Publisher Dreamhaven and developer Secret Door have announced Sunderfolk, a couch cooperative tactical adventure game set in a fantasy world, where players must use a phone or tablet as their controller. It will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC via Steam in 2025.
“We have a bunch of dedicated board and tabletop game fanatics on the team at Secret Door—getting together for game night has been a regular highlight for many of us going back years and years,” said Secret Door studio head Chris Sigaty in a press release. “As developers we also like to look at what inspires us and think about how to make those types of experiences easier to get into, so that more people can enjoy them as much as we do. With Sunderfolk, we’re excited to offer players a game that’s easy to pick up and play, while still challenging to master, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Dreamhaven CEO and co-founder Mike Morhaime added, “The team at Secret Door, and really all of us at Dreamhaven, are all about bringing players together around fun experiences. Sunderfolk is a beautiful game, it’s full of personality and charm, and it also creates epic moments where everyone is engaging directly with each other to work out strategies or celebrate victories. There’s nothing quite like it, and we’re really looking forward to seeing what players think.”
Here is an overview of the game, via Dreamhaven:
About
Sunderfolk is a new turn-based tactical RPG adventure where you use your mobile device as your controller. (The free mobile app is required to play the game.) Inspired by gathering around a tabletop RPG table with friends, it is built with the couch co-op experience in mind. Up to four players can play together as you adventure through the magical and dangerous Sunderlands.
Each player will pick one of the six classes (Arcanist, Bard, Berserker, Pyromancer, Ranger, and Rogue), and together, you’ll venture out into the Sunderlands and engage in turn-based tactical combat. During combat, there is no set player turn order, so your strategy can adapt in a moment’s notice to react to the conditions of the battlefield. With new enemies appearing at every turn, it’s up to your party to find the best approach to each mission.
Between missions, players will return to Arden and help improve the village. You’ll unlock and upgrade different local vendors, build relationships with other Sunderfolk to earn rewards, and outfit your characters with new Skills, Weapons, Trinkets, and more.
Your goal, as the heroes of Arden, is to protect the town and its Brightshard from the corruption of shadowstone and defeat the threats from the surrounding Sunderlands.
Key Features
- A Couch Cooperative First Experience – The best adventures are meant to be shared. Up to four players can play together in this new tactical RPG adventure where your phone is your controller.
- Step into a New World – Scanning a QR code on your TV/monitor will take you to the free Sunderfolk phone app (on both iOS and Android), which will transform your phone or tablet into your controller, hand of cards, rule book, inventory, and more. Friends and family can learn to play quickly, since all the information they need will be in the palm of their hand.
- Six Unique Heroes – Traditional RPG classes have been reimagined in Sunderfolk. Take up the mantle of an Arcanist, Bard, Berserker, Pyromancer, Ranger or Rogue—each with their own playstyle. Tailor your character’s strengths with their Skill Cards. Power up with Trinkets and Weapons to tailor your character’s build from mission to mission.
- Tactical Combat Inspired by Board Games – Each player takes their turn one at a time by choosing one of their Skill Cards to determine their character’s actions. Enemies lurk around every corner, each with their own abilities and strategies, which will challenge your party to change your approach from one mission to the next.
- Rebuild the Town of Arden – The town of Arden is built around a remnant of a magical substance known as brightstone, but the unknown forces from the caverns outside of the town have started to threaten their community’s way of life. Between missions, come back to town to upgrade vendors and acquire new items and equipment, and befriend townsfolk for additional rewards.
Watch the announcement and gameplay trailers below. View the first screenshots at the gallery.
