Persona 5 Meets Hades 2 in Magical Girls Steam Game That Might Just Be 2026’s Wildest RPG

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Kernel Hearts, a new RPG coming to Steam, is easy to describe. Imagine the gameplay of Hades 2 – a roguelike where you replay levels with different upgrades – but with a magical girl theme. It’s a co-op game where everyone plays as a magical girl, and it features a vibrant art style inspired by Persona 5, complete with relationship-building elements, all centered around magical girls.

Kernel Hearts is a cooperative online action RPG where you play as magical girls and their friends, working together to save a world consumed by ash. The game involves transforming to use powerful abilities, recruiting allies, defeating angels, and ultimately challenging a god. Players of Persona 5 will find the story familiar, with echoes of Persona 3 as well. As part of the M.A.H.O.U. Unit—similar to the SEES organization—you’ll accomplish these goals by ascending the Tower of Babel, a structure reminiscent of Tartarus.

Magical Girls is a popular type of fantasy story from Japan – found in anime, comics, novels, TV shows, video games, and more – that centers around young girls who gain magical powers, often by transforming into another version of themselves.

Persona, Hades Fans, Do Not Sleep on Kernel Hearts

Although Kernel Hearts shares similarities with games like Persona, Hades, and the Magical Girl genre, it’s much more than just those familiar elements. Like many games of this type, strong characters are essential, and Kernel Hearts delivers with compelling stories and personalities for everyone you meet. You’ll get to know the four main characters – the M.A.H.O.U. Squad – who transform into Magical Girls, as well as a variety of allies you’ll encounter while ascending the Tower of Babel.

Say Hello to the Special M.A.H.O.U DISPATCH SQUAD

  • UNIT-001 FERNET: A prodigal Argentinian tactician, Fernet is described as being mentally and physically strong with a hefty touch of main character syndrome. Alongside her tactical mind, Fernet is gifted in telekinesis and one-handed swords.
  • UNIT-002 LAIKA: Born in the UUSR, Laika quickly became known as the Crimson Demon for her knowledge of the arcane arts. She wields the ability of hemokinesis, or the psychic manipulation of blood, that once struck fear into the Western Bloc. And she wields Damocles, a greatsword said to be over 100kg (or 220 pounds) with ease.
  • UNIT-003 SPIKA: The Sword of the East, Spika is a Magical Girl with a twin brother. Both were born in post-war Japan, and both were raised in brutal conditions. To top that off, Spika was born without an eye. She is the “exception” to Magical Girls’ typical training in magic and firearms.
  • UNIT-004 DOLCE: Known as the Deadly Performer, Dolce is described as charismatic and gorgeous. She was never designed to be a soldier when it was learned she was a Magical Girl, which is implied to be the fate of many a Magical Girl, and became a star instead. That doesn’t spare her the ascent of The Tower of Babel, however.

The Tower of Babel is home to several allies, though much about them remains a mystery. You’ll meet Nura, a man with rabbit ears, and Momo, a woman with an unknown past. Mikolaj, a former soldier, was part of the first group to explore the Tower, and Fang is a Magical Girl from the fifth expedition. As you play, you’ll have the chance to form relationships with these characters.

Reject God in Kernel Hearts’ Gameplay

“Punch biblical monsters in the face with up to four friends”

You can enjoy Kernel Hearts by yourself or with up to three friends in cooperative play, and the game is balanced for both options. During gameplay, you’ll combine different attacks, spells, movements, and special abilities to create powerful combos. Players can also briefly transform into Magical Girls to unleash even more devastating attacks on enemies. The game takes place in the Tower of Babel, and each level culminates in a boss fight against its guardian.

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The game features roguelike elements: after each attempt to explore the Tower of Babel, players return to a lab where their progress is saved. They can use the rewards earned during each run to unlock and equip upgrades – described in the game’s story as chips copied to the MAHOU.OS. While there’s a 256KB limit to how much can be equipped at once, players have a lot of freedom to customize their loadout. Beyond that, the game also includes features like…

  • Relic Drops (passive bonuses on areas in the map)
  • Memento (equipment)
  • Lost Souls System
  • Purification System (for Builds)
  • Multiplayer features like Pings and Emotes)
  • Dodge System
  • Sin Events (random events)
  • Status Effects and Ailments
  • And Much More!

Kernel Hearts Releases on Steam in 2026

Kernel Hearts successfully combines fast-paced, stylish combat – similar to Hades 2 – with compelling character stories and relationships reminiscent of Persona 5. This makes it a great game for fans of either series. While it’s clearly inspired by these games, Kernel Hearts adds its own unique world, gameplay, and story elements, building upon what came before. Everything suggests it’s a promising game, though its ultimate success will depend on how well it all comes together.

If Ephemera Games manages to combine exciting co-op gameplay, deep character progression, and a compelling story, Kernel Hearts has the potential to be as good as popular games like Hades 2 and Persona 5. Fans of action RPGs with strong stories should definitely watch this game. While a specific release date isn’t available yet, Kernel Hearts is expected in 2026 and is currently available to wishlist on Steam.

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2026-04-05 13:07