A new title, Beastieball, is garnering attention in the gaming community, blending the excitement of volleyball with the intrigue of Pokemon-like creature collection. Developed by the Canadian studio Wishes Unlimited, known for hits like Chicory: A Colorful Tale and Wandersong, Beastieball launched on Steam Early Access in November 2024. With its unique tactical sports RPG elements and creature-collection mechanics, the game aims to engage players with a rich blend of strategic gameplay and exploration.
Beastieball: A Unique Blend of Sports and Creature Collection
Beastieball offers a distinctive twist on traditional sports RPGs by allowing players to form and refine their ultimate volleyball team using creatures known as Beasties. Each Beastie possesses unique skills and attributes, adding a layer of strategy akin to Pokemon. As players explore vibrant environments, they tackle environmental puzzles and participate in turn-based volleyball matches played out on a grid, emphasizing team composition and strategy.
Key Features
- Exploration and Team Building: Traverse a beautifully crafted overworld while collecting and training Beasties.
- Turn-Based Matches: Engage in grid-based volleyball matches that serve as the game’s combat system.
- Beastie Relationships: Strengthen Beasties’ bonds, unlocking new team dynamics based on their relationships such as Partners, Besties, Sweethearts, or Rivals.
- Boss Battles: Defeat various bosses in any order, with each victory making the remaining bosses stronger.
Community-Centric Development
Launching in early access, Beastieball’s developers are actively seeking player feedback to fine-tune the game, expanding its content and improving gameplay experience up until its full release, expected by the end of 2025. The game currently boasts over 100 Beasties, side quests, and online PvP, promising a wealth of content for early adopters.
System Requirements
| Specifications | Windows | macOS |
|---|---|---|
| OS | 7+ | 10.7+ |
| Processor | Modest | 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo |
| GPU | Integrated graphics work OK | |
| RAM | 1GB | 512MB |
| Storage | 2GB | 512MB |
| Sound Card | Yes | N/A |
| DirectX | Version 9.0 | N/A |
The Road Ahead
Wishes Unlimited, capitalizing on fan support from its successful Kickstarter campaign, aims to utilize player feedback to refine Beastieball continually. Players eager to explore this innovative take on sports RPGs can dive into the game immediately through its Steam demo, available since June 2023.
