Skyrim meets Valheim in gorgeous new open-world RPG you can play now

I’m a little disappointed that when I opened the Steam page for this RPG called Bellwright, it isn’t about a chap in a small village casting bells for churches and cathedrals. I’d play that.

Bellwright, however, is an RPG that looks to be channelling inspiration from across the RPG genre.

Bellwright is an action RPG with plenty of strategy and it's out in early access

There’s a healthy dash of Skyrim here in the medieval setting, with plenty of hand-to-hand combat and archery to sink your teeth into.

And by establishing a land for villagers to live on, it’s giving Valheim, too.

While there appears to be plenty of roaming around the wilds looking for a scrap, the Steam page for the game mentions recruiting others and commanding forces, which will add a great element to the action.

Bellwright is currently in early access, and it charts the story of a citizen framed for the murder of a prince.

You’ve been hiding in the shadows and dodging an attempt on your life.

It’s only after finding the assassin’s contract that you start to find answers to your predicament.

From here, it seems like your usual RPG fare of exploring, meeting interesting characters, and battling.

However, there’s a lot of town management, conquering of territory, and commanding armies as they wage war.

Very much the story of the little guy swept up in a conquest against tyranny, perhaps?

Of course, there’s an emphasis on role-play and the story will have you “unravel your family secrets and learn the truth behind the terrible death of the Prince you were accused of murdering.”

The community reviews are a little mixed, but most players seem to love the progression of setting up a settlement and overseeing an army.

I’ll be adding it to my wishlist, even if it’s not about someone who makes bells in a cosy setting.