Inti Creates’ Umbraclaw proves cats have nine lives AND rad powers, launches this May

We all know cats have nine lives, but Umbraclaw is on the way to prove they also get successively cooler powers each time they die. The latest side-scrolling action game from Inti Creates (Azure Striker Gunvolt, Blaster Master Zero) is set to launch on consoles and PC on May 30, 2024.

Specifically, Umbraclaw is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. A demo is on the way to the February 2024 edition of Steam Next Fest, and you can see how much ass this little cat kicks in the release date trailer below. 

Umbraclaw follows a house cat named Kuon, who awakens in the Soulplane after dying in our world. In order to return home, she’ll have to brave this realm of the dead, which has a really cool art style to it. While cats do have nine lives, those lives come and go rather easily. Whenever Kuon takes a hit she dies; simple as that. Thankfully, she has an “Anima Revive” power that can bring her back to life with a new skill each time, paving the way for different play styles and leading her toward multiple possible endings. 

Some of those skills are animal transformation skills like the Crow, Tyrannosaurus, and Elephant (take that, Mario). Kuon can also change into a humanoid form for “full fighting action,” switching the focus from enemy avoidance to direct combat. Blaster Master Zero director Satoru Nishizawa is at the helm for this one, and hopefully, it’s as fun to play as it is to watch. We’ll see how the sampler pans out next month ahead of the May launch. We’ll also find out more about the other mystery game Inti Creates is working on During PAX East 2024!