Animal Crossing Meets Dynasty Warriors in this New Action Adventure Game on Steam

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A big mystery in the gaming world is what would happen if the characters in Animal Crossing rebelled – either against Tom Nook or a secret, controlling force. A new game called Verminsteel, coming to Steam, offers a possible answer: it would play out like a fast-paced action game similar to Dynasty Warriors.

While we don’t have a release date for Verminsteel yet, you can add it to your Steam wishlist now. The game is being developed by Glass Bottom Games, a studio that’s made several well-received titles, including Jones on Fire, Hot Tin Roof, Spartan Fist, and SkateBIRD. Like those games, Verminsteel promises to be delightfully chaotic!

What is Verminsteel?

Verminsteel is a game where animals take on human roles. Players control creatures – like a bird wielding a sword – and fight against a massive fascist force. It’s said you can even kick enemies with enough force to send them flying into the sun! The game focuses on resisting this oppressive occupation, protecting those in need, and driving the titular Verminsteel – a fascist regime – out of the fictional country of Fragaria. Perhaps the most interesting part of Verminsteel is the idea of playing a game about animals behaving like humans.

Okay, so you’re not going into these battles solo! You can team up with some seriously quirky allies – I’m talking a badger with a hoe, a mouse swinging a frying pan, and even Molotov cocktails! You need those allies, because you’re facing off against huge hordes of enemies – it’s basically a ‘musou’ style game. The Steam page says we’ll be using everything from swords and Molotovs to, yes, frying pans, to capture key areas, fight powerful bosses directly, and ultimately push back the enemy forces. It sounds absolutely wild!

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I’m really getting into the combat in this game! You can build up awesome combos as you fight through the countryside of Fragaria. And the enemies? They’re a bunch of seriously mean critters – rats, pigs, hawks, stoats… definitely not the friendly animals you see in Animal Crossing! The best part is, as you complete missions, you save the townspeople, and they’re super grateful. They give you gifts like new weapons and skills, which really help you out in battle. It’s a great system!

Verminsteel was created without the use of generative AI. The developers at Glass Bottom Games have stated they intentionally avoided using it.

Glass Bottom Games’ Gameography Explained

“We make absurdly memorable games about animals doing people things.”

  • Jones on Fire (2013)
  • Hot Tin Roof: The Cat That Wore a Fedora (2015)
  • Spartan Fist (2018)
  • SkateBIRD (2021)
  • Verminsteel

People often look at a game studio’s past work to get an idea of what they’ll create next. While it’s rarely a perfect predictor, Glass Bottom Games is pretty straightforward: they make memorable games about animals acting like humans. So, it’s no surprise that their previous games, including the one before Verminsteel, also feature animals with human characteristics – though they started out making games about quirky little people and animals.

Take Jones on Fire, for instance: it’s an endless runner where you dodge flames and rescue cats. It also serves as a backstory to Hot Tin Roof: The Cat That Wore a Fedora, introducing Emma Jones, a firefighter who becomes a private investigator. She even partners with Franky, the Cat, for some classic detective adventures in Hot Tin Roof. That game is an adventure title where Emma and Franky solve four different mysteries, each with multiple possible outcomes.

Jones isn’t very good as a private investigator, so he resorts to fighting. Spartan Fist is a fast-paced, action-packed game played from a first-person perspective where you try to win the title of Spartan Fist, playing as Emma Jones, an ordinary person. But SkateBIRD is completely different – it features birds trying their best to pull off skateboarding tricks, much like the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater games. You won’t find Emma Jones, or even any humans, in SkateBIRD or Verminsteel.

Verminsteel Is In Development

Besides the basic idea – combining creatures similar to those in Animal Crossing with the action-packed gameplay of Dynasty Warriors, and considering the development team’s experience – Steam players can look forward to many features in Verminsteel.

  • Become a storied hero and master an accessible yet deep combat system.
  • Play as other characters like Clod the badger and Cookie the mouse, tag-teaming to them mid-fight and utilizing their specialized skills to overwhelm enemies in any situation.
  • Rally other rescued allies to join the strengthening revolution! Order your followers in to support you with massed squad maneuvers like arrow volleys or charges. For Fragaria!
  • Equip and upgrade the scavenged weapons of three distinct classes to grow more powerful with every skirmish.
  • Bash enemies’ skulls to original hardcore bardcore beats.
  • What became of Emma Jones? The world may never know
  • Wishlist Verminsteel on Steam

In the end, Verminsteel looks to be a delightfully chaotic and heartwarming game that perfectly captures Glass Bottom Games’ love of animals behaving like people. It takes a charmingly simple idea – animals acting human – and explores a powerful theme: freedom against oppressive rule. Players familiar with SkateBIRD will definitely see similarities, but Verminsteel offers a unique experience all its own, even with the shared presence of birds.

Verminsteel is a game with one standout feature that initially draws you in, and a compelling overall experience that keeps you playing. Whether it’s rescuing people, defeating hordes of rats, or simply enjoying the game’s chaotic energy, Verminsteel feels like a truly innovative title that deserves attention.

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2026-03-31 23:05