Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is giving the TTRPG the hack and slash treatment

After reaching its funding goal on Kickstarter, BKOM Studios is moving full steam ahead with Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults, a video game adaptation of the beloved TTRPG. I got to see an extended look at gameplay during a private preview at GDC and learned more about the game’s unique features and mechanics.

What immediately stood out about Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults is the decision to go with a real-time combat system. While games based on TTRPGs naturally lend themselves to a turn-based format, BKOM is bucking the trend with an isometric camera angle and combat inspired by ARPGs like Diablo. Playing as a party of four characters, players can freely switch between them in combat and unleash a flurry of attacks, spells, and abilities on enemies.

While Abomination Vaults will only allow players to play as four distinct classes, I was told that the ability trees are diverse enough to cover most playstyles and combat needs. While watching, I spotted a barbarian and mage class. The game can also be played in co-op, allowing both players to switch between available characters in battle.

BKOM is also putting an emphasis on the role-playing aspect of Pathfinder. When talking to an NPC, players will have multiple dialogue response options. This is standard fare for RPGs, but Pathfinder puts a spin on it by assigning each response to a different party member, allowing for players to decide who exactly speaks up and for their unique personalities to shine through. There are situations where more diplomatic characters are best, but using a less charismatic character can lead to an unforeseen and chaotic outcome.

Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults doesn’t have a release date yet, but fans can wishlist the game now on Steam to keep up with future updates. Stick around and read about more of the games we saw at GDC 2025.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a journalist from Maryland. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge film fanatic and will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_