1348: Ex Voto Medieval Action Game Release [2025]

1348: Ex Voto: The Medieval Action Game That's Redefining Female Protagonists in Gaming [2025]

When you think of medieval action games, your mind probably jumps to bloodied knights hacking through hordes of enemies in some generic fantasy setting. But 1348: Ex Voto is doing something different. This upcoming title from indie studio Sedleo and publisher Dear Villagers is built around historical authenticity, personal storytelling, and a protagonist whose journey feels genuinely grounded in 14th-century Italy.

The game officially launches on March 12, 2026, for PC and PlayStation 5. Xbox players? They're out of luck. Sedleo made the tough call to cancel the Xbox version so the team could focus entirely on delivering the best possible experience for PC and PS5 audiences. That's a bold move in an industry where platform exclusivity often feels like a corporate decision rather than a creative one.

But here's what makes 1348: Ex Voto genuinely interesting: it's not just another "girl knight saves the day" story. The narrative follows Aeta, a young knight-errant, on a deeply personal quest to rescue her closest companion, Bianca, in a plague-ravaged medieval Italy that feels less like a fantasy trope factory and more like an actual historical setting. The voice acting pulls talent from some serious projects too, with Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Baldur's Gate 3 alum Jennifer English voicing Bianca.

What started as a Tech Radar observation about the game's appeal has evolved into something worth examining in depth: how indie developers are using historical settings and authentic combat systems to create experiences that stand apart from the AAA action game formula. This isn't just another souls-like. This is a game built on historical martial arts principles, environmental storytelling, and themes that creators Tom Oceano and Fabiola Martelli describe as intensely personal.

The game will cost

TL; DR

• Launch Date: March 12, 2026 for PC and PS5 only (Xbox version canceled)
• Pricing:
  $23.99 Standard Edition,$
  29.99 Deluxe Edition with digital artbook
• Core Appeal: Female protagonist Aeta with HEMA-inspired combat set in historically accurate 14th-century Italy
• Combat System: Third-person sword combat based on Historical European Martial Arts
• Voice Cast: Jennifer English (Baldur's Gate 3, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33) as companion Bianca
• Key Themes: Personal morality, ambition, choice, and the cost of becoming who you aspire to be

The Rise of Historically Authentic Medieval Games

Gamers have noticed something over the past few years: the best medieval games aren't always the biggest ones. While AAA publishers churn out fantasy epics with dragons and magic systems, a wave of indie developers are leaning into something more grounded: actual history.

1348: Ex Voto sits squarely in this emerging trend. Instead of inventing combat mechanics that "feel cool," Sedleo researched Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) to build a fight system that moves like actual 14th-century sword combat would have moved. That's not just flavor text. That changes how the game feels in your hands.

The timing matters too. We're past the point where players accept historical settings as mere backdrop. Games like Elden Ring proved that players respect mechanical depth and environmental storytelling. Kingdom Come: Deliverance showed that hyperrealism could work. Now, 1348: Ex Voto is betting that audiences want something in the middle: a game that respects historical setting without sacrificing accessibility or narrative impact.

The rural landscapes of 14th-century Tuscany and Umbria aren't just pretty backgrounds. They're part of a larger environmental puzzle-solving system. The green hills and mountain trails shown in the story trailer suggest a linear open-world design that echoes games like Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, where exploration and story intertwine rather than compete for your attention.

What makes this approach refreshing is that it sidesteps the grimdark trap many medieval games fall into. Yes, there's a plague ravaging the land. Yes, there are "fanatical zealots, roaming bandits, and battle-hardened mercenaries" to fight. But the core of the game is personal: one knight's quest to save the person closest to her. That's a human-scale story in a catastrophic setting.

The reason this matters is that indie developers have figured something out that AAA studios are still learning: historical authenticity doesn't limit games, it deepens them. When your combat system is based on real martial techniques, players can intuit how fights work. When your setting is based on actual geography and history, exploration becomes discovery rather than waypoint farming.

Combat Design Rooted in Real Martial Arts

HEMA has been creeping into game design for years. Chivalry 2 did it. For Honor played with it. But 1348: Ex Voto appears to be making it central to the experience rather than a selling point. Every swing, every parry, every footwork decision is informed by how actual armored fighters moved and fought.

This changes level design fundamentally. You can't cheese encounters by running circles around enemies if your character moves with period-appropriate weight and momentum. You can't spam attacks if stamina management matters. The game essentially teaches players to think like medieval warriors, which is both limiting and liberating depending on your tolerance for mechanical challenge.

