Ex Voto : dive into a unique medieval game

Ex Voto is a medieval game that stands out for its authenticity and historical depth, offering an immersive experience in 14th-century Italy ravaged by the Black Death. This unique game skillfully blends action-adventure, realistic combat, and careful storytelling for an engaging medieval quest. By exploring picturesque landscapes such as forgotten villages, ancient ruins, and an imposing royal palace, players are invited to dive into a world as brutal as it is captivating. Here are the key points we will explore in this article:

• The historical atmosphere and rich narrative of Ex Voto, a striking reflection of the Italian Middle Ages;
• Combat mechanics inspired by HEMA, which change the game in the action genre;
• Advanced customization and progression system for an adventure tailored to you;
• The key role of medieval exploration in a guided yet immersive setting;
• Launch specifics, available editions, and implications for PC and PS5 players.

Each section will open on these major aspects to better understand why Ex Voto is already establishing itself as a must-have narrative game in 2026.

Diving into Medieval Italy: an intense historical adventure in Ex Voto

Ex Voto propels players into the heart of the Italian Middle Ages, around the year 1348, a period marked by the devastating shadow of the Black Death. This historical setting is far from being just an anecdotal backdrop. The Italy traversed by Aeta, the main protagonist, is a boiling ground of social, political, and religious tensions. Players encounter enraged religious fanatics, mercenaries without faith or law, bloodthirsty bandits, and villages plagued by desolation. This context adds striking realism to the narrative and creates a role-playing game where every decision can reflect conflicts of honor, faith, or justice.

The story thus follows Aeta, a wandering knight, who embarks on a quest to find Bianca, her abducted friend. This human starting point offers deep emotional grounding, far from a simple succession of fights or side quests. The plot is woven around the theme of ex-votos, symbolic offerings that embody the anxious fervor of an era where honor and sacrifice held a central place.

This is not just a simple medieval action game but a true narrative extension that uses strong cultural elements to immerse the player. Attention to historical details such as environment, costumes, and body language benefits from the Unreal Engine 5 to enhance this visual authenticity. Thus, rural villages appear against the backdrop of the Apennine Mountains while royal palaces depict the fallen grandeur of a social order in crisis.

This reconstruction of a world in social and spiritual rupture makes Ex Voto a rare historical adventure by its intensity and serious approach to the period. Examples like conflicts between cities or the brutal rural exodus are palpable in the storytelling. This immersion can be compared to that offered recently in some games focusing on realism like Kingdom Come Deliverance, but with a stronger focus on the narrative dimension and character progression.

Realistic and technical combats: the HEMA signature in Ex Voto

Ex Voto renews the medieval game thanks to its combat mechanics inspired by European historical martial arts, commonly known as HEMA (Historical European Martial Arts). This aspect gives duels a clarity rarely seen in narrative games set in the medieval era, where attacks are not reduced to generic strikes but carry real intention and weight in every movement. Sedleo studio collaborated with experts to accurately model each stance and movement, supported by motion capture sessions to ensure authenticity and fluidity.

The combat system relies on two distinct stances: one-handed allowing rapid strikes with high dodging ability, and a two-handed stance offering slower but more powerful blows. This duality engages the player to choose their strategy according to encountered enemies and combat rhythm. For example, lightly armed bandits can be neutralized with the faster first stance, while heavily equipped mercenaries demand courage and patience with the second.

A skill tree unlocks new combos and abilities, illustrating a progression that rewards mastery and observation. This deep work on gameplay transforms this role-playing game into an almost educational experience. Weapon customization, with modular parts like the guard, blade, or pommel, accompanies this style of personalized combat. Choosing how to shape one’s sword directly influences combat effectiveness.

A comparative table between these two stances in Ex Voto helps better understand their tactical potential:

Aspect	One-handed stance	Two-handed stance
Attack speed	Fast	Slow
Power	Moderate	High
Dodging ability	High	Limited
Preferred use	Fast combos	Powerful and armor-breaking strikes

This orientation toward HEMA distinguishes Ex Voto from many mainstream medieval titles and will delight both enthusiasts and experienced players looking for a challenge blending technique and immersion.

