Chucklefish has delayed the release of magic life simulation game Witchbrook to 2026 for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. According to Chucklefish, the developers want to make Witchbrook as immersive as possible, hence the game being delayed. Originally planned for release in winter 2025, Witchbrook will also be available on Xbox Game Pass at launch.
Witchbrook needs a little more time in the cauldron, so we're shifting the release to 2026.
It's a big project, and we want to make your time in Mossport as rich and immersive as possible.
Here’s the latest development update for Witchbrook:
A closer look at Mossport, and what’s brewing next year.
Hey everyone,
We have an important update to share about Witchbrook. Originally we had planned to launch Winter 2025, but despite great development progress this year, we’ve made the difficult decision to shift the release into next year.
Witchbrook is a big project – and it’s taking shape exactly as we hoped; full of charm, depth and detail! In our first blog, we shared our goal to create a living, breathing world for you to explore, and as we bring all those elements together, we’re taking the time needed to ensure the world feels rich, immersive, and alive.
So far we’ve been quiet about the size of the gameworld, but today we’d like to reveal the first look at our map of Mossport! While the map highlights the sheer scale of the physical world you’ll be exploring, we’re also hard at work filling the world with spellbinding stories, captivating quests, and enchanting systems to enrich your time at Witchbrook College.
It’s really important to note here that the coloured areas you see here on the map are playable areas!
Whether it’s hiking through the peaceful green trails of Shadhollow Forest with its concealed paths and ancient secrets, or breathing in the salty sea breeze on the golden beaches of Parasol Sands, Mossport is full of natural beauty and diverse locations.
Often home to festivals and markets, Mossport’s high street is the lively heart of the city, with shops to browse, delicacies to sample, and friendly faces to meet. Whilst the Student Village buzzes with energy beneath the grand facade of Witchbrook College, housing a lively community of young witches.
When you need a step back, Shadbrook Cottage and its verdant garden offer a quiet retreat to transform how you see fit. Just down the lane you’ll find peaceful farmlands, and even a secluded spot to fish along the winding river. Each area connects naturally to the next, creating a world that feels lived-in, warm, and ready for you to explore.
What’s Next?
The extra time we’re letting the cauldron bubble has opened the door to exploring a few additional exciting opportunities, including additional platforms and language support we hadn’t initially planned! More details on this as soon as we can share them.
We’re hoping this glimpse at the map conveys the scale and variety of places you’ll be exploring in Witchbrook, when it releases next year! We’ll be sharing more development updates this side of the year with a blog focused on character customisation arriving in the next few weeks. Also word on the street is that there’s another The Witchbrook Oracle already in the works. We can’t wait to share more.
Thank you for your patience, passion and continued support.
Level Infinite has released a demo for its upcoming VR horror game, Dread Meridian, as part of Steam Next Fest. While the game will release for SteamVR, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, and Meta Quest 3S, the demo is exclusive to Steam.
In Dread Meridian, players step into the shoes of Daniella, a researcher who travels to a remote island spiraling into madness in search of her lost twin sister. However, while looking for her, players must contend with horrific creatures, cryptic puzzles, and dread-filled environments.
The VR combat is intense, and players will need to make important tactical decisions, such as how to best utilize their limited resources and customizable weapons. When ammo is low, players can pull out their knife and fight to the best of their abilities, similarly to the classic Resident Evil series.
The demo will give players a taste of what to expect from the upcoming game. This includes a look at Dread Meridian‘s gameplay, emphasis on resource management, puzzles, and of course, the horrific monsters which inhabit this world. It is currently unknown if the demo will still be available after Steam Next Fest ends on October 20.
Community testing for Dread Meridian will begin later this year, so fans won’t have to wait much longer to play. In addition, the development team is looking for user feedback heading into the game’s launch. You can expect more updates in the near future, along with information about the team’s plans for a co-op PvE mode. These updates will likely be shared on the game’s official website, Discord, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
Asobism announced party-building roguelike auto-battler Vivid World launches on November 5 for PC via Steam. Vivid World is the sequel to Vivid Knight, which was previously released on Android, iOS, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
What’s more, a demo version of Vivid World is available with the following content:
Co-op mode
Early game scenarios
22 playable characters
21 types of gems
41 types of orbs
9 types of accessories
6 types of dungeon events
Lastly, here’s an overview of the game, via Steam:
Vivid World is a completely new party-building roguelike auto-battler, where you assemble a team of characters that have transformed into jewels to engage in combat!
