Polish development studio 7LEVELS has announced Castle of Heart: Retold, a massively upgraded and expanded version of their original dark fantasy action platformer, which sold over 300,000 copies on Nintendo Switch.
This “Retold” edition is set to conquer new platforms this summer, launching on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A version for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 is also planned.
Castle of Heart: Retold plunges players back into a challenging quest to defeat an evil sorcerer, playing as a knight cursed to turn to stone. This isn’t just a port; it’s a complete revamp featuring significant enhancements across gameplay, story, visuals, and more.
With 7LEVELS previously behind Kong: Survivor Instinct, this feels like one to watch.
A Slavic Legend Reimagined: The Story of Svaran & Mira
The game is set against a backdrop inspired by Slavic mythology. An evil Sorcerer, servant of the dark god Chernobog, has cast a terrible curse upon the brave warrior Svaran, turning his body to stone.
To save his beloved Mira, the last priestess of the goddess Mokosh, and liberate the land from the Sorcerer’s tyrannical rule, Svaran must embark on a perilous journey.
The catch? The curse is progressive. Svaran needs to keep his “killer streak” going by defeating enemies; otherwise, his stone body will begin to disintegrate, eventually costing him limbs and the ability to wield weapons! This creates a unique, high-stakes gameplay dynamic.
Remade, Refined, RETOLD: What’s New?
7LEVELS is promising that Castle of Heart: Retold is the definitive version, boasting a legendary number of improvements:
- Visually Revamped: Immerse yourself in a medieval world made more beautiful thanks to new animations, updated character models, significantly improved lighting, remixed music, and more detailed environments.
- Massively Enhanced Gameplay: Experience rebalanced combat and platforming sequences, a vastly improved player interface, and more responsive controls. The developers state that “everything now comes down to your skills and tactics!”
- Reimagined Story: Discover the untold legend of Svaran and Mira. Every line of dialogue has been rewritten, and every cutscene has been remade from scratch. Players can also challenge themselves to collect all the Crystals of Mokosh to unlock fully reimagined endings to the story.
Challenge Worthy of a Knight: Core Gameplay
The core action platforming remains, sending Svaran across four distinct Slavic landscapes.
You’ll need to master your swordsmanship and utilise dozens of melee and ranged weapons – from torches and hatchets to javelins and crossbows – to defeat the Sorcerer’s minions and blood-thirsty mythological creatures like chorts, ghouls, and vodniks.
Prepare for challenging boss battles against powerful, intimidating foes that will test your skills and reflexes to their limits.
Prepare to Break the Curse This Summer
Castle of Heart: Retold is shaping up to be a significant overhaul of an already popular title, promising a richer, more polished, and more engaging dark fantasy adventure.
With its unique curse mechanic, challenging platforming, and revamped presentation, it’s one to watch for action fans when it launches on Xbox Series X|S (there’s an Xbox Store page up already), PS5, Switch, and PC this summer.
Stay tuned for more precise release date information when we have it.