A deep progression and customization system for a tailored medieval adventure

Aeta’s evolution relies on a skill tree divided into four main branches: Prudentia, Audatia, Fortitudo, and Celeritas. Each allows you to guide your playstyle, influencing both combat and exploration approach. For example, Prudentia boosts defensive abilities and tactical thinking, ideal for approaching the game with seriousness and mastery.

Audatia favors boldness in confrontations, making attacks more aggressive and intuitive. Fortitudo strengthens Aeta’s robustness and resilience, which can prove decisive against hordes of bandits or heavily armed mercenaries. Finally, Celeritas develops speed and dodging, bringing fluidity to sword handling.

This system invites careful thinking before each point allocation, progression not being limited to a simple statistical boost but truly modulating how each challenge is approached. The combination with weapon customization creates a synergy that makes each duel unique.

Here is a list of the concrete benefits of this skill tree:

• Adaptation of style to player preferences, between defensive caution and offensive boldness;
• Progressive unlocking of new techniques to enrich combat combos;
• Specific abilities that facilitate handling varied situations, such as ambushes or prolonged fights;
• Possibility to retest strategy according to new encounters and challenges;
• A continuous support feeling during the medieval quest, enhancing immersion.

This richness allows players to immerse themselves in a true historical adventure where progression is not random but based on thoughtful choice, which is rare in the genre.

Guided medieval exploration: controlled narration for deep immersion

Unlike many action games offering a huge open world, Ex Voto opts for a more directed experience, marked by linear progression through different environments. The unique itinerary crosses rural Italy, the rugged Apennines, authentic villages, menacing castles, and Roman remains. This approach allows the studio to perfectly control the pace and atmosphere, ensuring that every narrative sequence and encounter carries real weight.

The temporal evolution simulates about one in-game year, creating a seasonal dynamic and rising stakes as the plague spreads or conflicts escalate. This idea of a guided path also reinforces the almost theatrical dimension of interactions, where each place acts as both a geographical and thematic setting.

This carefully thought-out exploration invites us to experience a medieval quest with a strong sense of urgency and uncertainty. Not scattering the player limits distractions, leaving more space for storytelling and Aeta’s character development. Similar games in a more open vein like Rustler, while entertaining, offer a completely different experience Rustler: Chaos Medieval.

The tunnel narrative structure does not detract from the breadth of exploration, which remains rich in detail and memorable encounters, encouraging careful observation of every corner. The choice of the Unreal Engine 5 guarantees impressive visual quality, supporting both dark moods and wide panoramas.

Purchase details and release specifics on PC and PlayStation 5

Ex Voto’s release is scheduled for March 12, 2026, and concerns exclusively the PC platforms (Steam, Epic Games Store) and PlayStation 5, with the Xbox Series version having been canceled to focus resources on the two main platforms. This decision ensures quality work but limits accessibility for some players. The price remains competitive, with a Standard edition offered at 24.99 EUR and a Deluxe edition at 29.99 EUR, including a digital artbook.

Fans of physical formats are not forgotten since the limited edition for PS5 offers additional content like a handwritten letter from Aeta, a DLC, a special cover, and a patch. This marketing effort completes a coherent overall experience.

One point to note is the exclusive English dubbing, without an Italian option, giving a unique artistic touch that may disorient some fans of linguistic authenticity but remains a conscious decision that confers a particular atmosphere to the narrative game.

Here is a summary table of the editions and contents of Ex Voto:

Edition	Platforms	Key contents	Price (EUR)
Standard	PC (Steam, Epic) / PS5	The full game	24.99
Deluxe (digital)	PC (Steam, Epic) / PS5	Game + digital artbook	29.99
Limited Edition (physical, PS5)	PS5 only	Game, Aeta’s letter, DLC	Variable
Golden Edition (physical, PS5)	PS5 only	Limited + cover and patch	Variable

While waiting for the launch, it is relevant to follow the news of role-playing and medieval games, notably those available on Steam or in free versions _explorable_. Ex Voto promises to deliver a balanced experience between action and story, appealing both to fans of deep narrative games and lovers of authentic medieval exploration.