The trailers show third-person sword combat with clear animations and readable enemy attacks. Nothing looks like unresponsive mush or overly floaty anime swordplay. Aeta's movements suggest weight, commitment, and consequence. When she swings, she's committed to that swing. When enemies attack, you can read their intent before the blade reaches you.

Environmental Storytelling in Plague-Era Italy

The setting of 1348 Italy is historically specific in ways that most games avoid. This isn't fantasy Italy with castles made of skulls. This is a real region dealing with real crisis, and that context colors everything.

Game director Tom Oceano and executive producer Fabiola Martelli have spoken about how the plague serves as more than scenery. It's a social breakdown event that creates the conditions for the game's conflicts. Bandits and mercenaries roam because authority has collapsed. Fanatical zealots spread because desperate people seek explanations. The entire world is reactive to historical crisis.

That's harder to execute than it sounds. Most games treat settings as static, unchanging backdrops. A game that actually reflects how crisis changes society requires writers who understand not just the period, but how people actually behaved under extreme stress.

Estimated data suggests that the Standard Edition will account for 70% of sales, while the Deluxe Edition will capture 30%, reflecting typical consumer preferences for base versus enhanced game versions.

Aeta: A Female Knight-Errant Protagonist Done Right

Let's address the obvious: female video game protagonists have become more common, but they're still frequently sidelined, sexualized, or designed to appeal to male audiences first and actual women second. The way 1348: Ex Voto positions Aeta matters.

She's not a warrior princess. She's not magically gifted. She's a knight-errant, which is an actual historical term. Knight-errants were landless knights who wandered seeking employment and reputation. They were often younger, sometimes less privileged than established nobility, and they made their way through skill and nerve. Aeta fits this template naturally.

Voiced by Alby Baldwin, Aeta appears in the trailer as someone weathered by conflict but not broken by it. She moves with economy of motion. Her armor doesn't seem designed for maximum cleavage display. She looks like someone who knows how to handle herself in a fight, which makes the combat sequences more compelling.

The driving force of her story, rescuing Bianca, could be reductive in the wrong hands. "Woman saves her best friend" could devolve into a love story that overshadows character development. But the game's thematic focus on personal morality, ambition, and the cost of becoming who you aspire to be suggests something deeper.

Oceano and Martelli's statement about the game is worth parsing: "Everything in our story is personal: it's about moralities, ambitions, and choices. Who we aspire to be and who we are allowed to become. Whether our means to fight for it or against it justify our end."

That's not flowery marketing speak. That's describing a game interested in moral compromise. What if saving Bianca requires becoming something you didn't want to become? What if the fastest path requires betraying your principles? These are questions games rarely ask, especially games with female protagonists where executives sometimes panic about alienating male audiences.

The Significance of Jennifer English as Bianca

Bianca is voiced by Jennifer English, whose credits include work on Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. That's not a random casting choice. Those are major narrative-driven games where voice acting quality directly impacts player experience.

Bianca appears to be more than a damsel to rescue. She's present in the narrative enough to have meaningful scenes, character depth, and emotional weight. The relationship between Aeta and Bianca forms the emotional core of the entire game, so casting matters immensely.

English's prior work suggests she can handle complex character work. In games where she's worked previously, her performances conveyed subtle emotion and nuanced reactions. If Bianca is a character Aeta is willing to make moral compromises for, that relationship needs to land emotionally. The casting suggests Sedleo is serious about making it land.

Thematic Depth Through Historical Setting

What makes the game's thematic approach work is that morality gets complicated when society has collapsed. In stable kingdoms, clear rules govern right and wrong. In plague-ravaged Italy where authority is fragmenting, the moral landscape shifts.

Aeta's quest to save Bianca isn't happening in a functioning society. It's happening in a world where the normal structures have failed. That creates natural conflicts: Do you accept help from bandits? Do you make deals with zealots? Do you compromise your ideals when your loved one's life is on the line?

These aren't new questions in games, but they're more impactful when the setting feels historically credible. You believe in plague-era Italy more than you believe in Generic Fantasy Kingdom #47.

1348: Ex Voto is priced at

The Combat System: HEMA-Inspired Third-Person Sword Combat

Combat drives action games. Everything else is loading screen flavor. So understanding how 1348: Ex Voto approaches combat is essential to understanding whether it will resonate with players.

