Bytten Studios and Raw Fury have announced that the Pokémon-inspired monster-fusing RPG Cassette Beasts is coming to consoles, including Switch, on 25th May. You've only got a month to wait until you can get funky with some unusual, adorable pixel art creatures.
The game is out today on PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, and the reviews have been pretty darn glowing for this new take on the monster-taming genre. Our friends over at Rock Paper Shotgun call it "a smart, evolutionary offshoot" (but go read their review right now if you want to know why), and we can't wait to dive in next month.
Taking a slightly more mature approach to the "Pokémon-like" genre, Cassette Beasts let you collect monsters and fuse with them using cassette tapes. Developer Bytten Studios is based in Brighton, UK, and was formed by Hay Baylis and Tom Coxon. The two have previously worked with Chucklefish, including on Stardew Valley, and have over two decades of experience in the indie pixel art scene, and it shows through Cassette Beasts' stunning visual style and eclectic monster design.
In case this is your first time listening to the tape, here's what you need to know, courtesy of Ray Fury:
Side B – Key Features:
- Transform into Monsters…with Cassette Tapes?! Faced with the constant threat of monster attack, the residents of Harbourtown can fight fire with fire. Record a variety of special creatures, then play them back in battle to take on their forms!
- Fuse Monsters Together: Merge with your companions’ monsters to transform into unique, fully animated fusions combining the strengths of both forms! There are thousands of creature fusion combos to experiment with and discover.
- Explore a Rich Open World: Some monster abilities can be used in human form, which you'll need to get around, solve puzzles, and more. Glide, fly, swim, climb, dash or turn magnetic in a colorful land brought to life with beautifully crafted monsters, ‘80s vibes and a synthy soundtrack!
- Dive into a Captivating Story: Cassette Beasts features an otherworldly adventure with spooky twists and turns. Who are the Archangels? And how did you end up on New Wirral?
- Master a Deep Battle System: Use elemental chemistry to apply advantageous buffs or debuffs with your attacks, or even alter your opponents' elemental types.
- Travel with a Diverse Cast of Companions: Never fight alone! Forge bonds with your partners and help them complete personal goals to become a better team. The strength of your relationship determines how well you’re able to fuse!
- Play Co-op with Friends: Team up via local co-op multiplayer and Steam Remote Play Together for up to two players. Explore the open world, transform and battle together as a duo!
We spoke to Jay Bayliss about what Cassette Beasts is doing differently to Game Freak's mega-franchise and spent some time with a pre-release demo on Steam.