Tsarevna was announced last year, and immediately grabbed our attention. Billed as the “world’s first ballet-inspired” action game on its Steam page, it features motion capture from real-life ballerina Alyona Kovalyova for its hack-and-slash gameplay. In a new gameplay trailer released Tuesday, that ballet action is on full display, making Tsarevna shoot up my list of most anticipated 2027 games.
The trailer shows player character Swan battling enemies inspired by Slavic folklore and fairy tales. “Dance is the language of death,” she says before using her dance moves to slaughter foes. She moves around the battlefield with all the grace of a prima ballerina, except, ya know, at the end of her pointed toes are sharp magic attacks she wields through her dance moves.
According to developer Watt Studio on the game’s FAQ page, Tsarevna will play like a simpler Bayonetta or Devil May Cry game. “The combat system encourages stylish play, combo variety, and player expression. The more creatively you fight, the higher your combat rank becomes and the stronger your attacks grow,” Watt Studio said.
Tsarevna is due out soon
The five-year-old daughter of Watt Studio’s CEO and her love of ballet inspired the development team to make Tsarevna. “Many of us have spent years creating animations, mockups, and cinematic experiences, and we shared the feeling that ballet movement can tell a story,” the studio’s website states. That ballet movement cannot only tell a story, but also make for some pretty stylish, ass-kicking gameplay.
The new Tsarevna trailer ends by saying it can be wishlisted on Steam. However, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch 2 (and Steam Deck!) are all mentioned on the game’s website, so it seems like Watt Studio is targeting all modern platforms for Tsarevna‘s launch early in 2027.