Historical European Martial Arts is a real discipline. People study it seriously, train in it, and compete in HEMA tournaments. It's distinct from fantasy swordplay because it's based on actual historical texts, treatises, and the assumption that medieval fighters were trying to survive real fights, not look cool.

In HEMA, form follows function. Shields are held in specific ways because that's what works. Swings target specific points because armor is vulnerabilities. Footwork matters because you're trying to avoid getting stabbed, and getting stabbed is bad. It's physics-based rather than stylized.

Third-Person Perspective for Tactical Awareness

The trailers show third-person combat, which is the right choice for HEMA-inspired fighting. First-person would disconnect you from your character's body and make reading enemy positions harder. Third-person lets you see Aeta's stance, positioning, and the space she's controlling.

This matters mechanically. You can see when Aeta is overextended. You can see enemy positioning relative to environmental cover. You can plan multi-enemy encounters by using terrain tactically. Third-person combat with good camera work adds a spatial dimension that first-person fights lose.

Games that pull this off well, like Dark Souls or Elden Ring, make combat feel like a conversation between your positioning and your opponent's. You read their stance to predict their next move. You adjust your position to exploit their overcommitment. Combat becomes a dialogue rather than a button-mashing fight.

Stamina Management and Momentum

When your combat system is based on historical martial arts, stamina stops being a video game mechanic and becomes a physical reality. Swinging a sword repeatedly while wearing armor is exhausting. That exhaustion is real. Your character gets tired.

This fundamentally changes how fights play out. You can't just spam attacks until enemies die. You have to plan your offense, commit to meaningful strikes, and recognize when you need to retreat and recover. It creates rhythm and pacing rather than a DPS race.

Momentum also matters. You can't change direction mid-swing because your character's body has already committed to that movement. This makes positioning crucial. If you're out of position when an enemy attacks, you can't teleport away. You have to live with your poor positioning, which makes every decision matter.

Enemy Design and Tactical Variety

The story trailer shows Aeta facing "fanatical zealots, roaming bandits, and battle-hardened mercenaries." These enemy types suggest tactical variety. Zealots might fight with religious fervor but less armor. Bandits might favor speed and numbers. Mercenaries might be heavily armored professionals.

In a HEMA-inspired system, these distinctions matter tactically. You'd fight a lightly armored zealot completely differently than a heavily armored mercenary. One favors speed and precise striking at joints. The other requires you to exploit armor gaps or use environmental advantages.

This is also where linear open-world design helps. If you can see enemies before engaging, you can choose your approach. Do you want to fight direct? Do you want to sneak past? Do you want to use terrain to your advantage? Linear worlds with environmental variation allow tactical depth that pure arena fighting wouldn't.

Exploration and Environmental Puzzle Solving

Action games live or die by pacing. You need combat to break up exploration, and you need exploration to give combat stakes and meaning. The way 1348: Ex Voto structures this matters.

The game appears to blend exploration with light puzzle-solving, following a lineage of games like Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. These aren't traditional puzzle games with levers and block-pushing. These are environmental puzzles where you're reading the space, noticing details, and figuring out how to proceed.

Rural 14th-Century Italian Landscapes

The settings shown in the trailer are striking: green rolling hills, mountain paths, rural villages. This is the actual Tuscany and Umbria landscape, rendered in 2026 graphics. It looks lived-in rather than designed-for-the-player.

That environmental authenticity serves multiple purposes. First, it grounds the game in actual place. You're not exploring a fantasy interpretation of medieval Italy. You're exploring something resembling the actual region. Second, it creates natural navigation. Mountain passes make sense for bottlenecks. River valleys suggest routes. Villages cluster in defensible positions.

Exploration in such settings becomes about reading landscape rather than following waypoints. You see a mountain pass and know there's a path. You see a village and know there might be NPCs or threats. The environment tells you how to navigate without magical quest markers.

Environmental Storytelling Through Setting

Dead villages, abandoned farmland, makeshift graves: these are the markers of plague. Sedleo has reportedly designed environments to reflect the historical catastrophe without being gratuitous. You see the evidence of crisis in how communities adapt or collapse.

A farming village with crops growing normally suggests continued hope. An abandoned village with plague markers suggests the settlement couldn't survive. A fortified position suggests someone is trying to hold territory. Environmental details tell you about the world's state without exposition dumps.

This kind of environmental storytelling requires restraint. Too much gore becomes gratuitous. Too little detail makes the crisis feel abstract. The balance point, where detail conveys consequence without exploitation, is where Hellblade succeeded and where 1348: Ex Voto appears to be aiming.

