An indie Japanese title,Hyakki Castleis a real-time dungeon-crawler JRPG that has players explore a sinister fictional castle set in the 18th century – during the Edo Period.
The Edo Period is an infamous period in Japanese history known for economic growth, social order, foreign policies, healthy population and heightened enjoyment of arts and culture.
Hyakki Castleis being developed byAsakusa Studiosand will be published byHappinet. The game will launch on PC to a global audience, which is a rarity considering the Japanese gaming market is dominated by mobile titles. It’ll release through Steam in winter of this year.
Hyakki Castle- Divide & Conquer!
This is a full-scale JRPG that will have players explore a mysterious and terrifying haunted castle on an exiled island. A defining feature inHyakki Castleis its' unique2-Party System, a new gameplay innovation for dungeon-crawlers from Asakusa Studios. More on this later.
Genre:JRPG - Dungeon Crawler - Adventure
Developed by:Asakusa Studios
Published by:Happinet
Release Date:Winter 2017
Platforms:PC via Steam
Website:http://hyakki-castle.asakusastudios.jp/
Story & Setting
Hyakki Castleis set on an island of exile where criminals are sent. Doman Kigata, a prodigy sorcerer who schemed to overthrow the Shogunate and placed a death curse on the leader, has been captured and sent to the island. One day decapitated heads were sent to Edo Castle. They were the barely recognizable faces ofHyakki Castleguards and criminals.
“My offering to you, contents: 3 heads - The Lord ofHyakki Castle”
News of the mystical castle appearing on Hyakki Island had already reached the Shogunate’s search team. Iemune, the current Shogun of the time, believed this to be the doing of Doman Kigata. Thus, an investigation ofHyakki Castleand the assassination of Doman Kigata were appointed to 4 secret agents (the player)…
The giant castle situated on Hyakki Island houses not just dangerous criminals, but also rumors of ghosts and demons.
Inspired by Japanese folklore,Hyakki Castlecreates an eerie and mysterious environment where the evil supernatural have been summoned by a shadowy figure and it’s up to the player and/or company to strategically make their way through the dark rooms and areas.
Hyakki Castleis heavily influenced by other well known dungeon-crawlers such asThe Legend of GrimrockandDungeons & Dragons.
For those uninitiated, in dungeon-crawlers you get around the dungeon (level/stage) in a first-person perspective, doing battle with monsters in real time, solving puzzles and avoiding traps.
Players can create a party with up to four members and can choose to split them into two, using theDual-Party System. It enables the flexibility of creating detachments when necessary, opening up new gameplay possibilities and giving players a strategic edge.
For instance, a player detachment can act as bait to lure a monster while the other three lay in wait for an ambush—or the party can split to flank a monster or to solve a puzzle.
Players can play as traditional Japanese classes such as theSamurai,NinjaorMonkwhile also choosing from three different races; such as anOni, aTenguor theNekomata, with each having their own special abilities.
The dark and mysterious castle will be full of smart traps, spooky ghosts,Yokaiand challenging boss monsters all taken from ancient Japanese literature. This crafts a unique experience forroleplayingfans as they enter the eerie “Fantastical World” of ancient Japan.
Audio & Visual
Hyakki Castleuses the famous"ukiyo-e" art styleof the Edo period (1615-1868) that the game is also set in.
The 3D graphics in the game appear to be well modeled, with good shading and are decently textured. The darkness in the distance creates for an anxious approach not knowing if you’ll join the ranks ofHyakki Castle’s ghosts.
Based on what is shown so far,Hyakki Castleappears to be a well polished game with an interesting mechanic done for the genre. Also, it absolutely nails its theme and aesthetics.
But, we’ll have to wait for when the game fully launches this winter.
