Online bullet-hell games have always had a niche following. Titles like Realm of the Mad God were great showcases of how top-down shooters could thrive when mixed with MMO elements – fast-paced action, permadeath tension, and loot-heavy progression all rolled into one. It’s essentially a genre built around chaos, and fans of that chaos now have a new option to dive into – if they haven’t already.

Xanadu Land, a free-to-play MMO from Taiwan-based whiteisle Studio, has now left early access on Steam after nearly seven months in development builds. It officially launched on August 2 and is available on both PC and mobile with full cross-platform support.

Visuals-wise, it sticks with pixel-style graphics and a top-down perspective with bullet-hell mechanics. Players fight alongside dozens of others to take down bosses and elite mobs in large-scale skirmishes. Death resets each run, but unlike harsher roguelikes, Xanadu Land lets you keep your gear and stats, as you slowly build strength over time.

There’s a wide range of equipment to find and skills to develop, along with pets, talent trees, and other familiar MMO systems. While the game technically supports large cooperative fights, low player counts – particularly in Western regions – have been affecting matchmaking. Additionally, the monetization is mostly cosmetic. In-app purchases include items like ornate tombstones that mark your death, but they don’t appear to provide gameplay advantages.

Player reception has been split. The game currently holds a “Very Positive” rating overall on Steam, but recent reviews do shed light on frustrations with the UI, controller support, and some systems that feel poorly explained. The mobile-first design is also noticeable, with several PC players saying that polish is a weak point.

Even so, for players looking for a loot-driven online shooter with short sessions and RPG-style growth, Xanadu Land offers something very easy-to-get-into and fast-moving. It may not be for everyone, but for fans of the genre, it’s a low-commitment entry point with enough depth to keep going – provided the servers stay active. You can take a look at the game here. 

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Anubhav Sharma – Tech Writer – 858 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024

Fueled by a childhood spent taking apart video game consoles to see how they worked, I turned my passion for tech into writing. I have a double Bachelor’s in Computer Science Engineering (2018) and English (2024). I’ve been writing on a variety of tech topics since 2016, with a particular interest in gaming. When I’m not hunting down the latest tech news, you’ll find me producing music, gaming, or hiking.