Navigating Spaces Without Handholding

Linear open-world design is a specific approach: you have freedom of exploration within a bounded region, but you can't go everywhere. This differs from full open-world games where the entire map is accessible from hour one.

This design choice supports exploration-focused gameplay. Players feel free to explore without feeling lost. If you go up a mountain trail, you'll eventually reach a destination rather than hitting an invisible wall. If you explore a village, you'll find NPCs and items rather than empty buildings.

The puzzle-solving aspect likely involves reading environments to proceed. A collapsed bridge suggests finding an alternate route. A locked building suggests finding another entrance. An enemy position suggests using terrain to avoid or ambush them.

This is more sophisticated than traditional puzzle design, but it requires careful level construction. Every space has to be navigable, readable, and purposeful.

1348: Ex Voto is available on PC and PlayStation 5, with no Xbox version. Standard and Deluxe editions are priced at

The Cancelled Xbox Version: What It Means

Here's something that shouldn't be controversial but is: Sedleo cancelled the Xbox version to focus on PC and PS5. In the current gaming landscape, that's a statement.

Official reasoning from the studio: they wanted to focus efforts on "delivering the best experience for PC and Play Station." That's diplomatically worded, but it's clearly a resource decision. Developing for three platforms simultaneously is expensive. Porting to Xbox after the fact is also expensive. At some point, something has to give.

Xbox players might feel frustrated, and they have legitimate reason to. But from a game development perspective, this decision makes sense for an indie studio. You have limited resources. You choose the platforms where your target audience congregates. PC has enormous indie game penetration. PS5 has a substantial action game audience. Xbox's indie footprint is smaller, making the resource investment less justified.

The Reality of Multi-Platform Development

Many people don't realize how expensive multi-platform development actually is. It's not just code once, run everywhere. It's optimization for different hardware, different online infrastructure, different input methods, and different ecosystem requirements.

For indie studios, this is legitimately prohibitive. You need separate testing. You need separate optimization. You need to maintain relationships with each platform holder. For a team like Sedleo, spreading across three platforms might have meant either shipping late, shipping broken, or shipping incomplete.

This is actually why we see more indie games launch on PC and one console rather than everything simultaneously. The math doesn't work for small teams.

What This Signals About the Industry

The Xbox cancellation signals something about gaming in 2025: indie developers are making platform choices based on economics, not politics. They're choosing to work where their audience is and where development costs are manageable.

For Xbox, this is a long-term concern. If enough indie games skip Xbox, the platform becomes less appealing to players interested in indie titles. If players leave Xbox, indie developers have even less reason to develop for it. That's a feedback loop that's concerning for platform longevity.

But for game quality, this decision is probably right. A great game on two platforms is better than a mediocre game on three.

Pricing Strategy: Is $23.99 Fair for Indie Action?

The Standard Edition costs

By comparison, indie action games range wildly. Hollow Knight is

It appears to be positioned as a premium indie game: more ambitious than typical indie scope, more accomplished than typical indie production values, but not triple-A in scale or budget. The $24 price point reflects that positioning.

Value Proposition for Players

What are you getting for $24? Based on available information:

• Third-person action combat with HEMA-inspired mechanics
• Historical setting with environmental storytelling
• Narrative-driven experience with voice acting and character depth
• Exploration and light puzzle-solving
• Estimated 15-20 hours of gameplay (educated guess based on comparable indie titles)

That's substantially more content and production value than a typical $15 indie game. It's less than a full AAA experience, but it's also not attempting to be one. The value proposition is straightforward: you're paying for a focused, historically grounded action experience with narrative depth.

The Deluxe Edition Question

The extra $6 for the Deluxe Edition gets you a digital artbook. If you care about game art and design documentation, that's worth evaluating. If you just want to play the game, the Standard Edition is fine.

For developers, artbooks also serve as legitimacy markers. Including an artbook signals that the team is proud of their visual design and has documented it professionally. It's a small signal, but it matters.

The chart compares the strengths of arguments for and against pre-ordering 1348: Ex Voto. While the game has strong backing and thematic depth, potential buyers should weigh these against the risks of pre-ordering.

Comparable Games and What They Do Right

Understanding 1348: Ex Voto requires understanding its spiritual predecessors. Several games have influenced its design philosophy.

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Hellblade proved that indie-scale budgets could create profound narrative experiences. The game combined psychological storytelling, environmental puzzles, and action combat in a contained, focused package. Hellblade didn't try to be a massive open world. It tried to be a meaningful journey through a character's mental landscape and historical setting.

