Inti Creates Reveals Umbraclaw Release Date, Teases New Game - News
by Evan Norris , posted on 23 January 2024 / 3,872 Views
Indie developer Inti Creates has just revealed extensive new details — including the release date — for its upcoming 2D action game Umbraclaw. Directed by Satoru Nishizawa, who previously developed the Blaster Master Zero series, Umbraclaw tells the story of Kuon, a house cat who awakens after death in the Soulplane, a realm of the dead. Players control Kuon as she searches for a way to open the "Boundary" to the mortal world and return home.
The twist is that any single hit to the tiny house cat means instant death. However, it also means a new chance. Kuon has the uncanny power of "Anima Revive", which brings her back to life, each time with a new skill to help her progress further in the game.
These skills include, among others, "Elephant", which grants a trunk to snatch enemy projectiles out of the air; "Crow", essentially a double jump; and "Tyrannosaurus", which attacks with a powerful shock wave. If Kuon dies enough times, she will absorb a "human's soul", with major effects on gameplay and narrative. Indeed, depending on the player's actions and choices, you might see one of several endings.
Apart from high-stakes 2D action, Umbraclaw promises a soul-touching story and a "dark and stunning underworld" rendered in hand-drawn art in the style of paper cut-outs. The game launches digitally for Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on May 30, 2024 (price TBD). For those interested in previewing the game, a demo will be available during the Steam Next Fest February 2024 edition.
Finally, Inti Creates teased an entirely separate, unannounced project via the screenshot below. As opposed to most of the studio's projects, which are 2D action-platformers, this new title looks like a card-based tactics game, with some similarity to the Mega Man Battle Network series.
More information on the mystery game, as well as a playable demo, will be available at PAX East 2024 in March.
