Indie publisher Ysbryd Games has teamed up with developer Glitch Factory to bring its unique take on the pixelated action RPG, No Place for Bravery, to Nintendo Switch and PC. The game, currently slated for a Q1 release in 2021, sees players tackle the effects of emotional trauma as told through a high fantasy, top-down action game lens.
It’s a unique twist on the genre and Ysbryd’s eye for emotionally engaging games (see our review of She Remembered Caterpillars here) means we are likely in for something special here.
No Place for Bravery began life as a roguelike back in 2016 but quickly shifted focus as the folks at Glitch Factory realised the potential of their latest project.
Matheus Queiroz, a developer at the company, noted that as production went on, a common thread of experiences, such as toxic relationships and absentee parents emerged between the developers. “Through the trials and tribulations of our lives, including the long road of development, we have persevered,” Queiroz says “and we hope our shared experiences will be heartfelt by the PC and Nintendo Switch communities in 2021.”
It’s certainly an ambitious claim and exactly how well the team imbues No Place for Bravery with these emotionally heavy concepts remains to be seen in 2021. What we can tell already though is how impressive the art direction and combat is already looking. With a style that seems somewhere between Nordic and Eastern-inspired, as well as fast slasher combat, the game catches the eye.
You’ll be playing as Thorn, a wearied soldier who is on the brink of retirement when news of his daughter’s whereabouts reaches him, prompting a mythical quest for family and love. Variations on the sad/angry dad in video games are plentiful but Glitch Factory is intent on pushing this trope a little further, filling its new world with forlorn warriors and no easy answers.
The press release notes that the tone is intended to be something akin to a Coen Brothers film, which is another one of those big statements that make the wait till 2021 that much harder.
No Place for Bravery will launch in Q1 2021 for $19.99 USD on Nintendo Switch and Steam.
