Armatus is Returnal-meets-Remnant in apocalyptic Paris

Armatus caught my eye for all the right (and risky) reasons

A third-person roguelite set in a demon-choked, post-apocalyptic Paris? I’m listening. Counterplay Games’ Armatus is aiming squarely at the Returnal/Remnant crowd with fast gunplay, crunchy melee, and buildcraft that leans into “sacred weapons” and “celestial powers.” It’s slated for 2026 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox says it’s a day-one Game Pass release with Xbox Cloud support. That combo puts Armatus on a lot of radars-mine included-because if the gunfeel and run-to-run variety hit, this could be one of those “just one more run” time sinks we lose weeks to.

Key Takeaways

• Third-person roguelite with procedural runs through a demon-ravaged Paris and heavy buildcraft.
• Positioned between Returnal’s intensity and Remnant’s theorycrafting-and that’s a high bar.
• Day one on Game Pass lowers the barrier to jump in; performance and variety will decide staying power.
• Counterplay’s Godfall history is a double-edged sword: slick combat chops, but can they nail depth and pacing?

Breaking down what’s actually new here

Armatus pitches you as an immortal protector watching over the last remnants of a religious order after an event called “The Vanishing.” The goal? Push run after run through a shifting labyrinth of Paris streets and landmarks toward the “Sunless Gate.” Structurally, think procedural hubs linked by combat arenas and chokepoints—Returnal’s playbook, but reimagined across boulevards, metro tunnels, cathedral ruins, and rooftops. That urban flavor is a cool twist; we don’t see many roguelites brave real-world city layouts without collapsing into bland tile sets.

On paper, the combat sounds like a power fantasy with decisions that matter: firearms for mid-range control, weighty melee to cash in on stagger windows, and “blessings” that tilt your build toward tanky zealot, glass-cannon executioner, or mobility-heavy assassin. If Counterplay lets us mod skills, augment effects, and fuse powers into synergies—say, consecrated bullets that explode into holy fire after a charged melee finisher—that’s the kind of sandbox that keeps roguelites fresh for months.

The influences are crystal clear. Returnal’s relentless tempo and enemy patterns are a north star for third-person roguelites, while Remnant’s meta—archetypes, traits, and build optimization—has basically become a language the genre speaks. The trick is translating both without watering them down. It’s not enough to be “like Returnal but with loot.” The runs need purpose, the bosses need personality, and the upgrades need to change how you play, not just add 3% damage and call it a day.

Why this matters now

Third-person roguelites are having a mini-moment. Returnal proved the blueprint; Remnant 2 showed there’s a massive appetite for gun-heavy buildcraft. Armatus targeting 2026 means Counterplay has time to iterate—and Xbox gets to tout another day-one Game Pass title that’s not just “servicey.” For PlayStation and PC players, it’s reassuring to see this going multiplatform out of the gate. The announcement listed PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox Cloud. Anything beyond that is speculation for now.

But let’s be honest: Counterplay’s last big swing, Godfall, launched as a PS5 showpiece with flashy combat and a thin endgame. It got better post-launch, but the core loop never quite clicked. The upside? They clearly know how to make hits feel meaty and visually loud. If Armatus applies that tactile punch to a tighter roguelite loop—with meaningful meta progression and smart enemy design—this could be their redemption arc.

The big questions I want answered

• Is it solo-only or will there be co-op? Remnant thrives on co-op builds; Returnal was built solo-first. Either path is fine—just design around it decisively.
• How deep is the meta? Permanent upgrades are great, but they should unlock new playstyles, not just stat creep.
• Can procedural Paris stay interesting? I want distinct zones—rooftop gauntlets, metro labyrinths, cathedral arenas—not copy-paste alleys.
• What’s the boss philosophy? Memorable, learnable patterns over spongey health bars, please.
• Performance targets? A game built on snap dashes and i-frames needs a rock-solid 60fps, especially on consoles and in the cloud.
• Monetization? Day one on Game Pass is great; keep cosmetics tasteful and the grind honest.

The gamer’s perspective: what will make or break it

I want builds that feel transformative. Give me a blessing that turns a slow greatsword into a lightning-channeling executioner’s tool, or a rifle that marks foes to detonate on proximity dash. Reward aggression with risk—like Returnal’s Adrenaline—but let me spec into a tanky, punish-based melee style if that’s my vibe. And please, make the upgrade economy tough. Hard choices between a big power spike now or a meta unlock later are what keep runs tense.

On Game Pass and Cloud, millions will sample this in week one. That’s a blessing and a curse. If the first 90 minutes sing—tight tutorial, a killer first boss, a taste of build insanity—you’ll hook people. If they meet spongy mobs, forgettable loot, and a grey Paris alley for the fifth time, they’ll bounce. Counterplay needs to front-load personality and pace.

Looking ahead

Armatus has the pitch I love: stylish, high-skill combat in a setting we don’t see often, with the promise of buildcraft that lets us break the game in fun ways. Now it needs to prove the details. I’m watching for hands-on previews that show boss fights, a full build path from early blessings to late-game synergies, and how those Paris biomes avoid repetition. If Counterplay answers those questions and locks 60fps, Armatus could be the roguelite I lose a year to in 2026.

TL;DR

Armatus is a third-person roguelite set in a demonized Paris, aiming for a sweet spot between Returnal’s intensity and Remnant’s buildcraft. It’s day one on Game Pass in 2026, which makes trying it a no-brainer—but lasting power will come down to combat feel, variety, and whether its meta unlocks actual new playstyles instead of shallow stat bumps.