TIES: Soul Link is a hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania from North Tokyo, a small studio in Málaga, Spain. A white fox named Kiro has to reach the sick girl he is bonded to, armed with swords, Runes and a growing set of abilities. The studio is aiming for 2027.
Most Metroidvanias start with a lone warrior and a ruined castle. TIES: Soul Link starts with a fox and a girl. Kiro and Chloe share a bond the game calls the Soul Link, and when an accident separates them, everything Kiro does afterwards is about getting back to her.
That premise is what earns the game a Game Spotlight. The studio released a new gameplay trailer on 20 October, but this piece looks at the whole game as it stands, from the store page and the studio’s own material. Nobody at Gamer Headlines has played it.
Kiro, Chloe and the Soul Link
The game is set in 2097, four decades after humanity survived the effects of climate change. Kiro and Chloe have been together since they were little. According to the studio, the Soul Link lets humans and animals share knowledge, emotions and sensations, and scientists in the game know little more than that.
After the accident, both Kiro and Chloe are left badly weakened. Chloe falls ill. Kiro ends up lost in the wild land beyond the walls of Neon City, and has to find his way back to the city and gather enough power to survive the trip. Along the way the player uncovers what happened to the world and what the Soul Link really is. The studio frames it as a story about fear and friendship. Steam adds that the player’s choices will affect Kiro’s fate, a promise the press release does not repeat.
An animal hero with a human he needs to get back to gives the exploration a reason that most of the genre lacks. Whether the story lands is something only the finished game can show.
How It Plays
Combat is sword-based. Kiro’s swords come in many models that raise attack power, add elemental effects or suit particular enemies, and his armour can grant resistance against certain types of magic. The newest trailer puts its weight on fighting, abilities and platforming.
The build system centres on Runes, magical items Kiro equips in slots alongside his gear and special abilities. The studio says Runes can be combined to suit different playstyles. Towns have shops for buying, selling and upgrading equipment and for recovering health. That puts TIES towards the action RPG end of the Metroidvania family.
Exploration follows the genre’s familiar shape of hidden paths, puzzles and new abilities that open earlier areas. The extra wrinkle is a day and night cycle. Night brings stronger enemies, and also secrets and rewards for players who push on in the dark.
The World of 2097
The look is bright and hand-drawn, with cyberpunk cities set against wilder land. The press release says its regions draw on Japanese, Norse, Ancient Greek, Persian and African cultures. The Steam page names Norse, Japanese, Greek and Persian influences but not African ones. The studio says the Steam text is a condensed version, and that one region combines Persian and African influences.
The Studio
North Tokyo is an independent studio based in Málaga, despite the name, and it publishes the game itself. It describes its aim as making games with strong stories and a distinctive art style. TIES: Soul Link is its current project, and it was crowdfunded on Kickstarter, where 472 backers pledged €27,909.
What Buyers Should Know
Despite the colourful art, this is not one for young children. Steam tags the game Gore.
The 2027 release window comes from the studio. The Steam page itself says only “Coming soon”. The studio says it is planned for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 as well as Windows and Mac through Steam. We have not seen a Nintendo store listing yet, and the Steam page currently lists Windows requirements only. There is no price yet. A public demo ran during the game’s Kickstarter campaign and has since been removed, according to the studio.
The Windows requirements are modest. The minimum is a GTX 660 or Radeon HD 7850 with 4 GB of memory, and the recommended spec is a GTX 970 or RX 570 with 8 GB. The install is 2 to 4 GB. Steam lists eight languages, English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese and Turkish, all covering the interface and subtitles. None has full audio.
Why It Stands Out
The genre is crowded, and TIES: Soul Link has a clear identity within it. The fox and the girl give it heart, while Runes, shops and a day and night cycle suggest more going on than a standard Metroidvania. The studio is clearly betting on its combat, and the latest trailer is built around it.
The open questions are the usual ones for an indie action game more than a year out. How the combat feels in the hands, how large the world really is, and whether a 2027 date across four platforms holds for a small team. For now it is a strong pitch with a striking look, and one worth a wishlist.
The Facts
| Field | Detail |
| Developer | North Tokyo (Málaga, Spain), also publisher |
| Released | Not yet. 2027 per press release; Steam says “Coming soon” |
| Price | Not announced |
| Platforms | Windows and Mac (Steam), Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, all per studio. Steam lists Windows requirements only; no Nintendo listing seen |
| Length | Not stated |
| Mode | Single-player |
| Languages | English plus 7 (FR, IT, DE, ES, JA, PT-BR, TR). Interface and subtitles; no full audio |
| Requirements | Min: i3 / Ryzen 3, GTX 660 / HD 7850, 4 GB RAM, 2 GB. Rec: i5 / Ryzen 5, GTX 970 / RX 570, 8 GB RAM, 4 GB |
| Content | Steam tag: Gore. No formal descriptor listed |
| Funding | Kickstarter: 472 backers, €27,909 pledged |