Transverse a new world with quirky characters who’ve all been redesigned from Vivid Knight! Create your own unique and powerful party to clear every dungeon in your way!
More in-depth party building than before!
Do you know the proverb: “Three heads are better than one”?
Gather several of the same jewels, enhance them, and see your buffs and synergy explode with power!
And now, introducing “Orbs.” You can equip Orbs to each character in your party, which means your ability to create and change your party has now expanded infinitely!
Strategic battles.
In this game, the battles advance automatically while the player utilizes “Gems” to support their party during battle phases.
With our new and improved battle system, the player can combine several Gems together or unleash the power of individual Gems!
Enjoy strategic battles with greater freedom than ever before!
Resource management that will test your thinking.
The characters who battle for you are, after all, only jewels.
That means you can “buy and sell” them.
You can buy different types of Jewels or strengthen a single Jewel by merging several of the same Jewel with it.
The choice is yours. Feel free to play around with your resources however you see fit.
But be careful.
If you’re too greedy, you might find yourself being sucked into a dungeon here in the Underworld that you can’t get out of.
A world shrouded in mystery.
The Underworld’s deep, dark secrets.
Those secrets will be revealed as you conquer dungeons and interact with the denizens of the Underworld.
Just who are these characters who have transformed into Jewels?
By strengthening your bonds with them and unleashing their hidden powers, you might find that out as well.
Lumines has been lauded as one of the PSP’s killer apps, thanks to its unique blend of puzzle gameplay matched with rhythm-based music. Enhance further explored different ways to integrate puzzles and music into one euphoric experience. With the release of Tetris Effect: Connected, it seemed a natural conclusion to return to this franchise with Lumines Arise.
Announced during the June 4 State of Play earlier this year, Arise brings back the combination of block-matching puzzles with synchronized rhythm, combined with a visual overhaul. This release expands the sensorial experience established from REZ Infinity and Tetris Effect: Connected, and after some hands-on time, it’s safe to say that Lumines Arise is shaping up to be a transcendent experience while retaining a degree of difficulty.
It’s a Brand New Day
Lumines Arise is best described as a block-matching game where the goal is to create larger squares. The timeline constantly refreshes, sweeping away any combination of squares. While it starts easy, the difficulty curve ramps up, speeding up the timeline and drop rate. If the playfield is whole, Chain Blocks of either color can clear some space, creating the needed combinations. Each playfield features its own thematic aesthetic and music, and the gameplay adapts to the tempo of the tracks.
There’s a new way to clear the board via the Burst mechanic. When active, the playfield enters a state in which squares of a single color form into clusters. During Burst mode, the music pauses and reacts to the cluster’s expansion, creating a drop in the track. Depending on how much the meter is charged before activating burst, the longer passes are. This new feature is not too dissimilar to Zone mode in Tetris Effect: Connected, as it allows itself to be a comeback mechanic, which can’t always save a run if the playfield is full of junk.
Stepping Forward Into An Unforgettable Journey
Journey mode from Tetris Effect: Connected returns, and this is the primary means of progression. There are nine areas to progress from, each having either four or five stages, except for the final area. Each stage is beautifully complemented by visuals that range from a sunny beach to seeing a forest with squirrels roaming the playfield. These stages react through the DualSense’s haptic feedback, with each movement and beat of the track providing input. After achieving the objective, the stage seamlessly transitions to the next without a drop in performance.
The Loomii functions as the user-created avatar, completely customizable and unique. When stepping forward to Journey Mode, the main menu starts empty, but with each burst, it frees several Loomii. After a run, they populate the main menu, flying around the Journey Mode button to amplify its environmental storyline. Customizing a Loomii is done by collecting and spending Pon on the Loomii-Pon, and is collected through gameplay. It also includes additional rewards to roll for with varying degrees of rarity, such as titles, colors, banners, etc. Other items can be unlocked under special conditions in Journey or the other available modes.
