Hi everyone! I’m Matthijs, creative director and co-founder of Twirlbound, and we are thrilled to announce that our open-world fantasy action-adventure game, The Knightling, is coming to PlayStation 5 on August 28. We can’t wait to welcome you to the wondrous world of Clesseia, where you’ll take on the role of knight-in-training. When the realm’s great protector, Sir Lionstone goes missing, you must take up his mighty magic shield and traverse the fields and forests to search for him.
In our brand-new trailer, we put you in the ever-determined Knightling’s small but mighty boots, sliding, gliding, dashing, and bashing across Clesseia, including a never-before-seen region of the game we’re revealing for the very first time – the Cornered Bosk.
The sprawling lands of Clesseia are known for many things: the bustling city center, full of activity and life; the great aqueduct, winding through the Outskirts to provide power and water to the people; the Great Barrier, which borders the Windtorn Fields, offering both protection and threat; and then there are the seldom-visited, secluded woods in the far corner of the realm known as the Cornered Bosk.
Where the Outskirts and Windtorn Fields are familiar and full of helpful allies, the Cornered Bosk is a curveball, conundrum, and enigma all wrapped into one. As our bold Knightling, you must follow the rumored path of your missing mentor Sir Lionstone, through this mysterious region, and there you will quickly find that nothing is quite what it seems.
Submerged in mystery
For the design of the Cornered Bosk, we were inspired by the element of water. We looked at real-world mangroves and how forests can not only survive but often thrive in very wet conditions. The environment is designed to feel like an underwater abyss, with flora, fauna, and small, ethereal jellyfish that could belong to the deepest of oceans but is floating through the air.
The region’s standout landmark is a giant whirlpool, rumbling loudly at the heart of the forest and slowly swallowing everything surrounding it. Through its many mirages and the surrounding Sinking Sanctuary’s angled slopes, the whirlpool lures you to its mesmerizing center. The abandoned crypt is full of formidable monsters and bandits that await you. There is only a fragment of what makes this a more treacherous region than any you have encountered before.
Forging your own path
Up until this point in the game, you’ve rarely been far from a mentor, a friend, or even a kind local. The Cornered Bosk, however, will challenge you to learn what it means to feel alone for the first time. The people who live here are not exactly the most reliable narrators, as they have slowly gone mad from living in an area where day and night feel the same. You may find navigation confusing here, which is no small thing in a region where monsters run rampant.
Due to the limited sunlight available in the forest, monsters have mutated more strongly than elsewhere in Clesseia. The good news is they are easy to spot, as their teeth and claws glow faintly. The bad news, of course, is that they have teeth and claws. And let’s not even mention the daring bandits who lurk in the shadows of these surreal woods.
Before tackling the Cornered Bosk, you must upgrade your legendary shield and learn new Knightling moves at the Knight’s Academy. Once adequately equipped and trained, you can help disoriented gardeners, sawmill operators, and farmers protect their plants, dissect mysterious shells, and retrieve their cute (but creepy) Blowbug insects. It’s tough work, but remember: as a knight-in-training, you have to be able to do it all.
Shield knows best
If you haven’t met, let me introduce you to Sir Lionstone’s legendary shield – Magnustego – your unlikely companion on this adventure. He will make no secret of his desire to be reunited with his true master, offering frequent opinions and sarcastic quips throughout your travels.
However, having accompanied the great knight Lionstone on his earlier adventures across Clesseia, Magnus also has a great deal of knowledge and experience. The Cornered Bosk will be the greatest test yet of both skill and patience. Still, as your relationship develops from reluctant partners to a formidable team, you may find Magnus begins to offer more guidance than gripes.
This is just a peek at what awaits in the Cornered Bosk and the wider world of Clesseia when The Knightling launches for PlayStation 5 on August 28 from Twirlbound and Saber Interactive. Get ready to slide into a grand adventure to find Sir Lionstone, prove your worth, and save the realm. And never forget – all heroes start small.
