In Japan, a physical standard edition of Umbraclaw will be available for PlayStation 5 and Switch for 5,280 yen. A limited edition will also be available for 9,980 yen, which includes an art book, two-disc soundtrack CD, and an acrylic key chain.
Get the latest details below.
■ Release Date Announced
Today, January 23, 2024, Inti Creates has revealed extensive details, including the release date, for their newest 2D action game, Umbraclaw! A demo will be available during the Steam Next Fest February 2024 Edition.
Umbraclaw tells the story of Kuon, a house cat who has died in the mortal world, after she awakens in the Soulplane, a realm of the dead. She must challenge the perilous underworld to return home to her owner in this 2D action adventure.
Taking the helm of development on Umbraclaw, Blaster Master Zero director Satoru Nishizawa will show that cats are not just cute, but cool heroes as well. The game also features an enchanting, art-book graphical style with a hint of darkness that reflects its story.
Will Kuon be able to break through the Boundary to return home safely…?
■ Find Hope in Death
Kuon has died. Shortly after this simple house cat leaves the mortal world, she awakens in the Soulplane, realm of the dead.
The player controls the cat Kuon as she searches for a way to open the “Boundary” to the mortal world and return home. The dangerous terrain and frightful fiends of the Soulplane present a near impossible challenge for a mere house cat. Any single hit to the tiny feline means instant death. However, it also means a new chance—Kuon has the power of “Anima Revive” to revive her with a new skill, once again challenging the trials that await her.
Kuon’s story can meet a multitude of endings depending on her and the player’s actions and choices. Her struggles to break the cycle of life and death may even touch your very soul.
■ Story
One life has come to an end. Life is a fragile thing. It can be snuffed out in an instant through any number of means.
This life belonged to a simple cat that lived with her owner. Her owner may have been devastated. They may have given her a formal burial. They may have scattered her ashes. Or perhaps they were not even aware of her death. she just disappeared one day, never to come back.
Regardless of the circumstances… One life has come to an end.
Having died in the mortal world, the cat Kuon awakens in the Soulplane. In order to return to her owner, she sets out for the only exit available, the “Boundary.”
■ Features
◆ (1) Find Hope in Death with “Anima Revive!”
Kuon is a mere mortal cat. Any damage in the Soulplane is enough to kill her instantly. However, the mysterious “Anima Revive” power will bring her back to life with new skills by absorbing the soul of another animal.
—A mere cat, Kuon dies easily.
—Anima Revive brings her back with a new skill.
—Overcoming her weakness, she can now defeat enemies.
Animal Skills
—Elephant: The Elephant’s trunk snatches enemy projectiles from midair.
—Crow: The Crow’s wings grant 1 mid-air jump.
—Tyrannosaurus: Transform and roar to attack with a powerful shockwave.
Kuon can become even stronger by transforming into a humanoid form, but… Kuon can only revive up to 9 times. “Cats have nine lives,” after all. Will Kuon be able to escape the Soulplane before all nine of her lives are lost?
—Feline Kuon with “Dodge and Flee” Action
Transforms into all-new gameplay…
—Humanoid Kuon with “Full Fighting” Action
After repeated deaths, Kuon will absorb a “human’s soul.” transforming her into a humanoid form built for fighting. Gameplay transforms along with her, from a focus on “avoiding enemies to fighting them.
◆ (2) Traverse an Enchantingly Dark and Stunning Underworld
Kuon’s journey home is lavishly rendered with hand-drawn art, in a style of paper cut-out art. Each twisted enemy and environment has been lovingly crafted by the Inti Creates art team.
◆ (3) A Story That Will Leave a Mark on Your “Soul”
A single cat’s “death” begins a cycle of rebirth.
As Kuon struggles to return home, she will cross paths with other souls fallen to the underworld, both like and unlike her.
Kuon’s story can meet a multitude of endings depending on her and the player’s actions and choices.
Will you be able to keep your humanity, and Kuon’s felinity, until the very end?
■ Characters
Kuon: Feline
A house cat who has died and awakened in the Soulplane. In order to return to her owner, she must find a way to open the “Boundary” between worlds. While she appears to still be a normal cat, she has revived in the Soulplane as one of the fiends who live there. This has granted her the ability of Anima Revive, bringing her back to life when she dies, along with other mysterious powers.
Kuon: Humanoid (voiced by Jenny Yokobori in English, Rie Kawamura in Japanese)
After repeatedly using Anima Revive, Kuon absorbs the soul of a human and transforms into a new body. Honed for combat against the fiends of the Soulplane as it may be, this transformation also affects Kuon’s heart and soul. There is a danger that she may forget her owner and true goal, becoming something closer to the other fiends around her..
Tsukumo (voiced by Christina Assaf-Costello in English, Yuko Natsuyoshi in Japanese)
Kuon’s owner back in the mortal world. She found Kuon as a kitten and has lived with her ever since. Tsukumo’s parents are rarely home due to work, and their relationship suffers as a result. She is shy, has few friends, doesn’t really enjoy school, and has no clear dreams for the future. Low in self-confidence, she’s a typical gloomy teenager. She becomes a total goof around Kuon, perhaps thanks to the emotional support she provides.
