Death Coming is reaping indie souls on Steam Early Access

Beneath Death Coming’s cheery graphics lurks a dark sense of humor. As the tiny sprites go about their business, they’re blissfully unaware that you’re plotting their deaths. You play as the Grim Reaper in the debut title from Chinese indie developer Next Studio, which is now available on Steam Early Access for PC.

As the Grim Reaper, you track your targets as they wander around the map. You avoid angels, which patrol the area and will “arrest” you if they catch you mid-reaping. When the opportunity strikes, so do you. You can’t directly harm people; instead, you wield the environment around them. Your weapons are air conditioners and leaky pipes and sculptures with loose parts, which fall and crush unsuspecting victims. It’s like Final Destination meets a Rube Goldberg machine.

While you’re embroiled in morbid hijinks, there’s also an overarching story. You’re not sure why you’ve been selected as the Grim Reaper or what happens in the afterlife. Though the core of the gameplay is solving puzzles to reap souls, the mystery of your circumstances will be gradually revealed.