For a lot of gamers, nothing can be more coveted than a deathless run of a challenging game, be it a 1CC on a classic arcade game or the ability to make it through the average soulslike game without perishing to a monstrous boss even once. With their latest title, though, Inti Creates almost seem to be daring players to tackle a deathless run, given that main hook of the game revolves around a limited number of lives in a unique way. That game would be Umbraclaw, their new 2D action-adventure game centered around an adorable kitty trying to make their way home…from the land of the dead. And with the latest trailer, seen below, we now know when we’ll be able to undertake this weird journey as well.
Umbraclaw is the story of Kuon, an ordinary housecat who sadly finds themselves deceased, and now trapped in the Soulplane, the realm of the dead. So now they’re search for a way to open the boundary between the Soulplane and the mortal world and return to her beloved owner, Tsukomo, but there’s one notable obstacle in their way, that being that if they take even a single hit from an enemy, they end up dying (well, dying again). But just as cats have nine lives, every death allows Kuon to return thanks to the Anima Revive power, which has the bonus of allowing Kuon to absorb the soul of another animal and gain a power that helps them survive, such as an elephant that allows them to snatch enemy projectiles mid-air, a crow that allows for an extra mid-air jump or even a tyrannosaurus rex that allows Kuon to emit a powerful shockwave.
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But after enough deaths, Kuon absorbs the soul of a human, gaining a more powerful humanoid form, allowing them to properly battle the monsters one-on-one, shifting the focus from dodging and fleeing to full-on fighting. The catch is that, as seen in Umbraclaw’s trailer, each death impacts their heart and soul in some way, and may even cause them to eventually lose their memories of Tsukomo. Indeed, Inti has stated that one of the big challenges is making it to the end with as few deaths as possible, with the implication that doing so will result in the best ending. Quite the challenge, to say the least, especially since the opportunity to battle as Kuon’s humanoid form seems tantalizing…
Umbraclaw arrives on May 30 for all major platforms, but if you may’t wait another four months to try it out, then good news, as a demo of the game will be available as a part of the next Steam Next Fest beginning February 5. So in just over a week, you’ll be able to see just how skilled you are at helping Kuon avoid death, getting a taste for the challenge yet to come. But as the game reminds us, you can still find hope in death…
