Narrative-driven detective RPG Kill the Shadow announced for PC

Publisher 663 Games and developer Shadowlight Sanctuary have announced Kill the Shadow, a narrative-driven detective RPG featuring 2D pixel art characters in detailed 3D environments. It will launch for PC via Steam in 2024.

Here is an overview of the game, via 663 Games:

About

Brought to life using a combination of highly detailed 3D environments and 2D pixel art characters, Kill the Shadow transports you to an alternative post-war divided city as you take on the role of Detective Ah’Guang as you investigate a series of murders. Use your eloquence, intelligence and the ability to rewind time (or even violence) to piece together the evidence of the bizarre cases and unravel the shocking secrets lurking behind them. Justice or love? The decision is in your hands.

Kill the Shadow is a suspenseful narrative-driven detective role playing game. Investigate a series of bizarre murders in different areas of the dark water city: the missing Master Ruan at the temple fair, the sudden death of Wangcai, the grudges at the Shipwreck, and the dismembered limbs in the sewers.

Find the lost memories of the city and piece together the truth of its division from ten years ago. Unravel the truth – kill, judge, or even kiss (?) the mastermind behind it all.

Key Features

• Hints and Evidence – Freely choose how you enhance your abilities—strength, spirit, charm—and select your own methods to investigate cases—psychological warfare? Bribery? Or simply beating your suspects? Deduction System: Collect, analyze, and connect related clues to create your own unique investigation path
• Seeing the Past – “The Shadow,” a strange creature attached to you that reads memories and reconstructs the traces of the deceased “Don’t worry, Ah’Guang, we’re just using each other. You use me to find the culprit, and I, well, I love tasting those bizarre stories, hahaha!”, says the Shadow.
• The Ways of the World – Meet various characters in the city: the energetic girl with a camera, the elegant Mrs. Ruan, the rumoured goddess who can cast spells, and the elderly fish-selling lady. Discover the stories behind them. Encounter characters like the self-righteous Captain Wang, Lao Citou’s son Xiao Citou, the foul-mouthed Little Rascal, and the deceased Master Ruan. Earn the hearts of your favourite characters by completing certain events!
• Retro and Neon – The combination of 3D environments and 2D pixel art characters creates a unique artistic style with a striking contrast between modern and retro aesthetics. Explore a variety of diverse and freely explorable scenes: the dilapidated steel forest factory, the muddy shipwreck dock built on water, the Zhulong Walled City blending the fictional traditional Ma Island and Imperial culture, and the bustling old city district.

Watch the announcement trailer and a series of gameplay clips below. View the first screenshots at the gallery.

Announce Trailer

Gameplay Clips