Japanese Folklore & Dungeon Crawls in Haunted Dungeons Hyakki Castle

If first-person RPG dungeon crawlers and ancient Japanese folklore sound like an interesting mix, then your’ll want to keep your eye on Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle, coming to PS4 on August 30. Developed by Japanese publisher Happinet, Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle is a real-time dungeon crawler that will require a keen mind that smartly uses the unique combat systems to overcome the terrifying challenges that await.

Take a look at the Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle trailer.

Haunted Dungeons is set during the Edo period in Japan and is based on a real-world island where prisoners were exiled to live out their days. The sudden appearance of a castle on the island brings slews of monsters from classic Japanese literature, such as the infamous Yokai. One of the imprisoned exiles on the island is a rebel set on overthrowing the Shogun. Your party will consist of four Shogun agents skilled in monster slaying, as you explore the castle and put an end to the rebel’s evil plot.

Looking to do more than just be a traditional first-person dungeon crawler, Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle introduces a unique split-party system. Players can strategize their moves and approach enemies from two different angles, which will be crucial for defeating monsters with their own special abilities and behaviors. Distractions, pincer attacks, and flanks can all be executed using the “2-party” mechanic. It will also be useful for dealing with traps and puzzles. There are multiple races and classes to choose from as you build your party, leading to a variety of combinations in skillsets.

Originally released on PC last year as simply Hyakki Castle, Haunted Dungeon: Hyakki Castle is being optimized with an improved UI specifically for consoles and beginners to the first-person dungeon crawler RPG genre of games.

Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle releases on August 30 for PS4 and Switch for $13.99, €11.99, and £10.99, depending on your respective region.