A unique new roguelike RPG, which is basically a game like Hades 2 but with a Sailor Moon-esque team of magical girls instead of Greek mythology, now has a firm release date. Announced just a month before its release date to coincide with one of its characters being added to Fortnite as a skin, Kernel Hearts will steal hearts next month (if it can survive the onslaught of AAA games in September) on PC (EGS and Steam), Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S.
The premise is suitably dramatic for the magical girls genre, too: Kernel Hearts players must climb the mythical Tower of Babel and eventually take down a god before humanity is pushed to the brink of extinction. Luckily, Kernel Hearts is also a co-op game, so players will be able to team up to face this god.
Kernel Hearts Finally Has a Release Date
Developed by Ephemera Games and published by Whitethorn Games, Kernel Hearts releases on September 17. Gameplay-wise, Kernel Hearts sends players back into the Tower for repeated runs, with each attempt offering temporary skills that can change attacks, spells, movement, and combos. In this game like Hades 2, the goal is to keep pushing through increasingly dangerous encounters, learn from failed runs, and gradually build a stronger magical girl.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
The magical girls, also known as The M.A.H.O.U. Unit, serves as the game’s central squad, with players able to take on the Tower alone or bring up to three other players into co-op. Each run introduces new abilities and powerful enemies, while boss guardians stand between the squad and the next stage of the climb. Spending too much time in an area also causes the Tower’s curse to draw out stronger enemies, creating another reason to keep moving instead of settling into a single strategy.
Progression continues after each run in Kernel Hearts. Returning to the lab allows players to spend rewards on skill chips, with up to 256KB of chips available to unlock and equip. These can be used to shape a unit around different playstyles, giving the magical girl premise some surprisingly crunchy build customization (plus a cool ultimate form that can be unlocked for runs).
The game also has social gameplay similar to the Persona series that separates it from a straightforward roguelike game. Each celestial domain features unique allies that players can befriend, develop relationships with, and potentially romance. That means the Hades 2 influence is not limited to repeated combat runs and progression, with Kernel Hearts building its own cast of characters and relationships around the magical girl concept.
Kernel Hearts will launch on September 17, bringing a unique magical girls spin to the roguelike x Hades 2 x Persona formula it’s adopted. For those interested in it, they can also now check out Captain of the M.A.H.O.U Squad, Fernet, as a Fortnite skin too. Players who pre-order Kernel Hearts through the Epic Games Store can receive the Fortnite Outfit as a gift with purchase, while a demo is already available on Steam and the Epic Games Store.