Cursemark hits “Diablo god” clearing power in 15 minutes, despite being unfinished

A roguelike action RPG on Steam landing and feeling like a “Diablo god” within 15 minutes is not just fun. It is a rare conversion moment, where the player’s grind switches into payoff before the game even has its full release window. In Cursemark, developer Clyde Games shows its hand fast. The early access version dropped today, and the experience already has enough to keep you replaying through its first few levels, with Clyde Games planning to add a lot more over the next several months.

The clearest proof is the loop itself: in the review session, the player was wiping the screen clean of monsters in just 15 minutes. That is impressive for a game that is not even finished yet, because roguelikes usually win through long-term character development, slow learning, and incremental “build feel.” Cursemark compresses that arc. You still start by surviving, but you can reach a satisfying buildcrafting point quickly enough that the moment-to-moment combat feels like escalation, not waiting.

What drives that early “maxed-out” feeling is Cursemark’s combination of rogue-like structure and action RPG loadout building, with a dark fantasy presentation that shares DNA with Clyde Games’ previous game, Into the Necrovale. The recurring elements are pixel art, skeletons, and hundreds of unique items that combine into devastating builds. If you like mowing down waves without too much friction, the game’s systems are clearly designed to reward the player who stacks power efficiently. And the game’s tone matters here, too. It is described as more akin to a soulslike, with dodge rolls and tanky enemies, which means you do not just mash your way to godhood. You earn it, then you amplify it.

The mechanics that turn “basic” into “unfair” center on runes and spell upgrades. Spells like fireball can be upgraded with runes that increase damage and size or apply status effects. In one run, runes were stacked high enough that trails of fire covered the battlefield so heavily that the player could barely see what they were fighting behind the effects. That is the double-edged blade of buildcrafting: the same stacking that makes the fantasy feel real also creates the need for visual clarity. The review explicitly calls out a hoped-for early access fix: the lack of visual clarity as power accumulates.

Cursemark also leans on a classic roguelike principle: runs get harder the longer they go. Enemies toughen up over time, but it is not always possible to keep up depending on drops. So, each run becomes about surviving long enough to tip the scales in your favor. When that tipping happens, it can look ridiculous in the best way. The review notes that while you do not need to manage gear, you can swap runes at any point to experiment with different combinations, which lowers the barrier to trying multiple build identities without committing to a single “wrong” loadout. One run included saving currency to unlock an ultimate ability that summons a cloud of hornets that chase after enemies, reinforcing the idea that progression is partly about planning your power spikes mid-run.

Beyond moment-to-moment combat, Cursemark’s hub world includes systems for permanently unlocking elemental spell schools. The hub character offers different elemental spell schools, including shock spells with a higher chance to deal big critical hits. The game also includes a dictionary of keywords to help interpret effects, so synergies can be understood even if you are not a buildcrafting expert. Still, the review makes clear that the “synergy brain” will catch on faster, especially when the runes enable interactions that are effectively a combo engine. The player describes being “broken” by increasing spell size so it repeatedly applies damage-over-time effects (DoTs) across the room, then using bonus damage spells that capitalize on targets already affected by those DoTs. That is buildcrafting as math, but experienced as spectacle.

Finally, there is the business-relevant part: why this early access release could matter beyond one weekend of play. Cursemark is positioned as a perfect “lunch break” roguelike action RPG, and also something you can play late when you just want to smash monsters while chatting with friends. That matters because it signals broad session flexibility. The source also highlights meta-progression, where even if you die (and you definitely will), you carry permanent upgrades and the knowledge of a smarter route into your next attempt. In live content terms, that is exactly what early access needs: a loop that sustains curiosity now, while giving the developer time to add spells and areas over the coming months. For operators and other publishers watching this space, the implication is straightforward: when systems depth and readable combat payoff arrive early, players are more likely to keep coming back during the “incomplete” period instead of waiting for a final version.

Cursemark also comes with immediate availability signals that decision-makers track: a free demo is available right now on Steam, and the game is on sale for $12.74 from $14.99 until June 22. 2026. For anyone evaluating how quickly a roguelike action RPG can establish trust, retention, and “I need to run this again” energy, Cursemark is showing a compelling answer: you can reach that screen-clearing peak in about 15 minutes, then spend the rest of early access trying to do it better.