Cassette Beasts, from developer Bytten Studio and publisher Raw Fury, is coming to PC Game Pass day one on April 26 (as well as Steam). It'll launch on Xbox One and Xbox Series X (via Xbox Game Pass) and Nintendo Switch sometime in late Spring 2023.
In Cassette Beasts, players will be able to collect "awesome monsters" using their cassette player, giving it a distinct Pokemon clone vibe. It also features turn-based battles in an open-world RPG, which can draw comparisons to Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, though it has a distinct pixel art style reminiscent of older games. However, that's not to say Cassette Beasts doesn't strike out with some innovations of its own.
Cassette Beasts take place on the remote Island of New Wiral, where folks use cassette players to capture creatures, with the game saying some of these are "creature you've only dreamed of" and "nightmares you hopefully haven't." When players encounter them, they'll be able to record them to gain their abilities and transform into them for battle. In this way, players and humans become these monsters, a motif rarely explored in Pokemon games and anime. Furthermore, players are able to fuse these monsters to create more Powerful beings for battle.
Not only are players able to explore this gameplay in co-op, but there is a diverse cast of characters players can spend time with, journey alongside as a partner, and form bonds. This relationship mechanic in Cassette Beasts will determine the power of players' fusions. All in all, it sounds like an excellent addition to the Game Pass line-up in April.
Xbox Game Pass List for April 2023
- Everspace 2 (PC - April 6)
- Ghostwire Tokyo (PC, Cloud, and Console - April 12)
- Minecraft Legends (PC, Cloud, and Console - April 18)
- Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly (PC, Cloud, and Console - April 20)
- *New* Cassette Beasts (PC - April 26)
- The Last Case of Benedict Fox (PC, Cloud, and Console - April 27)
- Homestead Arcana (PC - TBA)
While it will only be available to PC Game Pass users in April alongside Everspace 2 and Homestead Arcana, there are plenty of other Xbox Game Pass games confirmed for console players in April too. These currently include Ghostwire Tokyo, Minecraft Legends, Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly, and The Last Case of Benedict Fox. Not to mention, more will likely be confirmed in the coming weeks too.
Xbox Game Pass subscribers get a handful of games every month.