In soccer, there’s the term “high pressing”, constantly hounding your opponent, never letting them breathe, and that’s exactly the approach I’m taking with a project I truly believe in: Critical Shift.
I first announced Rhinotales’ title on my pages back in May, and ever since, I’ve been eagerly watching for any news about it.
Critical Shift is a tactical RPG that promises a strong narrative and a setting unmistakably reminiscent of Resident Evil: a secret lab, a squad of operatives under your command, and a host of creatures waiting to tear you apart.
The team at Rhinotales just dropped a new devlog, sharing fresh screenshots and teasing what’s ahead in the campaign, giving us a rare glimpse at some of the environments, enemies, and mechanics still in development.
While the upcoming turn-based tactical RPG remains tightly under wraps, this latest update hints at the scale and ambition driving the project.
Most notably, the image above offers a first look at a boss encounter, though the creature itself is still mostly cloaked in secrecy. What we can see is a massive tentacle reaching toward the player’s team, suggesting multi-stage battles and potentially enemy mechanics that extend beyond the screen.
According to the developers, each boss will be entirely unique, with its own strengths, weaknesses, and tactical quirks that could drastically alter the flow of combat. That level of detail makes it clear they’re aiming for more than just bullet-sponge fights.
Other screenshots show a wide range of atmospheric settings. The one below features a pair of oversized hands lurking in a dark corridor, hinting at something large and likely deadly, just out of frame.
Another captures a quiet cave garden, serene in the aftermath of a brutal encounter. And then there’s the museum, an unexpected location for combat, filled with relics and clues tied to a mysterious past.
These spaces feel deliberately designed not just for tactical cover and positioning, but also to feed into the game’s larger narrative.
Some enemies already carry names, like the EXO HIVE species, seen guarding a strange altar (pics below).
What role these creatures play in the story remains unclear, but the emphasis on their placement suggests the world of Critical Shift has its own inner logic, one that players will slowly unravel.
The team also confirmed the presence of explosives, which could signal destructible environments or an additional layer of tactical depth during combat. It’s the kind of detail that, while small on its own, could significantly shape how players approach battles.
Despite the summer heat, development is ongoing. The studio notes that Critical Shift is a large and complex project, with several systems still undergoing testing and balancing. A closed beta is in the works, but it’s not ready just yet.
In the meantime, they’re encouraging fans to join the official Discord and keep an eye on social media for more details about the story, gameplay systems, and world-building elements.
Critical Shift definitely looks like it’s heading in an intriguing direction, not just in terms of gameplay, but narratively too. I’m starting to get genuinely curious about the story behind it.
That said, the game doesn’t have a release date yet, but you can sign up for a playtest on Steam, which might be coming soon. Below the announcement trailer.
