fully juiced – it can fire a devastating beam Above: Not as fleshy and prone to popping as a blood flea, this Hell Maiden not only takes a hit from the Skysplitter, but then has the audacity to do a cheeky teleport and…
Feel the power surge through this mighty GIF! Therion finds himself locked in a stand-off with a mysterious, hammer-wielding, flame-fisted boss. Looks like things are going to get fiery! More GIFs coming soon. Until then, keep it metal. Matt | Big Sugar Wishlist here:
Now that it's been completed, I wanted to do a final story about the 'Bringer of Mayhem' weapon model. Firstly, please take a minute to watch this video and enjoy the OTT replica in glorious up-close detail: We are beyond pleased with the final piece – around 4ft in length, it features battle-worn detailing, multiple light sets, and can breathe smoke from its 'mouth'. It is truly a beast to beh…
Everyone enjoying E3 so far? Lovely. This is just a really quick post to let you know about a new Valfaris trailer. It's 60 breakneck seconds of brutal, over-the-top action and it's just premiered at E3 as part of the PC Gaming Show! If you missed it, you can watch it here: In other news-you-definitely-don't-want-to-miss, we're also now taking sign-ups for an upcoming Valfaris closed beta. Sign…
He made his first game on a ZX81 when he was just 12 and has 30 years’ experience working in the games industry across pretty much every field of art and design you can think of. Now, having enjoyed success with brutal 2D adventure Slain: Back From Hell, Andrew Gilmour is the creative driving force behind Valfaris, and one-half of developer Steel Mantis (we spoke to fellow Steel Mantis dev Thom…
Who are the mysterious men behind Valfaris? I thought it was about time we got to know a little more about the hardworking and incredibly talented dudes at developer Steel Mantis. The two-man team consists of Andrew Gilmour (concept, art, and game design) and Thomas Jenns (programmer and designer). The pair formed the studio after working together on Slain: Back From Hell. First up, Thomas Jenn…
New level alert! Steel Mantis dropped a surprise this week with the news that they're working on a new level – the Dead Eco Chambers. That's all the info I have, but you can absorb the latent power of this mysterious new area by staring at it in the GIF above and beaming it into your eyes. GDC Coverage Valfaris had a fairly low-key presence at last month's GDC, but we still had some intimate me…
Above: If you've played the demo, you might recognise this gloomy chamber – it's one of the Landing Pad level's secret areas. Have you found it? And if you haven't played the demo, get on it! Above: With an activated resurrection pedestal nearby, Therion takes a breather among the Hive level's eerily hypnotic glowing fauna Above: A formidable stone golem stands guard deep with the Tombs level.…
—
Announcements are the developer’s own posts to the game’s Steam news feed: updates and their patch notes, in-game events, releases and sales. The important ones are marked on the players chart.