1348: Ex Voto appears to follow this template: focused scope, historical setting, character-driven narrative, environmental design serving story. The parallel is clear.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Kingdom Come proved that players would engage with historical realism if the core experience was strong. It featured no fantasy elements, mundane combat, and grounded storytelling. It was janky at launch, but the core philosophy worked: players respect authenticity.

Sedleo appears to have learned from Kingdom Come: make historical realism the feature, not the obstacle. HEMA-inspired combat that respects historical movement is the feature, not something to overcome.

A Plague Tale: Innocence

A Plague Tale used historical plague setting to create emotional stakes. The game was technically about rat control, but emotionally it was about desperate people surviving impossible circumstances. The setting wasn't flavor; it was thematic backbone.

1348: Ex Voto shares this DNA. The plague isn't just background. It's the condition that enables the story.

Elden Ring

While Elden Ring is AAA, it influenced indie game design profoundly. It proved that environmental storytelling could replace quest markers, that player agency in space mattered more than quest log management, and that challenge could be respectful of player skill rather than punitive.

1348: Ex Voto's design choices suggest Elden Ring influence: linear open-world with exploration freedom, environmental design conveying narrative, combat that respects player skill.

The Voice Acting and Narrative Production

Voice acting can make or break a narrative game. It's not always about big names. It's about matching the right voice to the character and allowing performers to bring depth to dialogue.

Alby Baldwin as Aeta

Alby Baldwin voices the protagonist Aeta. She appears in the trailer with a performance that conveys experienced wariness without cynicism. The voice suggests someone who's seen conflict but hasn't lost hope. It's a subtle performance, which is appropriate for a character-driven narrative game.

Good voice acting in games isn't about dramatic flourish. It's about believable human reaction. When Aeta speaks to NPCs, she needs to sound like she's listening and responding, not delivering lines. The trailer performance suggests that's happening.

Jennifer English as Bianca

Bianca is voiced by Jennifer English, whose work on Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 demonstrates ability with complex character work. In games where she's performed, she brings vulnerability and depth that makes her characters matter emotionally.

Since Bianca is the emotional linchpin of 1348: Ex Voto's narrative, her performance will significantly impact player investment. If Bianca feels like a character worth saving, the game works. If she feels like an excuse for adventure, it fails. English's track record suggests the former.

Supporting Cast and Direction

The game's narrative quality depends not just on lead voices but on direction and supporting cast. Games with outstanding narratives typically have directors who understand performance, who let actors explore character depth, and who don't settle for serviceable voiceovers.

Oceano and Martelli's statements about thematic depth suggest they've given thought to character work. That typically translates to directing performances that have nuance and specificity.

Estimated data suggests that while 25% of female protagonists are portrayed as strong and independent, a significant portion are still sidelined or sexualized.

Development Timeline and Release Expectations

1348: Ex Voto launches March 12, 2026. That's a specific date that suggests completion is further along than marketing dates sometimes indicate. Indie games often hit their launch targets when they're being specific rather than vague.

Pre-Launch Preparation

Between now and March 2026, Sedleo will:

• Finish optimization for PC and PS5
• Bug testing and iteration
• Balance adjustments based on playtesting
• Marketing and promotional material
• Platform certification (PS5 requires certification before launch)

For indie games, this timeline is reasonable. Six months from announcement to launch is typical for games in late development. It suggests the core game is complete and the team is in polish and optimization phase.

Post-Launch Support

What about patches and updates? Indie games rarely launch in perfect state. The question is whether Sedleo has committed to post-launch support.

Publisher Dear Villagers has a track record of supporting indie titles post-launch. That's a positive signal. Games published by Dear Villagers typically receive patches for balance, bugs, and quality-of-life improvements.

Thematic Resonance: Why The Story Matters

Oceano and Martelli's statement about themes is worth examining in depth: "Everything in our story is personal: it's about moralities, ambitions, and choices. Who we aspire to be and who we are allowed to become. Whether our means to fight for it or against it justify our end."

This isn't marketing. This is describing a game interested in moral complexity. Let's unpack it.

Personal Morality in Crisis

"Personal" is the key word. This is not a game about saving the kingdom or defeating evil. It's about one person's choices to save another person. That's intimate scale.

In crisis, personal morality gets tested. You know generally what you believe, but do you stick to it when lives are on the line? Do your principles matter more than the person you love? This is the thematic core of the game, and it's a worthwhile question for interactive media to explore.

