Castle of Heart: Retold Aims for Redemption with Combat Fixes, New Story, and a Fair Price

Why This Announcement Actually Matters

Castle of Heart always had a killer premise: a cursed knight turning to stone, forced to keep pushing forward or literally fall apart. In 2018, that idea was buried under clunky platforming, sluggish combat, and rough performance on Switch. So when 7Levels says Castle of Heart: Retold is a fully revamped edition with refined combat, better platforming, remixed audio, and a rewritten story-launching October 3 on Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC-that catches my attention. This is a legitimate second chance for a cool Slavic dark-fantasy action platformer that didn’t quite land the first time.

Key Takeaways

• Core promise: tighter combat, smoother platforming, and more responsive controls-the exact flaws that sank the 2018 release.
• Reimagined story and remade cutscenes lean into the Slavic folklore angle that deserved better the first time.
• Fair pricing: $14.99/€14.99 with a 15% launch discount, plus an 80% upgrade discount for original Switch owners.
• Launching everywhere—including a stated “Nintendo Switch 2” version later—which raises eyebrows but broadens the audience.

Breaking Down the Announcement

Retold isn’t a simple port. 7Levels is promising updated character models, new animations, enhanced lighting, a remixed soundtrack, and more detailed environments. More importantly, they call out refined combat, improved platforming, a redesigned interface, and more responsive controls. Those aren’t fluff bullet points; they’re a direct response to the original’s most common complaints—stiff inputs, floaty jumps, unreliable hitboxes, and a UI that didn’t communicate danger well.

The signature mechanic remains: keep momentum and aggression up or your stone body begins to disintegrate—lose limbs, lose weapons, and eventually, lose the fight. On paper, it’s a brilliant pressure system that forces pace and precision, somewhere between a stamina drain and a permanent “the floor is lava” timer. In practice, it was punishing because the controls didn’t hold up under that stress. If Retold nails input timing, enemy telegraphs, and collision detection, the mechanic goes from frustrating to exhilarating.

The Real Test: Fixing Old Pain Points

I remember bouncing off around the second region back in 2018—missed jumps that felt off by a few frames, enemy chains that juggled you without clear counterplay, and checkpoints that stretched levels into marathons. The studio specifically touts “more responsive controls” and “refined combat.” Here’s what I’ll be looking for at launch:

• Input latency and jump arcs that feel readable, not floaty.
• Consistent hitboxes and clear enemy windups, including i-frames on dodges.
• Checkpoint spacing that respects players’ time without gutting challenge.
• Camera framing that prioritizes platform readability and boss tells.
• Accessibility toggles (damage scaling, aim assists, remapping) that widen the tent.

If those boxes are ticked, Castle of Heart finally gets to be the game its concept hinted at. And with four Slavic-inspired regions full of chorts, vodniks, and ghastly ghouls, plus bosses that emphasize skill checks, there’s room here for a satisfying mid-budget action platformer that sits between indie darlings and AA throwbacks.

Slavic Dark Fantasy, Retold

Every line of dialogue has been rewritten and every cutscene remade, with a focus on the legend of Svaran and Mira defying the Sorcerer. That’s the right call. The original had strong vibes but thin storytelling; a clearer narrative throughline can amplify the decay mechanic’s urgency. Collectible “Crystals of Mokosh” to unlock alternate endings also gives completionists a reason to master routes and optimize runs, and it fits the folklore motif rather than feeling like checklist padding.

Platforms, Pricing—and That “Switch 2” Mention

Retold lands October 3 on Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC at $14.99/€14.99, with a 15% launch discount. The standout goodwill move is the 80% upgrade discount for original Switch owners. That’s how you bring early adopters back—acknowledge they took a gamble the first time and make it painless to revisit.

The press note also states a release for “Nintendo Switch 2,” with timing to be announced. That phrasing is unusual given how cagey platform holders are about successor naming. Whether that’s a confident placeholder or a slip, it signals 7Levels is preparing for the successor hardware. Pragmatically, it means if you’re holding out for next-gen handheld performance, you’ll have a path—just don’t expect firm dates until the platform holder makes its own moves.

Why I’m Cautiously Optimistic

7Levels has always aimed at Nintendo-first audiences, and Castle of Heart sold over 300,000 on Switch despite its issues. That says the concept cut through. If Retold shores up the fundamentals, this could be a solid redemption arc. The price is right, the upgrade path is generous, and the Slavic myth angle still feels fresh in a market crowded with Gothic and Greco-Roman fantasy.

Still, the proof will be in the feel. If combat reads cleanly and the platforming stops fighting you, Retold could finally deliver on that relentless, stone-body survival fantasy the original promised. If not, no amount of new lighting and a remixed soundtrack will save it. I’m rooting for the former.

TL;DR

Castle of Heart: Retold launches October 3 with revamped combat, platforming, visuals, and a rewritten story for $14.99/€14.99 (15% off at launch). The 80% upgrade discount for original Switch owners is a classy move. If the controls finally click, this could be the stylish Slavic action platformer we wanted back in 2018.