Talespinner News

[h3]Every great tale needs a beginning…

And this one is ours![/h3]

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve released our first public demo for Talespinner 🌸

We’d love for you to try it out and give us your feedback by leaving a review, letting us know in the Steam Forums, or following the link at the bottom of this announcement to join our Discord.

If you want to get a sneak peek at what is waiting for you in our demo, you can check out our latest features trailer, which we revealed as part of the Galaxies Autumn Showcase 👇

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

Talespinner is a deck-building roguelike adventure set in a captivating realm steeped in the exotic and bizarre tapestry of Japanese mythology. As the storyteller, you will guide your chosen hero through an ever-changing narrative shaped by your decisions and deck construction.

Each character has its own distinct gameplay mechanics and a powerful set of cards that can be upgraded as you play. In the demo, you’ll get to play as Gyokushin, 1 of the 3 unique characters that will feature in the final game. Whenever you start a new run, you’ll need to choose a scenario that will determine the location and the types of enemies your hero will encounter.

From there, you’ll face off against a variety of yokai, each with their own diverse set of skills. How to deal with them is up to you. Crush them in decisive combat or make them your allies through charm and cunning.

We’ll be gathering feedback and bug reports on our demo from reviews, our Steam Forum, and our Discord, so we’d really appreciate it if you could share your thoughts with us!

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1725410/Talespinner/

[h3]If you want to stay up to date on our latest news, don’t forget to wishlist Talespinner, join our Discord, and follow us on social media by clicking the buttons below 🌸[/h3]

[h3]Grab a warm drink, get cozy, and prepare to hear our tale…

Will our hero defeat their nemesis and rid the land of evil? Or will they die trying?

Find out during our pre-recorded livestream, where Mattie from the Kwalee Gaming team will be battling his way through the Talespinner demo![/h3]

Talespinner is a deck-building roguelike adventure set in a captivating realm steeped in the exotic and bizarre tapestry of Japanese mythology. As the storyteller, you will guide your chosen hero through an ever-changing narrative shaped by your decisions and deck construction.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1725410/Talespinner/

[h3]If you want to stay up to date on our latest news, don’t forget to wishlist Talespinner, join our Discord, and follow us on social media by clicking the buttons below 🌸[/h3]

[h3]To get into the mood for Halloween, we thought we’d take a closer look at one of the spookier yōkai in Talespinner…

The Okuri Inu 🐺

All of the characters and yōkai that appear in Talespinner are deeply rooted in Japanese culture, with game mechanics that are inspired by their actual mythologies. In this post, we wanted to showcase how we’ve incorporated the backstory of the Okuri Inu into the game![/h3]



The name “okuri inu” (送り犬) literally translates to mean “escorting dog”, although the yōkai itself can be depicted as either a dog or a wolf depending on which region of Japan you’re in. These nocturnal dog-like and wolf-like creatures haunt mountain passes, forested roads, and other remote locations searching for unwary travelers. While they may look like their canine counterparts in real life, they are far more dangerous.

If you decide to travel alone at night, beware! The okuri inu received its unusual name because, when they see a lone traveler at night, they will begin stalking them. They always keep a safe distance between themselves and their target, but follow them footstep for footstep. At least, for as long as they keep walking…

If the traveler should trip or stumble, the okuri inu will pounce on them and bring their leisurely midnight stroll to a violent end!

You may be thinking that the okuri inu is all bad, but you’d be wrong.

Within Japanese folklore, they are regarded as both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, if you should falter on your path, they will leap forward and devour you. On the other hand, they are so universally feared that no other dangerous yōkai or animals will dare approach you while they are following you. For as long as you can keep moving forward, you’re safe. On rocky mountain terrain though in the dark of night, your footing is never guaranteed, so tread carefully!



So how have we translated the Okuri Inu’s rich and terrifying folklore into Talespinner?

In Talespinner, you can only encounter the Okuri Inu as part of a special event called It Follows, which may trigger as part of your run. You will have two options when you encounter it: escape its dogged pursuit and lose HP or allow it to follow you.

If you let it follow you, it will become one of your companions, which can be used throughout battles to assist you. The Okuri Inu, however, is not like other companions!



While other companions will provide you with benefits without any drawbacks and can often be activated whenever you need them, the Okuri Inu is a risk versus reward type of companion that has a passive ability. If your HP is above half, the Okuri Inu will bless you with 5 Shield to help you defend against incoming attacks. However, if your HP drops below half, then the Okuri Inu will take its blood toll and cause you to lose 5 HP per turn. This mechanic echoes the Okuri Inu’s ferocious nature, benefiting you only if you stay strong and pouncing on you once you are vulnerable.

It is also the only companion that you cannot dismiss, which ties in to the Okuri Inu’s habit of persistently pursuing its target.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1725410/Talespinner/

[h3]What would you like to see in our next dev diary or yōkai tales?

Let us know in the comments!

Don’t forget to click the buttons below to join our Discord and follow us on social media for more updates 🌸[/h3]

[h3]Want to get lost in the natural beauty of a hand-drawn Japanese landscape this autumn?

Then you won’t want to miss our new trailer!

We’ll be showcasing a brand new trailer for Talespinner as part of the Galaxies Autumn Showcase this Thursday.[/h3]



[h3]If you want to get a first look at our brand new trailer, you’ll need to tune in LIVE at 15:00 ET (12:00 PT, 20:00 BST) on Thursday October 23rd on either the Galaxies Show YouTube channel or their Twitch channel.

We look forward to seeing you there![/h3]

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1725410/Talespinner/

[h3]If you want to stay up to date on our latest news, don’t forget to wishlist Talespinner, join our Discord, and follow us on social media by clicking the buttons below 🌸[/h3]

[p]Talespinner puts you right into the bizarre world of Japanese mythology, where you forge your own path and unravel a story of your own design. Every story needs a hero. Select from 3 unique characters, each with distinct gameplay mechanics and a powerful set of cards that can be upgraded as you play. Forge powerful card synergies to dominate the narrative.


Watch the trailer here 👇 [/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]
[/p][p]Decide what adventure your hero will embark on. Are they being pursued by a ninja clan led by the famous Hanzo Hattori? Or perhaps they venture into the mountains to track down the Ice Lady, Yuki Onna, who haunts the local population there?

Every scenario offers additional story twists, adding layers of challenge and replayability.

Take an epic journey through various biomes like bamboo forests, mysterious caves, windy plains, haunted villages, temples, and many more. Each biome offers diverse events, as well as a unique set of enemies, the Yokai.

Yokai come from a world of creatures & ghosts in Japanese mythology. Each Yokai comes with its own diverse set of skills, making every encounter a unique challenge. How to deal with them is up to you. Crush them in decisive combat or make them your allies through charm and cunning.

As you progress, each battle rewards you with cards to add to your deck, allowing you to construct a deck that matches your playstyle. Each hero has a pool of unique cards, mechanics & events that make sure every runthrough is unique.

Victories can also reward you with a menagerie of companions such as a cute dog, the skull of a fallen samurai, or even a radish! They affect the way you play, opening up even more options to show off your tactical genius!

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Get ready to guide your hero through your chosen story and wishlist Talespinner today! Don't forget to join our Discord, and follow us on social media by clicking the buttons below.

We are also excited to announce that we will be working alongside UK-based publisher Kwalee to release Talespinner!

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