The Pact Worlds are about to get a lot more dangerous. At Tacticon, developer Epictellers Entertainment pulled back the curtain on Starfinder: Afterlight, giving fans a spine-chilling look at one of the game’s primary antagonists.
If you thought exploring neon-lit space stations and undead worlds was going to be a walk in the park, think again. Say hello to Velkan Droth—though you’ll likely come to fear him by his much more sinister moniker: The Minister of Flesh.
A Villain Born of Cosmic Horror
Described by Epictellers’ CEO Ricard Pillosu as a twisted cross between the Joker and Ted Bundy, the Minister of Flesh is an Azrinaran Elf hailing from the notorious planet of Apostae. Voiced by the incredibly talented Christopher Tester (whom tactical RPG fans will immediately recognise as Heinrix from Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader), Velkan Droth serves as a key antagonist across the game’s first two acts.
Droth isn’t just your run-of-the-mill space pirate or galactic warlord. He is a highly unpredictable, deeply charming, and completely sadistic hired gun. Driven by a traumatic past and guided by a mysterious voice only he can hear, he treats his assassinations not as mere jobs, but as elaborate, gruesome works of art.
Worse yet? He has a deeply personal, unsettling obsession with one of your core companions, a Borai named Sterling.
“We still have much to reveal about his past and true intentions, and we can’t wait to see our community dig into our very first villain.” > — Ricard Pillosu, CEO and Co-Founder of Epictellers Entertainment
What is Starfinder: Afterlight?
For the uninitiated, Starfinder: Afterlight is a highly anticipated, single-player party-based CRPG that brings Paizo’s beloved sci-fi fantasy universe to life using the Starfinder 2e ruleset.
When your captain vanishes and the galaxy faces total annihilation, it’s up to you to assemble a crew of six unique companions—ranging from mystic prophets to android assassins—and navigate a massive 40-to-60-hour branching narrative where choices carry heavy consequences.
Key Features to Get Excited For:
- Tactical Turn-Based Combat: Utilise Paizo’s critically acclaimed three-action system with iconic classes like the Soldier, Operative, Mystic, and Solarian.
- Deep Companionship: Forge bonds, navigate moral dilemmas, and even romance your crew.
- A Galaxy of Variety: Battle through everything from Hellknights to holographic viruses across the star system.
Demo and Early Access Timelines
You won’t have to wait until the distant future to face the Minister of Flesh yourself. Epictellers Entertainment confirmed that a public demo is dropping this summer, allowing players to get their first hands-on experience with the tactical combat and encounter Velkan Droth ahead of schedule.
Following the demo, Starfinder: Afterlight is officially tracking to launch into Steam Early Access later this year.
Want to keep a close eye on how this stellar sci-fi RPG is shaping up? You can wishlist the game on Steam right now and dive deep into more details about the development here.
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