2019 is proving itself to be the year for unique Metroidvanias, all looking to carve their own name and reach the lofty heights set by titles like Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest. With the impending release – and announcement – of Bookbound Brigade, developer Digital Tales wants to prove that they’re the next to be able to reach those heights, and considering what they’ve shown, they’re making a very good case for it so far.
Together with publisher Intragames, Digital Tales formally announced Bookbound Brigade, a literary-themed Metroidvania that takes your favorite fictional and non-fictional characters from books and stars them in their very own video game. The game is set for release on the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC, and it will be one of the playable titles for this year’s Gamescom, which will run from August 20 to 24 at the Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany. Check out the game’s announcement trailer below.
The minute-long trailer doesn’t spoil much, but mechanically the gameplay looks intriguing, as it involves a group of characters working together to traverse the many dangers thrown at them, rather than what I first thought it would be, which is something akin to a character switcher every now and then. It does work and looks pretty cool, with the group of literary heroes pushing obstacles out of the way, stacking themselves to swing from point to point, turning into books to avoid hazards, forming a line to dash through wide gaps, and many more.
Story-wise, Bookbound Brigade is all about leading a group of fictional and non-fictional literary heroes like Dracula, King Arthur, Queen Victoria, Nikola Tesla, Cassandra, Dorothy Gale, Sun Wukong the Monkey King, and Robin Hood to take back the ‘Book of Books,’ a volume that is said to encompass every single work of fiction and non-fiction ever written. Along the way, they’ll fight against other historical and literary characters using their combined might and strength.
As someone who regularly keeps an eye out for new Metroidvanias, this is one I’ll definitely be checking out. If you’re interested as well, stay tuned for more coverage here with us once it drops.