With the completion of Journey, you will unlock two new modes in the form of Survival found on the Journey menu and Challenges in the Mission Mode menu. Survival is the traditional marathon mode, where running through stages is now a fight to get the highest score. Challenge Mode adds an extra twist that can stretch the mind, such as building under restrictions or even playing with constant chain blocks. These modes provide an additional layer of replayability, making them rewards after a long journey.
After a Long Reflection Across the Globe
Lumines Arisealso features a variety of modes and accessibility settings to choose from. Mission Mode serves as both a tutorial for the game and additional puzzles that reward Pon. Playlist mode allows the creation of playlists that can be both thematic or mood-based, and can be watched in Theater Mode with stages from Journey Mode. Multiplayer offers a small hub area, allowing players to see other loomii walking around and interact with each other. Every weekend, there’s a special event where players can earn Pon through collaborative effort.
This mode also provides exclusive modes that both help teach and fight for the top spot on the leaderboards. These leaderboard modes include Time Attacks of three time varieties, and Dig Down, a mode where garbage blocks keep spawning from the bottom, raising the level of tension. Outside the leaderboard modes, there’s Quick Burst, which aims to form the biggest possible cluster. Additionally, there’s the versus mode called Burst Battle, where the best are tested in a best-of-three rounds. The leaderboards can be accessed with a single tap, and some are reset daily.
Selecting the accessibility settings is as easy as hitting the pause button. These settings can range from making the game stress-free to making the playfield easier to visualize to applying phobia filters. Additionally, there are settings for adjusting the camera distance, which also change the text size and colorblind filters. This is welcome, as the trek through Journey Mode can get overwhelming due to its visual and reactive elements. It may be frustrating at times, but the journey is all the more rewarding once completed.
Finding the Light in the Here and Now
Lumines Arise sees Enhance continue to take a step forward with another breathtaking experience. The serene atmosphere is amplified by the beautiful original tracks composed by Hydelic, which feature genre-bending music and immersive landscapes, providing an interesting challenge ahead. The open accessibility options make the overall experience smoother, and I believe this will be greatly appreciated by newcomers and veterans alike. The variety of modes on display will keep one coming back, especially to compete for the leaderboards. And while challenges are locked away due to story progression, the missions can easily train for what’s to come, as I felt the difficulty was challenging at first.
In an age where microtransactions are still prevalent, it’s cool to see that all the currency is obtained through gameplay, although with the caveat to roll for the rewards. Again, there are some rewards available through special conditions or purchasable, such as the Deluxe Edition content, which features themed Loomii skins from previous Enhance titles. The game’s performance was excellent across the board, except for a single crash, which didn’t stop me from completing the journey. Considering this small look at Lumines Arise left me with such a sizeable progression, I’m looking forward to what could be an unforgettable experience that transcends the senses with the full release.
Lumines Arise releases on November 11 for PlayStation 5 and PC.
1000-REKA announced yuri visual novel Black Lily’s Tale is coming to PC via Steam in English on October 24. A Black Lily’s Tale demo is also available on Steam, featuring prologue, some side events, and unique gameplay features.
Black Lily’s Tale is now available on Crunchyroll Game Vault for Android and iOS. Here’s an overview, via Crunchyroll:
From the stunning artistry of Fukahire comes Black Lily’s Tale—a yuri visual novel where every word you choose can change destiny.
Experience a touching, bittersweet romance brought to life with beautiful illustrations, fully voiced characters, and a unique system where you interrupt choices and type the words that can break tragedy’s loop.
A story pure yet intense, tender yet haunting. This is a love that refuses to fade—even under the shadow of a curse.
Perhaps it was the curse of a black lily that bloomed too early in the winter… Before graduation, Hana falls in love with another girl. But her pure feelings are torn apart by a “loop of tragedy.”
