33 players teaming up to fight a boss? That's something we usually see in MMORPGs, but Thunder Lotus demonstrates that the same concept can work in an action roguelike with 33 Immortals. It's a unique experiment indeed.
A cooperative roguelike with 33 players in multiplayer mode? That’s 33 Immortals from Thunder Lotus. At the heart of the game is its massive matchmaking system, which drops players (instantly) into a raid with 32 others without any wait time — provided enough players are online, of course, but right now, it's working really well. Players take on the role of damned souls rebelling against God’s final judgement in a world that draws inspiration from Dante's Divine Comedy in terms of both visuals and theme. There are three levels: Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso. The game starts with all 33 players on the Inferno map. Then, only 22 players play together on the second map, and finally, only 11 players play together on the third and most difficult map, which features stronger enemies and more mechanics.
Think of it as something like Hades or Ravenswatch, but with a larger map full of random events that players can explore together. Combining the fluid, fast-paced combat of an MMORPG raid with the dynamics of a raid, it is more accessible and designed for shorter play sessions, though a single run can still last up to half an hour.
On the maps, players fight enemies and collect Dust, which can be used to upgrade Attack, Vitality or Empathy during the run, as well as Shards, Bones and Keys. Although there are no traditional tanks and healers as in MMOs, teaming up with other players makes it easier to fight hordes of monsters and increases damage bonuses. Additionally, two other players must join and enter the relevant zones to activate a special ability. In other areas, chests and chambers can only be opened if multiple players are present.
During gameplay, Torture Chambers open up. These instanced mini-dungeons are designed for six players, who must fight for survival and find relics that will strengthen their characters during the run. These relics can be swapped and upgraded. Then there are Secret Chambers, which are more challenging than Torture Chambers and can be accessed by six players, as well as Ascension Battles. In these, eleven players must each complete a World Event against numerous enemies in order to qualify for the subsequent boss fight. Like boss fights in World of Warcraft, these are complex, multi-stage challenges that require study and preparation. The compendium is a useful reference tool where players can look up information about the bosses and how to defeat them. A player can be revived once they have died, but they will lose a large portion of their life energy in the process. This can be reset at the Soul Shrine, where dead party members can also be brought back.
33 Immortals © Thunder Lotus
At the end of a run, players receive persistent meta progression rewards, whether they died or won. These can be used to upgrade their arsenal and for perks, new relics, weapon upgrades (unlocked by weapon feats — essentially achievements) and cosmetics, all within the 'Dark Woods' hub world where players find themselves between runs.
Speaking of weapons, there are eight different types, which essentially define the player's style of play. These range from swords and spears to bows and staves. They all feel different to use, especially since daggers require close proximity to enemies, but the game could offer more variety in terms of action and attack options - especially since testing out the weapons in the hub world is rather cumbersome. While there are interesting perks and relic combinations, the overall combat gameplay is fairly straightforward. On the other hand, there's a lot going on thanks to the actions of other players. At times, it's bustling, chaotic and lively all at once. The battles themselves are easy to control. It's important for players to stick together to get buffs. To help with this, there’s a handy teleportation system and emotes, including specialised icons for objectives and tactics, to help players coordinate with each other without voice or text chat. Basically, 33 Immortals gets a lot right when it comes to visualisation and does a good job of letting players know what to do and which areas to avoid, though sometimes the visual clutter can be overwhelming with so many players. However, there is a lot to learn about the behaviour of the bosses and the enemies. However, it is also possible to play 33 Immortals with up to three other players in a private group - or even solo, although it is intended as a co-operative adventure.
33 Immortals © Thunder Lotus
Thunder Lotus, founded in 2014 in Montreal, Canada, is developing 33 Immortals. Since the release of its debut production, Jotun (2015), and its second title, Sundered (2017), Thunder Lotus has risen to greater prominence with the release of Spiritfarer (2020), which has attracted over 7,000,000 players worldwide. Thunder Lotus's fourth production is 33 Immortals. Interestingly, the game was not developed by a team of 33 people, as Thunder Lotus employs 28 staff members. Finally, the studio’s fifth production, At Fate's End, is currently in development, with an expected release in 2026. Thunder Lotus describes At Fate's End as "an action-adventure game where you fight the ones you love. Wield the legendary God Sword Aesus as Shan, the deft young heiress of the Hemlock clan. Explore a lush, hand-crafted fantasy world. Defeat the foul creatures of the realm in combat. Solve intricate narrative puzzles, uncover painful truths, and hone both your blade skills and knowledge to face your estranged siblings in intense, emotional duels - and ultimately decide your family's fate."
33 Immortals left Early Access on 10 June 2026 and was released as a full version for PC (Epic Games Store, Steam, Xbox) and Xbox Series X|S for €14.89.
33 Immortals is a unique action roguelike with MMO-style combat. It thrives on its extensive co-op experience, but the combat system could be more in-depth.
