A Painterly And Lively New Action Spin On Classic Fairy Tales

Though Dlala Studios has other games, it was 2023's Disney Illusion Island that put this team on my personal map. You can read why in Game Informer's Disney Illusion Island review here, but ultimately, it's Dlala's love for its own projects and the accompanying passion that kept me waiting patiently/impatiently for whatever its next game would be. I finally learned what it was last week during Gamescom's Opening Night Live event when Dlala revealed Murals, a fairytale action game launching next year. 

Though I didn't get to go hands-on with Murals during a behind-closed-doors preview at Gamescom 2026 in Cologne, Germany, I still left that appointment impressed and ready for whenever I might see the game next. With Gamescom 2026 behind me, it's easy to say it was one of my favorite games I saw during the event. 

In Murals, you play as The Hero, fitting for a game about classic fairy tales like The Little Mermaid, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, and more. These are familiar tales, but game director and Dlala CEO AJ Grand-Scutton, who explains the game to me while design director Grant Allen actually plays it, is quick to mention that these aren't Disney's takes on the stories, despite the studio's lineage with the Mouse. Instead, it's Dlala's take on the classics created by Hans Christian Andersen and the like, with the studio's distinct spin.

For my appointment, Grand-Scutton and Allen give me a taste of Murals' Little Mermaid rendition. Inside this mural, seemingly watched over by an ominous and mischievous man named The Creator, The Hero attempts to help the Little Mermaid, who lies in a moving bathtub with her head doused in octopus-looking hair. The Hero does so alongside Toast, a sketch gone awry because of chaos in this world caused by monsters collectively known as The Distorted. Grand-Scutton explains that The Hero does speak, but rarely, with the whimsical and naively adorable Toast handling most of the talking. 

This demo is too short to get a bigger picture of Murals' narrative, but I like the Dlala spin on these classic characters alongside the original creations like The Hero and Toast (and I'm not surprised – Dlala has a commanding way of designing interesting and lovable characters). I look forward to learning more about this aspect of the game, but for now, my demo is primarily focused on combat. 

Taking inspiration from Doom, with various types of enemies that each do one thing really well, and action games like Hades, with isometric arena-style combat and post-bout pickups for your combat kit, Murals is a big departure from Disney Illusion Island, which was completely void of combat. The combat is immediately stylish, readable, and vibrant, with explosions of color and effects that enhance an already painterly vista of environmental design. Allen, who is on the sticks, is using The Hero, equipped with the "all-around melee weapon" known as the Dixie Cut sword, in tandem with a Dragon Medallion blaster, which is basically a magical gun, great for keeping encroaching enemies at bay. 

Without going hands-on myself, it's hard to say, but Murals looks like it controls like Hades. Don't be fooled, though: this isn't a roguelite. Instead, Murals is a linear adventure with a story to tell. And, unlike Hades, Murals' stages are smaller, designed with unique barriers and environmental hazards that block out and shape otherwise standard arenas. The result is a more interesting combat playground that seems to require close attention to positioning, both offensively and defensively. 

After making our way through this beachside area to help the Little Mermaid, we come across Magic Dave, a fantastical scarecrow voiced by British comedian Bob Mortimer (Grand-Scutton and Allen are delighted he's a part of the game, as massive fans of his work), who sells Eeries. These are combat changes – think Hades' Boons, Grand-Scutton tells me – but they are permanent throughout your entire adventure and can be equipped and unequipped freely to change how your Hero's combat kit plays. We pick up an Eerie that adds a chance to freeze enemies whenever they're hit by a projectile from your blaster. 

Later, we switch from our sword to the Wolfhammer and combo it with the Chain 'Em Eerie, which adds a chance to electrify enemies on hit with this melee weapon. Grand-Scutton says progression is simple, with XP earned from encounters alongside bonuses for kill streaks, which lets you level up the Hero's damage output, health, and more, though I don't get to see the menus for it. 

As you defeat enemies, you collect Distortion, which fills up an on-screen bar (positioned under the Hero's health bar), and once full, you can use an Ultimate-style move that clears arenas with a beautiful hand-animated visual effect. We continue our way through this beachy area, skating around on the Hero's shoes, which are basically Heelys (side note: we should bring Heelys back), until we reach a boss fight that, unfortunately, I don't get to see. 

I close out this preview with a quick discussion about difficulty, considering Dlala certainly must now have fans newer to gaming following Disney Illusion Island, which was designed with family play in mind. Grand-Scutton says there are various settings to tweak that will allow players to make Murals easier or harder, and that he expects Murals to be as welcoming as Disney Illusion Island was. 

My 30-minute appointment ends too soon – I want to see more. But considering I waited three years to see Dlala's next project after Disney Illusion Island, I think I can manage the wait until its launch sometime next year. 

In the meantime, read Game Informer's Disney Illusion Island review, and then check out Game Informer's Gamescom 2026 round-up to find out what other games we saw on the show floor.