The Rewinder looking ahead to 2021 release

Written by Jack Allin — September 12, 2020 at 10:42

Regardless of culture, no good ever comes from the dead lingering in the spirit world instead of moving on. In indie developer Misty Mountain Studio's upcoming The Rewinder, it will be up to you to figure out why some spirits are unable to be reincarnated and help them to do so through the use of a helpful time-altering mechanic. 

Players control a special agent who is able to travel "between the Bardo (reality and the beyond, present and the past)" to investigate why the souls of a once-thriving village now gripped by the shadow of death are unable to be born again. You must not only access and experience the memories of those who have passed away, but also find a "Dharma altar that rewinds time" in order to make the necessary changes. However, "the further you dig into the truth, the closer you get to discover more about your past. Whether or not you can help those souls reenter Samsara depends on your every choice and deduction."

The Rewinder represents an intriguing blend of East and West, combining the visual style of Chinese ink paintings with a side-scrolling pixel art presentation. The game will also feature elements of Chinese mythology and folklore, including "all sorts of monsters and deities," some of them hostile but others "hiding in corners, bonded by klesa (grudges or wishes)." As you "travel through time and between the worlds of Ying and Yang in order to solve all the puzzles" while engaging in some "minor dungeon-exploring," you must make strategic use of your special "rewinding" ability. In doing so, "each time you change the past, you bring unexpected changes to the 'present.'"

It won't be until sometime next year that we see how this unique mix of cultures turns out in full, but there's no need to wait for a sneak peek at The Rewinder, as a playable demo is available now on Steam for Windows PC.