Nosgoth
Nosgoth was a free-to-play multiplayer action game, developed by Psyonix and published by Square Enix for Microsoft Windows through digital distribution. It was a spin-off from the Legacy of Kain series of action-adventure games, and took place in its eponymous fictional universe. Nosgoth employed a player versus player system in which each match consisted of two rounds. Teams were composed of characters assigned to one of two races: vampires, designed around hack and slash combat; and humans, whose gameplay was styled after third-person shooters. Between rounds, teams would switch to control the opposing race, and the team which accumulated the most points by fighting their counterparts won the match. Initially announced in June 2013 following internet leaks, Nosgoth was the first Legacy of Kain-associated game to debut in almost ten years, preceded by 2003's Legacy of Kain: Defiance. Though once intended for release as part of a single-player project, Legacy of Kain: Dead Sun, it was reconceptualized and continued development as a standalone title following Dead Sun's cancellation. When officially revealed in September 2013, Nosgoth attracted negative reception for its conceptual departure from the traditional single-player and story-driven Legacy of Kain formula. Initially beginning its closed alpha and opening up its servers to registered players in late 2013, the game's open beta began in January 2015 and ended in May 2016. On April 8, 2016, Square Enix Europe announced that Nosgoth's servers would shut down on May 31, 2016. Nosgoth's official forums also shut down on June 14, 2016.
What it feels like
The dark fantasy setting and vampire vs. human conflict create an actively threatening, antagonistic atmosphere. Multiplayer action combat with fast-paced PvP engagement likely involves chaotic, high-intensity moment-to-moment play. The game takes its Legacy of Kain lore and dark aesthetic seriously despite the shift to multiplayer, without ironic detachment.
What it's about
Set in the Legacy of Kain universe, a grim fantasy world with vampires, curses, and dark gothic atmosphere. The vampire theme and dark fantasy setting carry horror elements, though the primary focus is competitive gameplay rather than scaring the player.
How it plays
Vampire characters are explicitly designed around hack-and-slash combat as their core mechanic. Human characters' gameplay is styled after third-person shooters, making ranged combat core to their playstyle. Two distinct racial archetypes (vampire and human) with fundamentally different abilities and playstyles function as a class system.
How it looks and sounds
Both factions use third-person perspective—humans explicitly play as third-person shooters, vampires use third-person hack-and-slash.
How it's structured
The core design is explicitly player-versus-player combat where two teams compete directly, with winning determined by accumulated points from defeating opponents. Matches consist of two organized teams of characters from opposing races (vampires vs. humans) competing against each other. Vampire and human teams play by fundamentally different rules and mechanics—vampires use hack-and-slash melee while humans play as third-person shooters.
Kindred games
Shares Competitive PvP, Team-Based, Gunplay, Asymmetric Multiplayer.
Both lean into Competitive PvP, Team-Based, Gunplay, Asymmetric Multiplayer.
Shares Competitive PvP, Third-Person, Gunplay, Frantic.
Both lean into Competitive PvP, Third-Person, Gunplay, Frantic.
Shares Competitive PvP, Team-Based, Asymmetric Multiplayer, Gunplay.
Both lean into Competitive PvP, Team-Based, Asymmetric Multiplayer, Gunplay.
Closest hidden gems
A lesser-known kindred — Competitive PvP, Team-Based, Gunplay, Third-Person. 96% positive across 4,671 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Competitive PvP, Team-Based, Gunplay, Third-Person.
A lesser-known kindred — Competitive PvP, Asymmetric Multiplayer, Team-Based, Gunplay. 85% positive across 4,320 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Competitive PvP, Asymmetric Multiplayer, Team-Based, Gunplay.
A lesser-known kindred — Hack-and-Slash, Third-Person, Character Action, Class System. 91% positive across 4,466 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Hack-and-Slash, Third-Person, Character Action, Class System.