Clean up the afterlife as a feline janitor in Crypt Custodian, launching for PC + Consoles Aug 27th!

Top Hat Studios :

Crypt Custodian, a charming top-down metroidvania-meets-zeldalike by veteran developer Kyle Thompson (Sheepo, Islets), has revealed its release date for August 27th, via publisher Top Hat Studios, Inc. on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5, PS4, and the Xbox family. Grab your trusty broom and play as Pluto - a mischievous cat who has just died and landed in the Afterlife's Palace. After a disastrous meeting with the Afterlife Guardian, Kendra, you end up being immediately banished and sentenced to be the afterworld's janitor... FOREVER! Hang out with other doomed ghosts, battle beasts, and explore a vast, expansive landscape filled with curious and fun denizens, hidden secrets, and seemingly infinite nooks, crannies, and curiousities. As you explore more of the Afterlife's diverse realms, you start to hear rumors of a priceless treasure hidden deep within the palace: for those who have difficulty moving on, could there be... a way to still communicate with the living?

Revealed with a summer launch window in this year's Guerilla Collective showcase by publisher Top Hat Studios, Crypt Custodian looks to be developer Kyle Thompson's opus - a vivid evolution in terms of presentation, mechanics, and complexity from his prior critically acclaimed titles. Building off of the successes of Sheepo and Islets, Crypt Custodian captures a similar sense of heartwarming storytelling filled with quirky characters and humor and mixes such with incredibly tight and responsive gameplay, rewarding unlockables, and beautiful lush worlds. 

Watch the release date reveal trailer for Crypt Custodian above! The trailer will also be carried on native first party channels today by Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Review keys for the game are available on Steam, Switch, PS5, PS4, and Xbox. Feel free to request a review copy by either responding to this email or making a request in PressEngine. Please note that a HARD EMBARGO is in place until August 27, at 6am US Pacific Time (9am US Eastern = 2pm UK = 3pm CEST). Review, opinion, or livestreaming content may not be published before this time.

If emailing for a key, please state the embargo in your message. Acceptance of a review key means that you agree to the embargo.

As you explore the afterlife, you'll meet and befriend a charming cast of characters. Meet the other bad ghosts exiled outside of Afterlife Guardian Kendra's grand Palace. Learn how they died, and what caused them to face eternal banishment as well! There's a lot to learn from your animal friends - and lots of unlockables they'll help you earn on top! Plus, head on over to the local haunt - The Sinner's Inn - to chat with the ghosts you meet, buy items, and upgrade both your gear and your skills.

Along your way to confront Kendra, you'll complete puzzles, battle epic bosses, and clean your way through ruined dungeons in order to collect new upgrades and abilities. Customize your play style by mix-and-matching your upgrades and use your collected abilities to expand your world. Upgrades not only help with exploring the world, but also with expanding your combat style! Combat in Crypt Custodian is tight and fast-paced, based on a fundamental system of dodging and quick movements combined with rapid but strategic attacking.

The world of Crypt Custodian is lush, vivid, and beautiful - biomes are interconnected, varied, and teeming with life and activity. Ranging from weeping forests, to an amusement park where the ride never ends, a neon crest where reality switches dimensions with every jump, and... someone's neglected basement (don't ask what's been growing down there), you'll traverse a vast landscape filled with secrets that hide in every corner. Form your own path and discover the afterlife's many curiosities at your own pace.

Crypt Custodian will have a global launch, and launch with support for English, French, German, Spanish, Portugese, Russian, Simplified & Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Links For Crypt Custodian:

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2394650/Crypt_Custodian/ 

Nintendo Switch: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/crypt-custodian-switch/

PlayStation (5 & 4): https://store.playstation.com/concept/10010746

Xbox: https://www.microsoft.com/store/productid/9plg24bmtp3t

About Kyle Thompson

Kyle Thompson is a solo developer based out of Oregon, having released two titles - Sheepo & Islets. With his first full release Sheepo, Kyle explored the Metroidvania genre in a new light by introducing non-violent gameplay focused around collecting quirky animals. Islets, his follow-up title, showcased an expanded and unique look at the Metroidvania formula, mixing new mechanics and ideas with the signature quirk of his first title. With the help of his brother, Eric, doing the soundtrack, Kyle is finding new and wonderful ways to iterate on this beloved genre.

About Top Hat Studios, Inc. 

Top Hat Studios is your favorite publisher of fine indie delicacies, primarily supporting Japanese-inspired, retro-themed, and highly creative titles. As a company started by and working with grassroots developers and incubating developer talent, Top Hat Studios focuses on supporting games all the way from blockbuster productions through to niche and boutique experimentations.

Top Hat Studios' diverse portfolio includes hits such as Athenian Rhapsody, Frogun, Ova Magica, SONZAI, Labyrinth of the Demon King, and many more. Unique in its relationship to its partnered developers, Top Hat Studios is more than just a publisher but rather a strategic long-term partner, and provides a suite of resources to its developers, which include publishing, business development, corporate advisory, product & long-term strategy, creative media, tools, co-development, and engineering & porting expertise working with all major engines and codebases.