Although Dlala Studios has different video games, it was 2023’s Disney Phantasm Island that put this workforce on my private map. You possibly can learn why in Game Informer’s Disney Illusion Island review here, however in the end, it is Dlala’s love for its personal initiatives and the accompanying ardour that saved me ready patiently/impatiently for no matter its subsequent sport can be. I lastly discovered what it was final week throughout Gamescom’s Opening Night Live occasion when Dlala revealed Murals, a fairytale motion sport launching subsequent yr.
Although I did not get to go hands-on with Murals throughout a behind-closed-doors preview at Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, Germany, I nonetheless left that appointment impressed and prepared for at any time when I would see the sport subsequent. With Gamescom 2026 behind me, it is simple to say it was one of my favorite games I saw during the event.
In Murals, you play as The Hero, becoming for a sport about traditional fairy tales like The Little Mermaid, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, and extra. These are acquainted tales, however sport director and Dlala CEO AJ Grand-Scutton, who explains the sport to me whereas design director Grant Allen truly performs it, is fast to say that these aren’t Disney’s takes on the tales, regardless of the studio’s lineage with the Mouse. As an alternative, it is Dlala’s spin on the works created by Hans Christian Andersen and the like, with the studio’s distinct spin.
For my appointment, Grand-Scutton and Allen give me a style of Murals’ Little Mermaid rendition. Inside this mural, seemingly watched over by an ominous and mischievous man named The Creator, The Hero makes an attempt to assist the Little Mermaid, who lies in a transferring bathtub together with her head doused in octopus-looking hair. The Hero does so alongside Toast, a sketch gone awry due to chaos on this world attributable to monsters collectively often known as The Distorted. Grand-Scutton explains that The Hero does converse, however hardly ever, with the whimsical and naively lovely Toast dealing with many of the speaking.
This demo is just too quick to get a much bigger image of Murals’ narrative, however I just like the Dlala spin on these traditional characters alongside the unique creations like The Hero and Toast (and I am not stunned – Dlala has a commanding manner of designing fascinating and lovable characters). I look ahead to studying extra about this side of the sport, however for now, my demo is primarily centered on fight.
Taking inspiration from Doom, with numerous kinds of enemies that every do one factor very well, and motion video games like Hades, with isometric arena-style fight and post-bout pickups to your fight package, Murals is an enormous departure from Disney Phantasm Island, which was fully void of fight. The fight is straight away trendy, readable, and vibrant, with explosions of colour and results that improve an already painterly vista of environmental design. Allen, who’s on the sticks, is utilizing The Hero, outfitted with the “all-around melee weapon” often known as the Dixie Reduce sword, in tandem with a Dragon Medallion blaster, which is mainly a magical gun, nice for retaining encroaching enemies at bay.
With out going hands-on myself, it is laborious to say, however Murals appears prefer it controls like Hades. Do not be fooled, although: this is not a roguelite. As an alternative, Murals is a linear journey with a narrative to inform. And, in contrast to Hades, Murals’ phases are smaller, designed with distinctive limitations and environmental hazards that block out and form in any other case customary arenas. The result’s a extra fascinating fight playground that appears to require shut consideration to positioning, each offensively and defensively.
After making our manner by means of this beachside space to assist the Little Mermaid, we come throughout Magic Dave, a fantastical scarecrow voiced by British comic Bob Mortimer (Grand-Scutton and Allen are delighted he is part of the sport, as huge followers of his work), who sells Eeries. These are fight adjustments – assume Hades’ Boons, Grand-Scutton tells me – however they’re everlasting all through your total journey and will be outfitted and unequipped freely to vary how your Hero’s fight package performs. We choose up an Eerie that provides an opportunity to freeze enemies at any time when they’re hit by a projectile out of your blaster.
Later, we change from our sword to the Wolfhammer and combo it with the Chain ‘Em Eerie, which provides an opportunity for this melee weapon to impress enemies on hit. Grand-Scutton says development is easy, with XP earned from encounters alongside bonuses for kill streaks, which helps you to stage up the Hero’s injury output, well being, and extra, although I do not get to see the menus for it.
As you defeat enemies, you accumulate Distortion, which fills up an on-screen bar (positioned below the Hero’s well being bar), and as soon as full, you need to use an Final-style transfer that clears arenas with a phenomenal hand-animated visible impact. We proceed our manner by means of this beachy space, skating round on the Hero’s footwear, that are mainly Heelys (aspect notice: we should always deliver Heelys again), till we attain a boss battle that, sadly, I do not get to see.
I shut out this preview with a fast dialogue about problem, contemplating Dlala definitely should now have followers newer to gaming following Disney Phantasm Island, which was designed with household play in thoughts. Grand-Scutton says there are numerous settings to tweak that can enable gamers to make Murals simpler or tougher, and that he expects Murals to be as welcoming as Disney Phantasm Island was.
My 30-minute appointment ends too quickly – I wish to see extra. However contemplating I waited three years to see Dlala’s subsequent undertaking after Disney Phantasm Island, I believe I can handle the wait till its launch someday subsequent yr.
Within the meantime, learn Game Informer’s Disney Illusion Island review, after which try Game Informer’s Gamescom 2026 round-up to seek out out what different video games we noticed on the present ground.