Castle of Heart: Retold vs Of Peaks and Tides

• Perspective: 2.5D Side-Scroller
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Slavic Mythology
• Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 (TBA)
• Unique Feature: A unique curse mechanic that acts as a timer, where the player's health constantly depletes and must be replenished through aggressive combat, creating a timed-runner feel.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Online Co-op
• Setting: Ancient Eastern Mythology
• Platforms: PC (Steam)
• Release Window: 2026
• Unique Feature: A physics-based sandbox where players can strategically manipulate the environment and natural disasters to their advantage in survival and combat.

• Tamed Beasts: Players can form bonds with the wild creatures of Everland, turning them into loyal partners. These companions can be used for aerial traversal and likely assist in base defense.
  Varies (Winged Creatures, etc.)
• Co-op Teammates: The game supports online co-op, allowing players to team up to survive, build, and explore together.
  Human (Player)

• Crystals of Mokosh: Four hidden gems are scattered throughout each of the game's 20 levels. Collecting them extends Svaran's maximum health.
• Stone Hearts: Floating pickups found throughout levels and dropped by enemies. These are essential for replenishing Svaran's constantly draining life bar.

• Resources: Found throughout the world, from 'brittle twigs and scattered stones' to rare materials from divine relics. Everything can be a resource for the limitless crafting system.
• Divine Relics: The ruins of the ancient civilization, holding powerful materials and lore about the world before the great war.

• Dark Fantasy
• Slavic Mythology
• Action Platformer
• 2.5D
• Indie
• Curse

• Eastern Mythology
• Survival
• Crafting
• Open World
• Base Building
• Monster Taming
• Physics-Based Gameplay
• Action RPG

• Sword: Primary Melee
  Svaran's main weapon for close-quarters hack-and-slash combat.
• Secondary Melee Weapons: Torches, Hatchets
  A variety of melee weapons that can be picked up and used for a limited time. Svaran drops his secondary weapon if his first health bar is depleted.
• Secondary Ranged Weapons: Javelins, Crossbows
  Ranged weapon options that can be found in the levels for engaging enemies from a distance.

• Crafted Weapons: Varies (Melee, Ranged)
  Players will craft their own arsenal of weapons from resources found in the world. The exact types have not been detailed but will likely include swords, bows, and spears.
• War Engines: Siege
  The crafting system allows for the creation of large-scale 'engines of war,' suggesting players can build and use siege equipment like catapults or cannons for defending their base.
• The Environment: Strategic
  The world itself is a weapon. Players can trigger floods, use shifting terrain for traps, or manipulate plant growth to defeat enemies.

• Knight's Armor: Svaran wears a suit of armor, but there is no traditional armor system with defensive stats. His durability is determined by his health bar, which is extended by collecting Crystals of Mokosh.

• Crafted Armor: Players will be able to craft their own armor from materials gathered from the environment and defeated beasts. Armor will likely provide protection against physical damage and environmental calamities.

• Functional Armor Sets: Customization is primarily functional through the crafting and equipping of different armor sets. Each set will have a unique appearance reflecting the game's mythological Eastern aesthetic.

Progression is based on in-level pickups and collectibles. Players can find dozens of different melee and ranged secondary weapons throughout the levels. Collecting the four 'Crystals of Mokosh' hidden in each level will extend Svaran's maximum life bar. There is no traditional skill tree; progression is tied to player skill and health upgrades.

Progression revolves around survival, crafting, and building. Players forage for resources to craft everything from simple tools to 'roaring engines of war'. There is no traditional skill tree mentioned; instead, progression is tied to what the player builds and the creatures they tame.

The game is a linear 2.5D platformer. Players will travel across 20 levels set within four distinct, Slavic-inspired landscapes. Most levels have been completely rebuilt for the Retold version, featuring new animations and more detailed environments.

• Svaran: Playable Protagonist
  A noble Slavic warrior who is cursed and turned to stone. He must fight against time to defeat the evil sorcerer and save his beloved.
• Mira: Key NPC
  A priestess and Svaran's betrothed. Her tear brings Svaran back to life, and her rescue is his primary goal.
• The Sorcerer: Antagonist
  The main villain of the game. A servant of the evil god Chernobog who cursed Svaran and rules the land with dark magic.

• Reclaim the Legacy
  The main overarching quest to restore the glory of the human tribes by surviving, building a new civilization, and cleansing the calamities from the land.
• Base Building & Defense
  A core gameplay loop of constructing and defending a custom base or village from the world's dangers, including destructive calamities and untamed beasts.

• Q: What is Castle of Heart: Retold?
  A: It is a complete remake and definitive version of the 2018 Nintendo Switch exclusive action platformer, Castle of Heart. It features massively improved graphics, rebalanced combat, and a reimagined story.
• Q: What is the 'curse' mechanic?
  A: The protagonist, Svaran, is cursed to turn to stone. This translates into a unique gameplay mechanic where his health constantly drains like a timer. He must stay aggressive, killing enemies or finding pickups to replenish his health and survive.
• Q: Is it a hard game?
  A: Yes, it is designed to be a challenging 2.5D action platformer, similar in feel to classic games like Super Ghouls and Ghosts. Precision platforming and strategic combat are required.
• Q: What's new in the 'Retold' version?
  A: Almost everything has been enhanced. Most levels are rebuilt, graphics and lighting are overhauled, controls are more responsive, combat is rebalanced to be more tactical, and every line of dialogue and every cutscene has been remade.

• Q: What is Of Peaks and Tides?
  A: It is an upcoming open-world survival crafting game set in a world based on ancient Eastern mythology. It features a deep physics system that allows players to manipulate the environment to their advantage.
• Q: When will it be released?
  A: The game is scheduled for release on PC in 2026.
• Q: What makes the gameplay unique?
  A: Its core unique feature is the ability to strategically use natural disasters and environmental physics as a tool in combat and survival. It also features limitless crafting and the ability to tame massive creatures.
• Q: Who is making the game?
  A: The game is being developed by CyancookGames, an independent studio in China composed of veterans who have worked on titles like Diablo Immortal and Naraka Bladepoint.

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS from the game's Steam page. These specifications are for the rebuilt 'Retold' version and are relatively modest.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will be excellent on modern hardware. Most gaming laptops from the last few years will run the game at high settings without issue.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Not a critical factor for this title, as it is not graphically intensive.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game is not demanding enough to stress modern cooling systems.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Any modern mobile CPU will handle the game with ease.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Not a critical feature, but beneficial for reducing latency in any game.
• Game Name: Castle of Heart: Retold

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS from the game's Steam page. These specifications are for the pre-release build and may be subject to change. The game is noted to be very demanding.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will vary significantly based on the model's cooling and TGP. The game's high RAM requirement and physics-driven environment can be very demanding on mobile hardware.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain stable framerates.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's complex physics and large open world will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the emergent gameplay systems and complex environmental interactions.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus would be a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance.
• Game Name: Of Peaks and Tides

• G P U T G P: Not a critical factor for this title, as it is not graphically intensive.
• Cooling Thermals: The game is not demanding enough to stress modern cooling systems.
• C P U Power Limits: Any modern mobile CPU will handle the game with ease.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Not a critical feature, but beneficial for reducing latency in any game.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features and maintain stable framerates.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's complex physics and large open world will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the emergent gameplay systems and complex environmental interactions.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus would be a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance.