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About Stonemachia
Stonemachia is a parry-heavy action adventure from Crossfall Games that drops you into a surreal, Dantesque world called Medhelan. Released on May 26, 2026, it’s a single-player PC game blending chess-themed transformations with brutal angel-battling. You play Zefiro, a pawn who morphs into pieces like knights or bishops, each with distinct combat skills. The world’s been twisted by the Plague of Angels, turning statues and objects into hostile Italian art-inspired enemies. It’s a moody, high-difficulty romp where precise shield use and timing matter. Expect a mix of exploration, boss fights, and a story steeped in folklore and architecture. Think dark fairy tales meets tactical brawling.
Gameplay
Combat in Stonemachia revolves around parrying, shielding, and exploiting enemy weaknesses. You’ll spend most sessions dodging, blocking, and counterattacking armored angels frozen in statue form. Transformations change your playstyle, knights grant defensive boosts, bishops let you strike from range, and rooks add heavy-hitting area attacks. The game demands tight timing; mistime a parry and you’ll get crushed. Between fights, you explore crumbling Italian-style environments, solving light puzzles to unlock new transformation zones. The single-player campaign forces you to balance exploration with survival, as tougher enemies appear later. Controls are responsive but have a steep learning curve. The loop is fight->transform->repeat, with each boss requiring specific piece strategies.
What Players Think
PlayPile users rate it 82%, but Metacritic’s at 78%. Average playthroughs last 18 hours, with 62% completing the game. Community moods split between “Challenging but rewarding” (42%) and “Frustratingly hard” (28%). Fans praise the creative boss designs, like a Colossus made of Michelangelo sculptures, and the way transformations force adaptive play. Critics gripe about inconsistent enemy AI and a lack of difficulty scaling. Achievements (25 total) focus on combat efficiency, like parrying 50 attacks without missing. Review snippets: “The bishops’ dash attack is a game-changer once you master it” vs. “Too reliant on memorizing parry windows.” Completion rates drop sharply after the fifth chapter, which introduces three simultaneous transformations.
PlayPile's Take
Stonemachia is a niche title best for action fans who enjoy chess strategy and punishing combat. The 25 achievements and 62% completion rate suggest it’s more of a masocore grind than a casual romp. If you’ve mastered games like Dark Souls or Nioh, the parry system and transformation mechanics add fresh depth. However, the steep difficulty curve and occasional AI hiccups might deter newcomers. With no multiplayer and a $39.99 price tag, it’s a risk for its originality. The 18-hour average playtime feels short for the cost, but the 82% PlayPile rating shows diehards find it worth the struggle. Prioritize if you’re into tactical brawling over open-world fluff.
Game Modes
Single player
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