Free League Announces Anime-Inspired Twilight Sword RPG

Free League Publishing has announced Twilight Sword, a new collaboration with Italian games studio Two Little Mice. The new game is a fantasy RPG inspired by video games like The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy, and Ni No Kuni. Players explore the world of Radia in the game, exploring Landmarks and collecting Hope by defeating bosses. A 16-page preview of the game revealed five Kin that players can choose from, including the Huma, the cat-like Kedi, and the penguin-like Pengu. The preview did not reveal any details about the game system, but there appears to be a focus on exploration and defeating monsters.

One interesting part of this announcement is the collaboration with Two Little Mice. The Italian publisher was purchased by CMON back in 2021 to bolster that company's line of RPGs. However, CMON has had struggles this year, in part due to tariff uncertainty. CMON has sold off several IPs to other studios and has paused new game development to focus on current fulfillment, with many questioning about the publisher's future. Free League also partnered with Two Little Mice to publish Outgunned, so it's unclear whether Two Little Mice has gone independent once again or if this is an arrangement with CMON.

 

[SpellObjectEnthusiast]

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Everyone's freaking out about Girly Link but this preview graphic of a fire wizard is crazy work

I feel like the only reason Two Little Mice haven't been sued yet is that they're not big enough for the corporations they're copying to bother going after.

 

[TwoSix]

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Everyone's freaking out about Girly Link but this preview graphic of a fire wizard is crazy work

I shall call him Wiwi.

 

[Aldarc]

I feel like the only reason Two Little Mice haven't been sued yet is that they're not big enough for the corporations they're copying to bother going after.

I guess that makes them Too Little Mice.

 

[Aldarc]

Two Little Mice will host a live stream about Twilight Sword tomorrow at 17:00 CET.

 

[JConstantine]

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Everyone's freaking out about Girly Link but this preview graphic of a fire wizard is crazy work

So, in addition to Zelda: Warrior Princess; Magic Meowth; and Mighty Duck Penguin; it looks like 2LM are going to facilitate my childhood dream of a competent Orko!

 

[Aldarc]

So, in addition to Zelda: Warrior Princess; Magic Meowth; and Mighty Duck Penguin; it looks like 2LM are going to facilitate my childhood dream of a competent Orko!

I made my partner watch He-Man Revelation and Revolution on Netflix with me. They quickly fell in love with Orko. Talking about Twilight Sword with my partner, I mostly focused on the playable cat and penguin people, but I think that this is how I will really sell Twilight Sword to them. Thanks.

 

[Aldarc]

The Quickstart may come out in the next few weeks.

It sounds like Ways will work like Professions in Household, but I don't know how they works in Household. You pick one to start. It provides Attribute bonuses and access to related feats. But it also sounds like you can branch into other Ways as you level up. So maybe it's more like a talent tree system? Maybe like how classes work in Fabula Ultima? Not sure. Way of the Blade focuses on melee. Way of the Wild has ranged attacks.

It's d12. Roll under system. No skills. 8 Attributes.

Creating your character. Choose your Kin, your Way, and your Origin. One Origin mentioned was Awakened, which they compared to Link waking up but being from an other time. Now they are saying that Isekai may also be an Origin, where you are coming from another world.

 

[aramis erak]

Household also has a similar list for opponents, with 6 options (d6). There you can roll, simply select it yourself, or come up with something else if you prefer. It might be a similar approach here as well.

Alien and Dragonbane also do likewise. It's a great design idea.

 

[Aldarc]

There is a new 33-page preview document of Twilight Sword on the BackerKit Launch Page.

I'll look over it when I have more time.