Stupid Never Dies is a run-based action RPG about eating enemies to change into different fantasy monsters

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As expected, last year’s Game Awards featured a ton of new game reveals, including a brand new action RPG called Stupid Never Dies from developer GPTrack50. The game’s initial teaser trailer stood out with its unique music, though details were scarce. I recently had the opportunity to speak with GPTrack50 and learn more about the game to coincide with the release of its new gameplay trailer at the Future Games Show: Spring Showcase 2026.

It’s a little tricky to discuss GPTrack50 right now. It was founded in late 2022 by NetEase Games and is headed by Hiroyuki Kobayashi, who previously worked at Capcom. During his time there, from 2000 to 2016, he was a key producer on major franchises like Resident Evil 4, Dragon’s Dogma, Devil May Cry, and Sengoku Basara. He also helped plan several Sengoku Basara games and Dino Crisis. Beyond game development, Kobayashi was also involved in overseeing Capcom properties when they were adapted into films and anime.

I got a chance to preview ‘Stupid Never Dies’ before the news came out about NetEase Games ending their funding for Nagoshi Studio in May. It seems this decision is impacting other studios owned by NetEase as well, and I’m still frustrated about the recent closure of Ouka Studios, the developers of ‘Visions of Mana,’ which happened on the very day their game launched. Despite all this, the gameplay of ‘Stupid Never Dies’ looked really promising, and I’m hoping GPTrack50 can successfully release it and continue developing exciting games in the future.

After a devastating war nearly wiped out humankind, zombies now wander the world. Players control Davy, a zombie who falls in love with a frozen woman named Julia he finds in an ice cream shop. Desperate to bring her back to life, Davy accidentally eats a strange egg that gives him unique abilities. A scientist, Dr. Frank, tells him that defeating the King Of Monsters will grant him the power to save Julia.

Okay, so I just got a look at Stupid Never Dies, and it’s seriously a blast! It’s an action RPG all about zombies, and the vibe is super funky. The whole idea is you play as Davy, constantly running through this dungeon, trying to get as far as you can each time. What’s cool is that with every run, Davy levels up quicker and quicker, though they didn’t show off all the details about that yet. This preview was all about the core gameplay, and honestly, it’s addictive – it’s all about biting, ripping, and rising again!

Okay, so I’m really excited about this game! It sounds like it’s all about going on the offensive – the developers have actually removed traditional blocking and dodging. Instead, they’re encouraging players to use this awesome, risky move called the ‘Stupid Parry’ to deflect attacks. It’s a bold choice, but I think it’ll make combat super engaging and fast-paced!

Stupid Never Dies features gameplay centered around two main ideas: Style Eat and Body Hack. Players control Davy, who can transform into ten different forms by defeating and consuming enemies. You can save up to two of these forms and quickly switch between them and his default zombie form. Body Hack lets players equip gear to change Davy’s arms, head, and legs, altering his abilities. Importantly, Body Hack works with all of Davy’s different forms.

Honestly, I thought the first look at Davy’s abilities would be pretty limited, and they’d slowly show off more later on. But GPTrack50 totally surprised me by revealing everything Davy can do right away! So, here’s a rundown of all the forms Davy can transform into, and a quick explanation of what each one does.

Zombie Style (default – always available)
– Basic unarmed melee strings with light and heavy attacks
– Can bite enemies to gain other Styles in a run



Werewolf Style
– Speed-based Style that attacks with claws and legs
– Has an uppercut launcher and ascends while attacking in a circular motion
– Can jump off nearby walls to gain access to higher places



Harpy Style
– Flies around for movement
– Attacks primarily with projectiles, so it’s more range-based
– Can double jump and glide



Golem Style
– Big, tanky style that can attack lots of enemies at once
– Can roll into a ball and ram itself into enemies
– Has a spin-to-win move



Vampire Style
– Specializes in mid-ranged combat utilizing swarms of bats to attack
– Has a red AoE zone around it indicating their effective range
– Can suck the blood of foes to recover energy



Will o’ the Wisp Style
– Changes Davy’s body into a corporeal, ethereal state so he can avoid a lot of attacks inherently
– Fires off purple fireballs for attacks that split into multiple projectiles, and has a few AoE abilities that were showcased
– Since this style floats, Davy can avoid ground traps easily



Cyclops Style
– Big body Style that swings around a gigantic rock club
– Can swing it into enemies to send them flying



Snow Fairy Style
– Unique style that primarily uses an ice sword for its attacks
– Can freeze enemies and by hitting frozen enemies, Davy absorbs their energy to increase the size of the ice sword



Merfolk Style
– Possesses the ability to dive into the ground like it’s water, and can emerge from the ground attack enemies
– Can summon huge water wave wall to attack from the front
– Has an ability that can surf around on the ground with a surfboard



Lich Style
– Wields a scythe to attack from close to mid ranges
– Ability that can drop a skeleton head on enemies
– Has a charge up skill that vastly increases the size of the scythe the longer it’s held
– Slain enemies can be resurrected into skeletons that fight with you



Demon Style
– Fights with a whip
– Can control gravity to round up enemies and shove rocks into them once they’ve been gathered up
– Can ascend high into the air to do a dive kick maneuver that explodes upon impact



What I loved most about the Stupid Never Dies preview was seeing all the unique character designs. Despite their differences, each one still includes a nod to Davy’s signature cap. I’m already really impressed with the overall artistic style of this game.

Davy has another cool ability: a temporary power boost called Davy Burst, which is triggered by repeatedly biting. It’s similar to the star power-up in Mario games. When active, Davy’s perception changes, creating bright, colorful, and somewhat psychedelic visuals. He even adds cartoonish expressions – like googly eyes and blushes – to his enemies, showing us how he sees them in this state. The whole effect is reminiscent of the fun, energetic style of late 90s Nickelodeon cartoons.


That pretty much covers what I experienced in Stupid Never Dies. It’s key to understand that Styles are temporary power-ups Davy gets during each run and aren’t saved between runs. He earns them by defeating enemies, but can only have two at a time, in addition to his default Zombie style. Body Hack gear, however, appears to be permanent upgrades that Davy keeps and can use on every run.

The upcoming game, Stupid Never Dies, is set to launch on PlayStation 5 and PC, though a specific release date is still to be announced. Developed using Unreal Engine 5, it will be a single-player experience. Players will be able to enjoy English audio with subtitles available in a variety of languages including English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and Brazilian Portuguese. The developers have hinted at potentially adding even more subtitle languages later. I’m excited to see the finished game, and I hope the development team, GPTrack50, can continue their work despite the current challenges facing NetEase Games and its studios.

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2026-03-13 01:27