Key Features
Yuri Coming-of-Age Story – Explore the struggles of a girl falling in love with another girl
Innovative Choice-Making – Interrupt decisions and type your own words to shape fate
Beautiful Artwork – Fukahire’s nostalgic illustrations with animated character sprites
Fully Voiced Characters – Bringing emotion and depth to every scene
Bilingual Support – Play in Japanese or English
Can you guide Hana toward happiness—or will love become her undoing?
Sony Interactive Entertainment announced its PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Game Catalog for October 2025 featuring Silent Hill 2, Until Dawn, Tekken 3, and much more. PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members have access to this updated game catalog starting October 21, 2025.
Every month, PlayStation Plus Game Catalog brings several PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games to subscribers. Alongside a number of PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games, PlayStation Plus members gain access to PlayStation VR2 titles and classics from the original PlayStation, PlayStation 2, and PlayStation Portable. PlayStation 4 games will no longer be a benefit starting in January 2026.
PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Game Catalog for October 2025
The full list of October 2025 Game Catalog titles for PlayStation Plus may be found below, via PlayStation Blog:
Silent Hill 2 | PS5
Take on the role of James Sunderland and venture into the mostly deserted town of Silent Hill in this highly anticipated remake of the 2001 classic. What awaits him is a rust-stained nightmare, cloaked in fog, and populated by monsters. Experience a master class in psychological horror on the latest hardware with chilling visuals and visceral sounds. Enter a dream-like world and encounter twisted monsters, the menacing Pyramid Head, and a seemingly ordinary cast of characters wrestling with their past. As James comes to terms with his own turmoil, he’ll be left with one question – why did he really come to Silent Hill?
Until Dawn | PS5
Rebuilt from the ground up for PS5, Until Dawn invites you to immerse yourself in a gripping slasher horror where every decision can make the difference between life and death. When eight friends return to the isolated mountain lodge where two of their group vanished a year prior, things quickly take a sinister turn. As fear tightens its icy grip on the group, their remote retreat becomes an inescapable nightmare. Your actions and choices will determine who survives in this definitive version of the seminal horror classic.
V Rising | PS5
V Rising is a vampire survival action-RPG adventure like no other. Awaken as a weakened vampire after centuries of slumber and hunt for blood to regain your strength while hiding from the scorching sun to survive. Rebuild your castle and convert humans into your loyal servants in a quest to raise your vampire empire. Explore a vast world teeming with mythical horrors and danger. Travel through lush forests, open countryside, and dark caverns to discover valuable resources, meeting friends and foes alike along the way. Roam the night alone or gather a clan – V Rising can be played solo, co-op or in persistent online multiplayer. Travel alone or explore the world with friends. Raid other players’ castles or play the diplomat in the game of blood, power and betrayal. Compete or cooperate – the choice is yours.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon | PS5, PS4
Ichiban Kasuga, a low-ranking grunt of a low-ranking yakuza family in Tokyo, faces an 18-year prison sentence after taking the fall for a crime he didn’t commit. Never losing faith, he loyally serves his time and returns to society to discover that no one was waiting for him on the outside, and his clan has been destroyed by the man he respected most. Ichiban sets out to discover the truth behind his family’s betrayal and take his life back, drawing a ragtag group of society’s outcasts to his side: Adachi, a rogue cop, Nanba, a homeless ex-nurse, and Saeko, a hostess on a mission. Together, they are drawn into a conflict brewing beneath the surface in Yokohama and must rise to become the heroes they never expected to be. Experience dynamic RPG combat like none other. Switch between 19 unique Jobs ranging from Bodyguard to Musician, and use the battlefield as your weapon. Take up bats, umbrellas, bikes, street signs, and everything else at your disposal to crack some skulls!
Poppy Playtime: Chapter 1 | PS5, PS4
Playtime Co. was once the king of the toy manufacturing industry… until everybody inside of the factory one day disappeared into thin air. Now, years later, you must explore the factory and uncover the truth. Try to survive the vengeful toys waiting for you in this horror/puzzle adventure. Use your GrabPack to hack electrical circuits or nab items from afar. Explore the mysterious facility… and don’t get caught.
