Lavapotion Reveal ‘Wielders of the Essence’, a Songs of Conquest spin off bullet heaven game

From an homage to Heroes of Might and Magic; comes an homage to Vampire Survivor.

The studio behind hit turn-based strategy Songs of Conquest is revealing a new auto-shooter game born from a game jam

Gothenburg, November 20th, 2025 - Swedish developer Lavapotion are excited to announce Wielders of the Essence, a bullet heaven auto-shooter adventure from the world of Songs of Conquest where split-second decision making is key and the border between panic and precision is thin.

You can watch the reveal trailer here!

Wielders of the Essence is a survivor-like bullet heaven game in which players become powerful Wielders that draw ancient magical strength to unleash devastating spells on increasingly more enemies. The foes are many and the odds are stacked, but through on-the-move decision making, precision and a bit of controlled chaos, heroes can dominate the battlefield as they choose which upgrades to pick and what playstyles to pursue.

Key gameplay features of Wielders of the Essence include:

• Overwhelming Odds - battle against increasingly bigger waves of enemies and attempt to topple bosses with a set of skills and spells earned through gathering XP

• The Right Tools - gather weapons and upgrade the Wielder’s magical essence, unlocking more skills, further levels and abilities that will help on the way

• It Takes a Village - rally the forces found along the way and train a band of loyal minions to build an army capable of taking down even the greatest foes

“Wielders of the Essence is the result of an internal game jam that the team organised.” said Magnus Alm, CEO of Lavapotion. “We’re big fans of homages here at Lavapotion, and we ultimately wanted to bring fans of Songs of Conquest a different new experience with a familiar feel and atmosphere. Wielders of the Essence will feel familiar for people who have played Songs of Conquest, but its replayability and mechanics are a fresh new take on the universe that our players fell in love with.”

Wielders of the Essence is launching early 2026, despite being a little late to the survivor-like party! You can find the official press kit here, and more information on the Steam Page.