Starlight Re:Volver swaps Diablo's gore and demons for magical girls and sparkling sparkles. I couldn't possibly be more excited about it.

I don't understand why it took so long for someone to ask "What if an ARPG was Sailor Moon-ified?" Pahdo Labs did it with Starlight Re:Volver, its upcoming game. It's a welcome departure from the usual dark, gritty aesthetic of the genre with its delightfully colourful cast.

Daniel Zou's career change is a remarkable one. He spent several years working as a software developer in the financial sector. As he told PC Gamer: "My main interest as a child was videogames." Zou founded his high school esports team, and also ran TeamSpeak servers for his friends. "Making games was what got me interested in technology and computer sciences," he says. "I loved creating games in Flash and RPG Maker, and sharing them with friends."

Zou's love of games and keen eye for business led him to anime and its "deep and passionate communities". He reveals that he left his job just as Genshin Impact was released. "I could understand the hype because I have been an anime fan since I first discovered Bleach when I was in middle school. It was the perfect time for someone to create a multiplayer anime game. This is what I wanted to play when I was a child.

As someone who was also utterly enamoured by Bleach, I am already here for Zou's vision. Starlight Re:Volver trailer hits all my nostalgic notes: the delicate anime intro song that would have played on repeat on my iPod Nano; a group of protagonists who look like they just stepped out in their extravagant costumes; and even the classic magic girl transformation sequences I love so much.

Starlight Re-Volver combines a sweet look with some good old ARPG combat. Up to four players can battle their way through dreamscapes. Players can use their abilities to create deadly combos and manipulate two types of terrain in order to gain an advantage in battle.

The thing I'm most looking forward to is the stuff that you can do outside of combat. Starlight Re-Volver's social hub, Nishi Island Metropolis will be home to a variety of minigames. Zou mentions activities like stargazing and fishing, along with character customization. The team is also interested in going even bigger. "Over time, we will gradually expand NIM to an online player hub, with hangouts, social reputation, city skill progression, ways of expressing creativity, and a virtual economy."

The concept seems really cool on paper. I could easily spend a lot of time playing this game, if it's a good one. I'm excited to see more magical girls games released. Alijah Ladd, the creative director of Alijah Ladd, doesn't seem concerned about whether or not the aesthetic is undergoing a revival. "I hope so!" "I don't know if we care," they reply. "A revival is when something dies first, but maho-shojo has never died, at least to us. Starlight Re:Volver was a love-letter to the genre. I believe that when you love something and can bring something new to that thing, other people are excited. Trend or no trend."