Preview Stupid Never Dies: IGN France's impressions after 2-3 hours at Gamescom 2026
Credit: GPTRACK50

Preview Stupid Never Dies: IGN France's impressions after 2-3 hours at Gamescom 2026

Alexandre Alexandre Jollier
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In brief

After 2-3 hours with Stupid Never Dies at Gamescom, IGN France confirms that GPTRACK50's rogue-lite delivers solid gameplay despite its absurd pitch. Between dynamic combos, an original bite mechanic that steals boss powers, and well-thought-out progression per run, Davy the zombie has all the ingredients to surprise at its October 22 release.

Two to three hours of play, split between GPTRACK50's Gamescom booth and a playable build provided separately, was the time IGN France had to test Stupid Never Dies. Hot take verdict: Davy the zombie has what it takes to surprise you, and our colleagues came out of this session wanting to launch just one more run, which is never a bad sign for a rogue-lite.

The pitch draws a smile on paper - a weak zombie who wants to challenge the king of monsters to bring his beloved back to life - but controller in hand, the absurdity goes down smoothly. You can tell the studio knows its stuff on the action side: quick attacks chain into heavy strikes for combos that really land, and the silly parry (yes, a dance move) reduces damage without cancelling it outright. The real twist is the bite mechanic: biting an enemy regenerates our HP, but biting the sphere they carry on their body steals their signature ability, or even their entire form in the case of elites. Eleven styles are announced for the final version, each with five distinct talents. You never know what you'll get, and that's exactly what makes every run interesting.

What clicks

The rogue-lite loop works well: dying doesn't send you back to square one since money and components carry over, feeding an exponential EXP bonus that speeds up your power growth on the next run. The Body Hack system - grafting a rotary saw or a rocket launcher onto your arm via the hub's tattoo artist - adds a layer of customization the journalist enjoyed exploring. Technically, the build running on an RTX 4070 Ti Super at 4K max settings held a framerate well above 60 fps, with no notable hiccups aside from the camera losing its bearings once or twice during a boss fight.

One big unknown remains: will this loop hold up over the game's full length, once the novelty of the styles wears off? Two to three hours is enough to win you over in the moment, but not enough to judge the long-term richness of the content, nor the balance between the 11 classes.

It's undoubtedly off to a good start, with gameplay deeper than its wacky tone might suggest. To be confirmed at launch, set for October 22 - full details on the release date and the studio are covered in dedicated articles on Playnews.

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Will you jump into the adventure with Davy the zombie at release?

Frequently asked questions

Does Stupid Never Dies hold up beyond these first few hours?
That's the big unknown. Two to three hours are enough to convince in the moment, but don't judge the richness of content long-term or the balance of the 11 classes against each other. The final verdict will come at the October 22 release.
How does the progression system work in this rogue-lite?
Dying doesn't reset you to zero: money and components persist, fueling exponential EXP bonuses that speed up power progression in the next run. Each dive becomes more powerful than the last.
What exactly is Body Hack?
It's a customization mechanic that lets you graft equipment like a circular saw or rocket launcher onto your arm via the hub's tattoo artist. It adds a real layer of strategy to progression.
Does the game have technical issues?
On an RTX 4070 Ti Super at 4K max preset, the build runs well above 60 fps with no notable hitches, except for a camera that lost itself once or twice during a boss fight.

Key takeaways

  • Combat chains fast and heavy attacks with satisfying combos, backed by a dancing parry that eases damage without negating it.
  • The bite mechanic regenerates HP by biting an enemy, but bites the sphere it carries to steal its signature ability or even its full transformation.
  • Eleven styles announced for the final version, each with five distinct talents, guaranteeing run variety and motivating replayability.
  • The rogue loop works: money and components persist between deaths, fueling exponential EXP bonuses that speed up power progression.
  • Body Hack lets you graft a circular saw or rocket launcher via tattoo, adding an appreciated layer of customization to exploration.

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