The Cost of Ambition

"Who we aspire to be and who we are allowed to become" suggests the game explores how aspiration shapes identity. Aeta aspires to be a great knight. But becoming that knight requires compromises. Maybe she has to make deals with morally questionable people. Maybe she has to do things that conflict with her values.

That gap between aspiration and reality is where character depth lives. Games that explore it well create memorable protagonists. Games that ignore it create cardboard cutouts.

Justifying Means Through Ends

"Whether our means to fight for it or against it justify our end" is describing consequentialism. It's asking: if you do terrible things for good reasons, does that make it okay?

This is a question games rarely tackle seriously. Most games have clear moral markers. You're good or evil. You do good deeds or bad deeds. Games that ask whether the distinction matters are asking something deeper.

1348: Ex Voto appears to be asking that. That alone suggests thematic ambition beyond typical action game fare.

The development timeline for Ex Voto suggests a structured approach from announcement to post-launch, with key phases like optimization and certification leading up to the March 12, 2026 release. Estimated data.

Audience Appeal and Market Position

Who is this game for? That's the ultimate question for indie developers.

Action Game Enthusiasts

Players who enjoy challenging combat and tactical positioning will appreciate HEMA-inspired mechanics. This isn't a game for button-mashing. It's for players who respect mechanical depth.

Narrative Gamers

Players interested in character-driven stories will find an intimate narrative about connection and sacrifice. The game isn't trying to be epic. It's trying to be meaningful.

Historical Setting Enthusiasts

Players who enjoy historically grounded narratives will appreciate the 14th-century Italian setting. This is not fantasy with medieval trappings. This is historical fiction with fantasy elements kept minimal.

Indie Game Supporters

Players who believe in supporting independent developers will appreciate Sedleo's commitment to historical authenticity and thematic depth. This is clearly a passion project, not a quick cash grab.

Venn Diagram Overlap

The ideal 1348: Ex Voto player is probably at the intersection of these groups: someone who enjoys challenging combat, respects narrative depth, and appreciates historical setting. That's a smaller audience than massive AAA games reach, but it's a dedicated audience.

Expectations vs. Reality: Setting Reasonable Hopes

Hype management is important. Let's establish what 1348: Ex Voto likely is and isn't.

What It Probably Is

• A focused, character-driven action game with strong historical grounding
• A game with meaningful narrative depth and thematic complexity
• A challenging combat experience that respects player skill
• An indie game with production values exceeding typical scope
• A game that respects player intelligence and agency

What It Probably Isn't

• A massive open world with 200 hours of content
• A game that will revolutionize action genre
• A game with AAA production values across every system
• A game with extensive side quests and optional content
• A game that will appeal to everyone

Setting these expectations prevents disappointment. The game is ambitious within its scope, not ambitious in absolute terms.

Platform Performance Expectations

PC and PS5 are strong platforms for action games. Let's discuss what that means for performance expectations.

PC Optimization

PC is traditionally where indie developers have more control over performance targets. Rather than optimizing for specific hardware, they can offer scalability options: lower settings for modest machines, higher settings for powerful rigs.

1348: Ex Voto on PC can probably run on mid-range machines at 1080p/60fps, with higher-end options for 1440p or 4K. Historical-style games are often less demanding than modern AAA titles since they prioritize readability over pure visual spectacle.

PS5 Performance

PS5 is a fixed target. Performance expectations are clearer. Likely targets are 1440p/60fps or 1080p/120fps with graphics quality between those options. Sedleo has had time to optimize specifically for PS5's architecture.

Since the Xbox version is canceled, the team could focus optimization entirely on PS5 rather than building for multiple AMD-based consoles. That usually means better utilization of PS5's specific strengths.

Performance vs. Visual Fidelity

Games that prioritize historical authenticity over visual spectacle often make smart performance trade-offs. Instead of rendering ridiculous numbers of particles and dynamic lighting, they invest in environmental detail and character animation quality.

That typically results in games that run smoothly with less demanding hardware. 1348: Ex Voto probably follows this pattern.

The Bigger Picture: Indie Games in 2026

By March 2026, the gaming landscape will have shifted significantly from 2025. New consoles might be announced. New technologies might emerge. But certain truths about indie games will remain.

The Indie Renaissance Continues

AAA game development has become increasingly bloated and expensive. Meanwhile, indie games continue proving that tight design, creative vision, and thematic depth matter more than production scale. This trend accelerates.