As Dusk Falls | PS5, PS4
As Dusk Falls is a gripping crime drama that explores the entangled lives of two families across decades, starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong in small town Arizona. Created by the lead designer of Heavy Rain and Beyond: Two Souls, this thrilling, branching multiplayer interactive drama follows these two families in their struggle to survive, protect, and endure challenges rooted in the previous generations’ mistakes. Every decision will shape the characters’ fates. Multiple paths through each chapter will reveal insights about who you and your friends are and make every playthrough unique. Replay the story again and again to uncover vastly different outcomes for multiple characters and hidden nuances behind every decision and relationship. Will your characters survive unscathed? What kind of people will they ultimately become?
Wizard with a Gun | PS5
Wizard with a Gun is an online sandbox survival game for 1 to 4 players set in a magical wilderness wrought with dangerous creatures and arcane mysteries. Embark on a journey alone or with friends to collect, craft, and outfit your wizard however you see fit as you explore the unknown. Collect resources from the world and craft unique enchanted ammunition for your arsenal of guns. Combine elements for intended or surprising effects that alter the shot, blast radius, bullet trail, and even the status of the creature in your crosshairs. Carefully design weapons, bullets, and furnishings for your tower home but try not to burn it all down as the magic you wield escalates beyond your control… Survive alone or with a few wizard friends in online cooperative play to combine resources, magic, and creativity in your tower building. Or just watch it all burn down together – the choice is yours.
Classics Catalog
Tekken 3 | PS5, PS4
Experience Tekken 3, originally released on the original PlayStation, enhanced with up-rendering, rewind, quick save, and custom video filters. Nineteen years following the previous King of Iron Fist tournament, fighters from all over the world have mysteriously begun to disappear at the hands of the enigmatic being known only as Toshin. Heihachi, hoping the promise of strong opponents will lure out this so-called “God of Fighting,” begins his preparations for The King of Iron Fist Tournament 3. Experience Tekken 3’s world at its very best, with an all-new CGI opening and unique endings for each character, exclusive to the home console release. Every mode from previous entries is here, including Arcade Mode, Versus Mode, Team Battle Mode for competitive play, and Practice Mode for all your training needs.
Lastly, here’s an overview of the game, via Steam:
Ready Set Rumble!
Have a blast with friends and family alike in chaotic survival battles!
Sonic Rumble is the first multiplayer party game in the iconic game series, with up to 32 players battling it out!
Who will be the world’s top Rumbler?!
Explore a world full of charming stages and exciting game modes!
Experience a vast array of stages with different themes and ways to play!
Rumble is packed with different gameplay styles, including Run, where players race for the top spot, Survival, where players compete to stay in the game, Ring Battle, where players duke and dodge it out for the most rings, and lots more! Matches are short, so anyone can pick it up and play in their spare time.
Play with friends and family alike!
Form a squad of 4 players and work together to take on other squads around the world!
All your favorite Sonic characters are here!
Play as Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, Dr. Eggman, and other Sonic-series favorites!
Customize your characters to your heart’s content with a variety of character skins, animations, effects, and more!
Game Setting
Players control a character from the Sonic series as they enter a toy world created by the villainous Dr. Eggman, making their way through treacherous obstacle courses and dangerous arenas!
Loads of music brings the world of Sonic Rumble to life!
Sonic Rumble features sprightly audio for those with a need for speed!
Keep an ear out for iconic tunes from the Sonic series as well!
Crunchyroll and A PLUS JAPAN announced anime action RPG BLEACH: Soul Resonance will be released worldwide, excluding Asia, by the end of 2025 for Android and iOS. Pre-registration for BLEACH: Soul Resonance is now open on Google Play and the Apple App Store, and the game’s official website is now live.
An overview of the game can be found below, courtesy of Crunchyroll:
Immerse yourself in a story-driven experience that stays true to the heartfelt tales of BLEACH. Step into the Soul Society, experience the passion and romance as you unleash Bankai with your fingertips, and fight with your Zanpakuto by your side.
