STUDIO WILDROSE, YUKIKAZE, and Natsume Natari have announced Penny Blood: Hellbound, a new spinoff companion game for the Shadow Hearts spiritual successor Penny Blood.

Penny Blood: Hellbound will launch for Windows PC (via Steam) in early access sometime in February 2024, with a full release planned for sometime in summer 2024. A closed beta with about 10 hours of gameplay will launch for backers of Penny Blood via Backerit, on December 14th.

Here’s a rundown on the game, plus its reveal trailer:

Unleash the hounds from hell and fight your way free of the otherworldly prison of Mictlan in a roguelike adventure that explores the world of Penny Blood’s darker side! Can you find the distinction between good and evil…?

Adopt the role of six hyper-powered anarchists in action-packed roguelike Penny Blood: Hellbound, as you attempt to break free of a prison unlike any you’ve ever witnessed. Die, die, and die again to collect malice and forge allegiances with fellow prisoners in order to learn new skills and enhance your abilities as you fight to escape this extraordinary hellscape.

Devised by dark JRPG mastermind, Matsuzo Machida, developed by industry veterans at Natsume Atari Studios, featuring art by Miyako Kato, and with a brand-new soundtrack from Yoshitaka Hirota and Noriyuki Iwadare, enjoy a taste of the tenebrous in this prequel to the upcoming title, Penny Blood.

Features

• The Enemy of My Enemy (is still my enemy) – Become the Hellhounders, a band of anarchists trapped in a bizarre interdimensional prison conjured by a mysterious witch, and utilize their unique weapons, skills, and personalities to face off against formidable foes. Delve deeper into the dungeon to uncover the motives behind your arcane captors, the Celestial Rainbow, and mix and max your companion pairings to maximize on mayhem and customize the carnage.
• Uncover Shadows of the Past – Relive the Roaring 1920s and the turn of the twentieth century as Penny Blood: Hellbound takes you through the fallout of World War I and the shadowy side of the societal changes that ensued. Featuring NPCs and bosses connected to true crime and real-world history, the Hellhounders’ story gives an intimate look at some of the issues and events of the era.
• A Bloody Good Time Blood – Surf the sanguinary surface of gore left in the wake of your destruction to slip past foes and cleave through hordes of the grotesque. Harvest energy from violence and unleash devastating attacks upon those foolish enough to stand in your way!
• Every Run Counts – Your prison cell is your hub world which you’ll be teleported to every time you die, but you won’t return empty-handed. Malice gained upon each revival can be used in many different ways to permanently increase and diversify your strengths.