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33 Immortals Early Access Review: Hell Is Better With 32 Friends

A giant winged demon looms over a field of glowing blue-green crystals in 33 Immortals

It's got that one-more-run magic that keeps pulling you back.

By CMoney · Mar 18, 2025 12:00 PM ET · Updated 1:11 AM ET

Disclosure: Xbox and Thunder Lotus provided early access for review.

33 Immortals is a wild co-op action roguelike from Thunder Lotus, inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy, with up to 33 players raging against God’s final judgment together. It hit Early Access day one on Game Pass, and once you get past the initial overload, it grabs you and doesn’t let go. It’s got that one-more-run magic that keeps pulling you back.

Watch the video review

33 Immortals Early Access Review: Hell Is Better With 32 Friends33 Immortals Early Access Review: Hell Is Better With 32 Friends

Want to play it? Grab it on the Xbox Store or see Where to buy.

Story

You’re a damned soul in an afterlife rebellion, and the big goal is taking down Lucifer himself. To even get a shot at him, you need to clear at least one Ascension battle, and to unlock those, the group has to clear 12 torture chambers together. The game is split into zones drawn from the Divine Comedy: Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, which is still in development. We barely scratched Purgatorio.

If you want deep lore, the compendium covers every weapon, location and enemy, part bestiary and part guide, plus a relic collection to track unlocks. Honestly, though, the story is set dressing. It’s not Hades-level storytelling, and it doesn’t need to be. You’re too busy slaying.

Gameplay

This is where 33 Immortals shines. The loop is addictive: explore, kill enemies, level up at shrines, and tackle torture chambers for loot and stacking relics. There’s a lot thrown at you at first, but a straightforward training mode lets you test every weapon, and each one plays like its own class: the Bow of Hope for shooters, Sword of Justice for tanks, Daggers of Greed for fighters and Staff of Sloth for specialists. Co-op strikes, big moves you trigger with other players, are dope.

Combat is smooth but brutal. Enemies telegraph attacks, yet you’re rarely fighting one at a time, so it becomes an exhilarating dance of dodging and striking. Upgrading health is a must, reviving teammates is clutch, and the feat system rewards challenges like bow kills with boosts and perks. Torture chambers are tight, intense kill rooms swarming with enemies, and world events like Wrath of God send flames chasing you across the map. The co-op is seamless. You drop into a hub with up to 33 players and can just walk up and fight next to randoms, but chambers are capped at six, so grab your spot fast. After 12 chambers you’re pushed into Ascension battles, chaotic and challenging fights that decide whether you face Lucifer. We came within one hit of beating him, and instead of rage quitting we went straight back in to upgrade. Unlocking capes and pet companions in the Dark Woods makes even dying sting less.

Visuals

The art is absolutely stunning, that hand-drawn Thunder Lotus style from Spiritfarer: simple and laid back but super refined, crisp, clean and colorful, with dark, eerie vibes that recall Hades. Enemy designs are clean and easy to read, so even with a packed screen it never feels overwhelming.

Sound

The music is subtle, almost soothing, and haunting in the torture chambers, a perfect contrast to the chaos. Every weapon has its own sound, from arrows cutting the air and smashing back through enemies on return to the sharp slice of the daggers. My one wish is voiced dialogue. Some gritty damned-soul banter would take it up a notch.

Verdict

33 Immortals is a blast. Combat is exhilarating, co-op is a riot, and the grind feels rewarding whether you play with friends or randoms. This score covers the early access build we played, and Thunder Lotus has something special here.

Image: Thunder Lotus

More on OnPoint: Grounded 2 Early Access Review: Bigger Is Better and Minecraft Dungeons II Review: Finally, a World Worth Living In.

9out of 10

The verdict: Amazing (Early Access Review)

It's got that one-more-run magic that keeps pulling you back.

Pros

  • Massive, seamless 33-player co-op
  • Four distinct weapon classes
  • Addictive loop of chambers, relics and feats
  • Gorgeous hand-drawn art that stays readable

Cons

  • Overwhelming at the start
  • Unvoiced dialogue
  • Torture chambers capped at six players

Platform played: Xbox

Where to buy

Xbox Store (digital)Buy on Xbox
Epic Games Store (PC)Get it on Epic

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