Immersive Storyline—A True-to-the-Heart Adaptation: Dive into an immersive story that places you right in the heart of BLEACH’s action-packed world! Every clash, strike, story, and iconic line is crafted with genuine passion and care—all to bring you face-to-face with the Soul Reapers.
Innovative Blade-Clashing Gameplay—Victory Decided in an Instant: Fight side-by-side with your Zanpakuto! Where your fingers move, the blade follows. Experience innovative blade-clashing gameplay for an unparalleled battle thrill! Each Zanpakuto comes with tailored feedback, making every slash feel realistic and putting you in the heart of the battle.
Seamless Character Switching—Synergistic Combos: Forge victory through bonds, dig into the skills, weave versatile lineups to bend the war to your will for relentless damage. Seamlessly switch between characters and unleash the combos. Experience the multi-dimensional improvement to combat! Where blades crown the field, march with your comrades and fight side by side!
Unite for the Cause of Protection — Assemble Iconic Characters: With an 80-draw guarantee, you’re bound to get your favorite characters. Now, with trusted allies and teammates by your side, let’s raise your blade in the sacred name of protection!
The ad-free manga mobile and web app offer hundreds of titles from renowned publishers like AlphaPolis, COMPASS, Square Enix, VIZ Media, and Yen Press, with additional partners like Shueisha, J-Novel Club, ThirdlineNEXT, and highstone to follow with more titles on Crunchyroll Manga in the future.
Featured manga titles include:
Crunchyroll Manga Titles
A Gatherer’s Adventure in Isekai
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra
The Apothecary Diaries
Beast Tamer
Black Clover
Bleach
Bungo Stray Dogs
By the Grace of the Gods
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?!
Daemons of the Shadow Realm
Delicious in Dungeon
The Devil Is a Part-Timer!
Do It Yourself!!
Dr. STONE
FAKE
From General to Bride: Marrying My Strongest Rival
Goodbye, Dragon Life
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All
Haikyu!!
High School DxD
How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer
I May Be a Guild Receptionist, but I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History
Jujutsu Kaisen
Kaiju No. 8
Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
Lycoris Recoil
Maiden of the Dragon: Falling for the Demon’s Lies
Mieruko-chan Official Comic Anthology
Mr. Villain’s Day Off
My Awkward Senpai
My Dress-Up Darling
My Friend’s Little Sister Has It in for Me!
My Happy Marriage
My Hero Academia
Naruto
New Saga
One Piece
Possibly the Greatest Alchemist of All Time
The Princess of Blue Roses
Ragna Crimson
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
Re:Monster
Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon
Rust-Eater Bisco
Sasaki and Miyano
Secrets of the Silent Witch
She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat
Spice and Wolf
Spy x Family
Sugar Apple Fairy Tale
The Summer Hikaru Died
This Monster Wants to Eat Me
Touring After the Apocalypse
Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy-
The Unaware Atelier Meister
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop
Crunchyroll Ultimate Fan subscribers ($15.99/month) can enjoy Crunchyroll Manga at no extra cost, along with additional benefits like 15% off select products, Crunchyroll Game Vault, and more. The app will be available on all tiers as an add-on to their existing Crunchyroll subscription. All tiers include unlimited ad-free reading across mobile, tablet, and web, along with the ability to download chapters for offline reading, toggle light or dark mode, view full 2-page spreads, and build a personalized reading list with curated recommendations.
Existing Crunchyroll subscribers can add Crunchyroll Manga starting at:
Crunchyroll Fan subscription + Manga – $11.99 USD / $15.49 CAD per month (includes Manga add-on at $4.00 USD / $5.50 CAD)
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Horror games are one of the most popular and sensationalized genres out there. But that was not always the case. Back on older console systems, horror games were very scarce. However, this all changed when Resident Evil was released, demonstrating to the world that video games had the same capability to give thrills as the big motion pictures. In recent years, we’ve had quite a few indie horror games pay homage to the PS1 era, including Crow Country and Mouthwashing. CARIMARA has also decided to join this trend, as it uses old-school graphics to create a creepy atmosphere that feels truly eerie and unsettling.
