Japan based development studio Kanipro recently announced that their first game – maiden game, if you will – Violet Wisteria will launch on 9 February via Steam PC.

Inspired by the retro classics of the early 1990s, Violet Wisteria is a Valis-esque 2D action platformer featuring a color-switching attack mechanic akin to Ikaruga.

Here’s the official breakdown of Violet Wisteria from Kanipro, followed by a brief trailer:

Violet Wisteria was announced in July 2022 and touts itself as a return to the traditional 2D platformer blueprint of the 8 and 16 bit eras of gaming.

The player takes control of human-turned-goddess Wisteria Asagiri and must slash their way through 8 stages to stop the plot of the rogue wizard Maskandes.

In an unthinkable turn against modern game design, Violet Wisteria gives the player a finite number of lives and continues, and offers no save function other than for unlocked content and option settings.

In the gameplay department, Violet Wisteria’s claim to fame is the tri-color attack system, in which the player must use three different colored sword attacks to defeat enemy palette swaps in a system similar to rock-scissors-paper. Mastering this system is also vital for overcoming the ever changing environmental hazards and intricate boss fights in each stage. Thankfully the game offers two difficulty settings as well as toggleable hints to help players in the beginning.

For gamers who enjoyed titles like Ikaruga and Pawarumi that combine reflexes with critical thinking, Violet Wisteria is sure to give you the challenge you crave.

Violet Wisteria is currently scheduled to release on 9 February 2023. There will be a special 10% launch discount for those who pick it up in first week.

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