This dark fantasy typing game is unlike anything I've ever played

I've been playing games since I was a kid, and writing about them for the better part of a decade – I don't mean to flex, I simply wish to establish that you have to get up pretty early in the morning to develop a game that'll stump me. Well, developer Miziziziz has done just that with their newest game, Camelot 10000CE.

Miziziziz is a solo developer who specializes in challenging the core mechanics of comforting genres. Endoparasitic 2, for instance, is a survival horror game where you play as a torso with one arm, crawling your way through a space station filled with horrors. Every movement has to be deliberate; you can't move and shoot at the same time, let alone pop into your inventory and dig out a helpful item.

Camelot 10000CE is similarly limiting, and that's where the challenge lies.

I play as a broken cyborg, called back to consciousness by a voice calling me their knight. I wake up, and find myself in a beautiful glade, divided neatly into sections by a grid. In order to begin my adventure, I have to type: MOVE A6. Then, I have to type PICK UP SWORD. Typing in commands, and using the grid for reference, I'm able to slay my first beast – a spider-like creature draped in flowers and wearing a similar mask to mine.

There are three unique areas to explore in Camelot 10000CE, and the vibe is what I might call vaguely Elden Ring-esque. There is a story to be found here, delivered through cryptic phrases given by mysterious characters.

There are times where this comes across as a bit silly. I admit, I giggled when a creature told me that I could find a powerful weapon hidden amongst these ruins, filled with guardians calling me out for my hubris, only to find that artifact was ... a pistol. On the other hand, in a game where every single movement needs to be typed out, a ranged weapon is extremely useful.

If any of this sounds intriguing to you, I think you should absolutely check out Camelot 10000CE. It's intentionally awkward and clunky, but incredibly inventive. If you have enough patience to learn the ropes, your time will be rewarded by this indie experiment that's unlike anything else out there.