This nuke-parrying open-world soulslike got a new update just in time for Steam Next Fest, and now players are pulling off moves its solo dev “can’t even begin to understand”

The solo developer behind open-world action game V.A Proxy – a fast-paced combat-focused game where you can parry nuclear bombs and the earth itself – has admitted that players have been pulling off moves they “can’t even begin to understand” since their latest update.

V.A Proxy is one of many games to get a demo during Steam Next Fest, which kicked off earlier this week and is set to run until October 21. Solo dev PyroLith also timed this with an update, featuring “majorly improved performance, movement, combat and wildlife AI,” ultimately so “you too can do all the crazy tech I’ve been showing, like a duel between two teleporting scythe wielders.” 

Action fans have already been giving it their best shot and learning all sorts of ways to utilize the update’s additions, working with the satisfying movement and chaining together attacks in satisfying combos. Clearly, they’ve gone above and beyond what the developer could have expected, because responding to one impressive video from a Twitter user humbly claiming that their “combos still suck compared to what’s possible,” PyroLith says: “It didn’t take long before players started pulling moves I can’t even begin to understand.” 

Those are big words from someone who’s been bringing a whole game to life single-handedly, but it goes to show just how much freedom V.A Proxy gives you to experiment with different approaches. Again, this is a game that lets you parry the earth to keep yourself in the air and extend combos further, so creativity is clearly encouraged.

V.A Proxy still doesn’t have a release date, so for the time being, this demo is the best way to get your fill of its open-world action.

Combine Sekiro and Risk of Rain 2 and you’re pretty close to this unhinged open-world game’s Steam Next Fest demo, which I was only kind of into until I parried the ground.