1348: Ex Voto is part of this broader movement. It's a game that wouldn't exist in the AAA space because it's too focused and too historically specific. But in the indie space, it thrives.

Historical Games as Growth Category

Games with historical settings are increasingly respected. Players have moved beyond asking "Is this fun?" to asking "Is this meaningful?" Games like Kingdom Come and Hellblade proved that historical authenticity and mechanical depth aren't mutually exclusive.

More games will follow this path. 1348: Ex Voto is riding a wave of player appetite for grounded, historically inspired narratives.

Female Protagonists in Action Games

Female protagonists in action games have become more common, but representation at the narrative and thematic level is less common. Games with female protagonists that explore complex themes beyond "strong female character" are still relatively rare.

1348: Ex Voto's exploration of personal morality, ambition, and sacrifice through Aeta's story suggests a game interested in character depth beyond surface representation.

Concerns and Potential Issues

No game is perfect. Let's discuss potential concerns.

HEMA-Inspired Combat Might Be Niche

Combat based on historical realism appeals to a specific audience. Players who expect fast, responsive, arcade-style action might find it restrictive. Stamina management and momentum commitment aren't for everyone.

This isn't necessarily a problem. The game is designed for specific audience preferences. But it does limit broad appeal.

Pacing Between Combat and Exploration

Linear open-world games can suffer from pacing issues. If exploration feels mandatory rather than rewarding, it becomes tedious. If combat feels sparse, action gets boring. Balancing these is difficult.

Hellblade succeeded here. Kingdom Come sometimes struggled with it. 1348: Ex Voto's success depends on nailing this balance.

Xbox Cancellation Might Create Platform Perception Issues

Xbox players who were initially interested might feel alienated. That's fair criticism. For some players, platform matters.

From a business standpoint, Sedleo made the right call. From a player perspective, cancellation is disappointing.

Pre-Order Considerations

Should you pre-order 1348: Ex Voto? Let's discuss this pragmatically.

Arguments For Pre-Ordering

• The game is from an experienced team with a clear vision
• Publisher Dear Villagers has solid track record
• Historical authenticity and thematic depth are evident from available information
• Supporting indie developers sends market signal that these games matter
• Launch pricing typically represents best value

Arguments Against Pre-Ordering

• No game is guaranteed to be good regardless of pedigree
• Reviews from launch will provide more information than marketing materials
• Indie games sometimes launch with performance issues or balance problems
• The game has been delayed before (Xbox cancellation suggests possible development struggles)
• You lose nothing by waiting a week for reviews

The Balanced Approach

If you're genuinely interested, pre-order. If you're lukewarm, wait for reviews. The game's target audience will know immediately whether it delivers on its promises. Launch week reviews from serious critics will tell you what you need to know.

Conclusion: Why 1348: Ex Voto Matters

1348: Ex Voto represents something important in gaming: the possibility of meaningful action games that prioritize thematic depth, historical authenticity, and character over spectacle. It's the kind of game that only exists as indie because AAA would demand broader appeal and simpler themes.

Aeta's quest to save Bianca in plague-ravaged Italy isn't a generic fantasy adventure. It's a focused exploration of personal morality, ambition, and the cost of becoming who you aspire to be. That's the kind of narrative question interactive media should ask.

The combat system based on Historical European Martial Arts isn't just flavor. It fundamentally changes how fights play out, making positioning and preparation matter more than reflexes alone. That's mechanical depth that serves narrative.

The 14th-century Italian setting isn't backdrop. It's integral to thematic meaning. Plague creates the conditions where normal morality fails. Society breaking down forces individuals to make compromises. The setting enables the story.

For the March 12, 2026 launch, expectations should be reasonable but optimistic. This is a focused indie game from developers who clearly understand what they're making. It won't be a massive commercial phenomenon. It won't sell ten million copies or spawn franchises. But for players seeking meaningful action experiences with thematic depth and historical grounding, it appears to be precisely what they're looking for.

The cancellation of the Xbox version is disappointing for some players, but it represents a realistic decision from indie developers with limited resources. Better to deliver an excellent game on two platforms than a compromised game on three.

By March 2026, this game will probably have found its audience: players who respect historical authenticity, character depth, and mechanical challenge. It probably won't appeal to everyone. That's fine. Not every game needs to appeal to everyone. Every game needs to appeal meaningfully to someone.

For that someone, 1348: Ex Voto looks like a game worth playing.

FAQ

What is 1348: Ex Voto exactly?

