Efecto Studios has announced Bunraku, a platform fighting game inspired by the art of Japanese puppetry. It will be available for PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and PC via Steam. A free playtest is available for PC from now until June 14.
Here is an overview of the game. via its Steam page:
About
Bunraku is a fast-paced multiplayer brawler where you clash with friends in frantic ninja fights. Up to eight players can join the Bunraku Theater arenas, online (player-versus-player) or local, mastering ninja dashing skills to become the ultimate battle puppeteer!
Join the Ninja Bunraku Theater
The curtain rises, the lights shine bright and the performance begins!
In this magical Japanese puppet theater, the spirits of legendary warriors come back to life to recreate ancient battles in a show full of ninja action and tactical combat movements. The audience vibrates with every attack and cheers with every parry while ninja attacks fly across the stage.
Are you ready to take your place in this grand performance? Each act is a high-precision competition where only the most talented will reach glory under the spotlights.
Play With Up to Eight Players Online or Local
Gather your friends and join online or local battles of up to 8 players to discover who has what it takes to become the star of the show. Challenge your friends, spark rivalries and turn every battle into a memorable act in this grand theatrical spectacle.
Master the Intense Art of Ninjutsu
To become the grand champion of the ninja puppets, you must master Ninjutsu: the art of moving, attacking, and countering with incredible speed and precision.
- Use your Dash to move swiftly across the stage and strike down your opponents in a single hit.
- The Parry blocks and stuns enemies who dash at you and can even deflect items back at the caster.
- Find Scrolls on the stage to invoke powerful and varied Jutsu that can turn the tide in your favor.
Stay Tuned for More Content
The theater is alive, changing constantly to create unique battles. Prepare for typhoons, floods, volcanic eruptions, moving and destructible platforms, trampolines, portals, and much more!
For now, the theater offers three player-versus-player and team game modes, one biome with twelve stages, and one Ninja Puppet ready to challenge your friends. But this is only the beginning, more characters, maps, and content will join the cast in future updates as the show continues to grow.
Watch the announcement trailer below.