Manala: Equinox War

The swords are fake, the hits don't count and the monster is just a guy in a costume. Manala is a videogame about live-action roleplay (LARP): build a combat deck, fight other players and argue over armor points.

"For LARPers, fans of Baltic myth, and anyone who appreciates raw, uncompromising indie grit, it earns an easy spot on the wishlist." - Larp News, demo review, 23 September 2026.

Every LARPer knows post-LARP blues: the event is over and you want back into the game world. Manala is that world, on a weeknight at home. It comes from Põhjala Pööripäev (Nordic Equinox), an annual battle LARP at the Kassinurme hillfort in Estonia, and the player characters are modeled on real Estonian LARPers' costumes.

It is also for anyone still hesitant about picking up a foam sword. Try it here first. The starter sword is PVC pipe, pool noodle and silver tape, and someone will still question your costume.

For streamers: the demo is free on Steam and PvP is live in it, so your chat can join you today. Put them on the other side and settle it. The winner loots the body. It's a PVC sword, but it's still worth something. New characters are protected from PvP for their first hour online and can drop the protection early.

The full game is out November 5, 2026. It adds parties, trading, the other three classes, the rest of the map and the monthly season war.

Turn-based card combat, sprite art. Windows, via Steam. Made by one developer since January 2026, with an artist on the team. No AI-generated art ships in the demo. The English translation of the world text was produced with the help of AI tools.