Shade of the Marionette: The Story of Piyorita coming to PC and consoles in late 2027, first trailer published
KiwiWalks has published the first major trailer for Shade of the Marionette: The Story of Piyorita. This video, which runs for two and a half minutes in total, also shows a sneak peek of the upcoming action RPG's gameplay system.
This is the upcoming new game from the South Korean studio. KiwiWalks is earlier known for releasing WitchSpring R. Shade of the Marionette will be available in the latter half of 2027 for not only PC but also consoles—although still not directly specified yet, the trailer includes the general logos of PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.
Find the new trailer and descriptions for Shade of the Marionette: The Story of Piyorita, as well as screenshots from the Steam page right below. The game is slated to be available in Korean, English, German, Japanese, and Chinese (Traditional & Simplified).
1. Combat
When we set out to make an action RPG, the most important thing to us was giving you room to fight your own way whenever you meet an enemy in the field. With enemies moving in real time, fights are faster and more thrilling. Even against the same foe, you can try a different approach just by changing which weapon you draw, how you counter an attack, or where you choose to stand.
Switch weapons mid-battle to change your approach
Piyorita can switch weapons in the middle of a fight. Each weapon has its own swing speed, reach, and unique skills. Some are also better than others at reflecting or absorbing incoming magic. Which weapon would you put in Piyorita's hands when she needs to close the gap quickly? What about when you'd rather strike from a distance? Try a few and see which one feels right for you!
Send incoming spells back at the caster
Piyorita can meet an enemy's magic projectile with her weapon. Time your swing just as the spell reaches her, and you can send it back at the enemy or absorb its power into the blade. Each weapon has a limit to how powerful a spell it can reflect or absorb, and some take longer to swing than others.
Keep an eye on the blue spell heading straight for Piyorita. Where does it go once it touches her sword?
Catch an enemy off guard with an Opening Strike
The instant an enemy starts to attack, Piyorita has a chance to strike back. Watch for the tell and dash in. There's a brief opening you can slip through while the enemy is still attacking, well before it has time to pull back.
Take the high ground
Piyorita can jump onto higher ground and unleash a powerful plunging attack as she leaps back down. Enemies have their eye on the high ground, too. A mage fleeing from Piyorita might climb to a higher perch, turn around, and start casting again. Keep an eye on the terrain as well as your opponent. In Shade of the Marionette, choosing where to fight is part of your strategy!
Make a charged spell count
Once you've charged a spell, the action pauses just before you cast it. Move its area of effect over the battlefield and take your time lining up the enemies you want to hit. You worked for that spell, so choose your moment and make it count! There are no long command sequences to memorize or enter. You can pull off a stylish attack without racing through a string of inputs.
Each boss has its own attack patterns
These powerful bosses will throw everything they have at Piyorita. Take them on with your weapons and skills, the dolls you've captured, and the battle tools you've crafted!
Summon the boss dolls you've defeated
There's a rule in the dolls' room. Any doll that loses a fight against Piyorita is absorbed by her. It goes for the tiniest doll and for boss dolls many times her size.
Once she's absorbed a boss doll, Piyorita can summon it whenever she likes. In a later battle, you might see the giant doll that once pummeled Piyorita fighting by her side. Work each doll's unique abilities into your strategy!
2. Crafting and upgrades
Craft battle tools in the White Nest Room
In the White Nest Room, where Piyorita first woke up, there's a worktable for magical synthesis. Once you're back from exploring with materials in hand, open your magic compendium. Follow its recipes to craft anything from items that restore health in battle to mines you can set and detonate when an enemy comes close.
You can put those tools to work in your very next fight. Try using a bomb against an enemy or a shield to protect yourself when your weapon alone won't do the trick.
Weapon upgrades
As Piyorita explores beyond the mirror, she'll find new weapons in a variety of ways. Once you find a weapon you love, try upgrading it with the magical materials you've gathered. You can strengthen the blade itself or improve the weapon's unique skills. Which weapon do you keep reaching for? Let the way you fight guide what you upgrade!
3. New story and characters
Beyond the mirror, on the way to becoming the Masterpiece
The mirror in the White Nest Room leads to new rooms. Guided by the Voice, Piyorita sets out to absorb the life force of other dolls and become the Masterpiece. The order in which you open the rooms beyond the mirror changes the order in which you discover their stories.
In this trailer, we also gave you a closer look at some of the dolls you'll meet along the way. Did you spot Straccio? This little doll can hardly sit still and keeps scampering around Piyorita.
Then there's the doll dressed in black, with a face exactly like Piyorita's... What stories could these dolls be hiding?