A Murder Mystery Unfolds In An Enclaved Cottage
Straight off the bat, it’s important to note that CARIMARA is an incredibly short game and will likely take most players about an hour or so to complete. You take control of Carimara, a mute hobgoblin-esque creature who is on a mission to remove a spirit from an enclaved cottage. However, this is not as simple as casting a spell and calling it a day. Although that would be moderately amusing. Instead, you will have to figure out the circumstances that led to the spirit’s death by answering three primary questions: “Who was I?”, “Who killed me?, “What killed me?”.
From here, it’s very much a point-and-click horror mystery, where interacting with objects will give you cards, which you can use as conversation topics with characters or use on other objects to gain more clues. Think of it as dialogue or action options, but with cards replacing them. You will spend most of your time running back and forth on the cottage grounds, gathering clues, and then trying to figure out how it all ties together.
There Are Many Secrets To Uncover
The mystery is not super obvious to solve, so it’s rather unlikely you will answer the riddle on your first or even second attempt. For me, it was only when I discovered a particular item that it clicked into place who the killer was, and that was probably around the 40-minute mark. Without spoiling too much, once you solve the mystery, you can then replay again to uncover an alternative ending, so there are a lot of nuggets to find in the world. Unfortunately, I would say the central mystery was not the most satisfying because some of the answers felt a bit random.
Exploring the cottage and its immediate grounds feels very reminiscent of the old-school polygon days of gaming. For you to find all the possible hints, you will need to examine every part of the land, which sometimes means discovering niche corners or jumping onto different platforms like the rooftop of the cottage. Some of the interactive objects are nicely tucked away, so you can easily miss them if you’re not careful.
There are no traditional jump scares or any monsters hiding away, so you can take your time exploring and soaking in the environment. Even though there is only a small area for you to walk around, the world is well-designed. The cottage has a rustic interior, a purple night sky enshrouds the courtyard, and there’s even a menacing underground tunnel. The atmosphere here is simply terrific, and I really enjoyed exploring the grounds, as it feels incredibly haunted.
The Entirety of The Cottage Has A Creepy Vibe
One of the most distinctive traits of CARIMARA is that the setting is clearly inspired by Normandy folklore. It really feels like you’re cast back to the medieval era, as everything is in monochrome, with only darker shades of color appearing. It’s all very gothic, and personally, I adore the aesthetic it achieves. The characters also match this tone, as they give off creepy vibes with their caricature smiles. Considering you spend so little time with the characters, they are rather memorable and are definitely one of the highlights of the experience. My favorite was the Owl, as he is very eccentric and foul-mouthed. His personality strangely reminded me of the mischievous kids from The Nightmare Before Christmas, minus the swearing, of course.
The sound design is also deserving of high praise. The music will slightly change depending on where you are, and it completely matches the dark and spooky undertones. The sound cues are also on point, like the crows squawking or hearing the fireplace sizzle inside the cottage. The characters also speak in a gibberish language. It’s initially off-putting as it’s very full-on, but by the end, I couldn’t imagine the experience without it. It truly encapsulates an eerie yet beautiful tone.
This is not necessarily a critique as such, but it is worth mentioning that the game is not compatible with a controller at the time of writing. I wouldn’t usually bring this up with an indie title on the PC, as they’re obviously working with a much smaller budget and resources. However, because it borrows many beats from the PS1 and platformer genre, it has inadvertently alienated some of the audience it will most resonate with—casual gamers. I’ll even admit I would have far preferred playing with a controller because it just feels like that type of game.
The developer, Bastinus Rex, takes pride in saying the price of the game costs as much as a good sandwich. So, after everything is said and done, is it worth the price? If you’re looking for an atmospheric bite-sized experience, I would definitely say yes. Admittedly, the mystery here is not the best, but overall, the unique setting, old-school gameplay, and odd characters make it a hidden gem this Halloween season.
Disclaimer: Critical Reflex provided a PC (Steam) copy of CARIMARA: Beneath the forlorn limbs for review purposes.