1348: Ex Voto is a medieval action-adventure game developed by indie studio Sedleo and published by Dear Villagers. It features a female knight-errant protagonist named Aeta on a quest to rescue her companion Bianca in 14th-century Italy during the Black Plague. The game combines HEMA-inspired third-person sword combat, environmental puzzle-solving, and narrative-driven storytelling with thematic focus on personal morality and sacrifice.

When does 1348: Ex Voto launch and on what platforms?

The game launches on March 12, 2026, exclusively for PC and Play Station 5. The previously announced Xbox version has been canceled so the developer could focus resources on delivering the best possible experience for PC and PS5 audiences. The Standard Edition costs

What makes the combat system different from other action games?

The combat is based on Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), which means it's inspired by actual medieval fighting techniques rather than fantastical swordplay. This creates mechanics where stamina management, momentum, footwork, and positioning matter significantly. Players can't simply spam attacks or teleport away from danger. Every movement has weight and consequence, making fights feel tactical rather than purely reflex-based.

Who voices the main characters?

Aeta, the protagonist, is voiced by Alby Baldwin. Her companion Bianca is voiced by Jennifer English, who has appeared in major narrative-driven games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. The voice acting quality appears to reflect serious narrative ambitions, with performances suggesting character depth beyond typical action game fare.

What is the game's narrative about?

The story explores personal morality, ambition, and sacrifice. Aeta, a young knight-errant, undertakes a quest to save Bianca in a plague-ravaged 14th-century Italy. The thematic focus is on personal choices and moral compromise: who you aspire to become versus who circumstances allow you to become, and whether the means justify the ends when saving someone you love is at stake.

How long is the game?

Official playtime estimates haven't been released. Based on comparable indie action-adventure games with narrative focus and environmental exploration (like Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice), reasonable expectations are 15-25 hours for a complete playthrough. Games emphasizing narrative and character depth over massive content volume typically fall in this range.

Why was the Xbox version canceled?

Sedleo canceled the Xbox version to focus the team's limited resources on delivering the best possible experience for PC and Play Station. Multi-platform development for indie studios is expensive, requiring separate optimization, testing, and certification. The decision reflects economic realities of indie game development rather than any controversy or corporate decision.

Is this game similar to any other titles?

The game draws spiritual inspiration from Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice (narrative depth and environmental storytelling), Kingdom Come: Deliverance (historical authenticity), A Plague Tale: Innocence (plague setting and survival themes), and Elden Ring (environmental design and player agency). However, 1348: Ex Voto combines these influences into its own focused vision rather than copying any specific game.

What kind of player would enjoy this game most?

The ideal player appreciates challenging combat, character-driven narratives, and historical settings. They're willing to engage with mechanical depth that respects historical realism over arcade accessibility. They value thematic complexity and moral ambiguity. They support indie developers. They're likely comfortable with slower pacing and narrative-heavy experiences. This is a niche but dedicated audience.

Should I pre-order or wait for reviews?

If you're genuinely interested, pre-ordering supports indie development and locks in launch pricing. If you're uncertain, waiting for launch week reviews from credible sources is reasonable. The game's target audience will immediately know if it delivers on its promises. Either approach is defensible depending on your risk tolerance and enthusiasm level.

What platforms can I play this on?

PC (Windows) and Play Station 5 are the only available platforms. The game is optimized specifically for these platforms. Xbox players cannot play this game on any current Xbox console. Mobile platforms and Nintendo Switch versions have not been announced and appear unlikely given the game's design focus.

Where can I see gameplay footage?

Official story trailers and gameplay footage have been released through gaming media outlets and the publisher's channels. As launch approaches, more comprehensive gameplay videos will likely emerge. After launch, streaming platforms will feature extensive playthroughs from both critics and community members. Review embargo typically lifts several days before official launch, providing professional perspectives on the final product.

Key Takeaways

• 1348: Ex Voto launches March 12, 2026 exclusively on PC and PS5 at
  $23.99 standard/$
  29.99 deluxe with cancelled Xbox version
• HEMA-inspired combat system emphasizes historical martial arts authenticity, momentum, and positioning over arcade reflexes
• Thematic depth focuses on personal morality, ambition, and moral compromise in plague-ravaged 14th-century Italy setting
• Female protagonist Aeta with voice acting from Jennifer English represents character-focused narrative design within indie scope
• Game represents broader indie trend combining historical authenticity, mechanical depth, and thematic complexity without AAA scale
• Target audience includes action players respecting mechanical challenge, narrative gamers seeking character depth, and historical setting enthusiasts

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