Downhill Explores the Power Players Have Over Characters With a 4th Wall Breaking RPG

Downhill is a 4th wall breaking action RPG where the character knows you are controlling them.

Developed by Sisterhood Games, Downhill presents a curious moral quandary across the realm of Raghned comprised of humans and spirits alike. You play as a spirit controlling the main character, Fade, tasked with stopping the destruction of this world. However, she's aware of your input and has her own views on what actions to take in any given situation.

"You are not the girl, you are the voice," states the studio, and these choices affect your relationship. Do you choose to be Fade's friend, or will you assert your authority? Put lightly, it's a heavy subject, and I'm not surprised the Steam page warns about psychological torture.

Downhill aims to build upon this with a morality-based level up system, supplying different currencies depending on whether you kill an enemy or spare them, leading into two separate skill trees. Rather gruesomely, Fade can draw a blood saber from her eye for combat, and she's got several other abilities too. Closing her healthy eye lets her swap between the 'Dayworld' and the 'Nightworld' for solving puzzles and defeating enemies, too.

A PC demo goes live next week on June 4 alongside the Kickstarter campaign on the same date, though it's currently unknown how much Sisterhood Games are looking to fundraise. Like any crowdfunding campaign, it's worth remembering Kickstarter shouldn't be treated like a pre-order system and comes with its own risks.

A release date is currently unconfirmed, though Downhill is coming to Steam.