Publisher Top Hat Studios and developer Cuddling Raccoons Studio have announced Paper Animal RPG for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox, and PC. The game is a real-time tile-based roguelite RPG that draws inspiration from Paper Mario, Mario & Luigi, and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon, and it is headed to Kickstarter this summer.
Despite the title of the game, Paper Animal RPG actually just uses typical pixel art that stands up on a 3D plane; it seems distinctly lacking in “paper” vibe compared to Bug Fables, for instance. Check out the Paper Animal RPG announcement trailer from the Wholesome Direct 2022 showcase and decide if it has enough paper for you.
The game invites heavy replayability because the world and map are procedurally generated each time. That means items, skills, stickers, and NPCs appear in different places each time as well. When you are not battling on “dungeon” floors, you can rest on “camp” floors and spend time managing your inventory and team. The developers hope that the game’s blending of tile-based and real-time battling will create a more unique experience than either element would provide by itself.
If you like what you see of this game, keep an eye out for its Kickstarter in the weeks to come.
