Untold Tales and Michał Wikliński have confirmed a release date for Bearnard, which is out on Nintendo Switch next month.
“Bearnard seems like your typical bear,” the publisher explains. “Lazy, grumpy, and always looking for an excuse to nap. But he’s also a master archer and a rather reluctant hero, begrudgingly talked into an epic adventure to reclaim a legendary bow and defend his woodland home.”
This single-player, story-driven journey will offer a “unique mix” of turn-based combat, archery and card-enhanced battles alongside classic action-adventure that takes inspiration from classic 8-bit era games.
Exploring diverse landscapes, battling countless enemies and solving physics-based puzzles, you must collect and unleash powerful cards in turn-based battles in which you must carefully strategise each move to outwit and overcome your foes.
The publisher has outlined the game’s key features, which include:
- In-Depth Card Play and Strategy: Discover and wield over 60+ powerful cards, transforming every battle into a dynamic, ever-evolving puzzle. Combine elemental cards to create devastating combos.
- Become a Master Archer to Dish Out Your Cards: In battles, you don’t just play cards, you need to hit your foes with that perfect bullseye shot too. Carefully aim each shot, use physics and the environment to your advantage to land the right shots.
- An 8-Bit Era-Inspired Action Adventure: Visually inspired by 8-bit classic that started a gaming revolution, Bearnard takes you through lush forests, abandoned mines, snowy mountains, towering castles, and dark dungeons. Each biome is filled with its own challenges and lurking evil.
- Discover Secrets and Harness Physics to Defeat Your Foes: Bearnard’s world is filled with hidden secrets and puzzles that require both skill and thinking. Shoot arrows at levers to open hidden passages, trigger platforms to launch yourself to new heights, or use the environment to your advantage—drop chandeliers on enemies, throw crates for crushing blows, and manipulate physics to gain the upper hand in battle.
Bearnard will be released digitally on the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo Switch worldwide on 9 May 2025.
