Indie developer Alkemi and publisher Dear Villagers have revealed the first gameplay for their upcoming narrative-driven card game, Foretales. Shown during the Nintendo Life indie game showcase, this new look at the game showcases Foretales’ innovative approach to card games, where narration and experimentation blend with decksploration mechanics to create an entirely new way of storytelling.

Foretales tells the story of a collapsing world doomed by a dark prophecy. Assuming the role of the avian small-time thief Volepain, you must assemble your party by choosing from a selection of anthropomorphic characters ranging from the tiger archer Léo, to the gorilla Karst, to the elephant Isabeau, and parrot Pattenbois.

Players can use each character’s unique skills along with consumable cards to forge your path through a huge variety of scripted encounters and situations. Choose whether to approach a scenario by using stealth, creating a ruse, making a trade, or engaging in good old-fashioned fisticuffs.

In addition, players can play through the story multiple times to unlock all narrative branches, find multiple solutions to a single problem and maybe discover a way to achieve what seemed impossible at first. Experiment with different card associations and write your own story with your own moral values.

Foretales’ tabletop inspired mechanics are brought to life through a gorgeous illustrative art style that recalls the classic 2D animation of Disney’s golden era. The atmosphere is enhanced through a soundtrack by legendary composer Christophe Héral, of Beyond Good & Evil and Rayman Legends fame, while Travis Willingham offers his esteemed vocal talents as the narrator.

Alkemi founder Alain Puget said:

“We’re very proud of how much sheer possibility we’ve been able to cram into Foretales, as the card-based mechanics allow for an unprecedented amount of player freedom. Coupled with characterful art, brilliant voice acting, and a rousing soundtrack, Foretales creates a harrowing sense of adventure that we think players will really latch onto when it releases this Summer.”

Foretales is slated to release for the PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch sometime in summer 2022.