Croak: Everything We Know

Few games manage to adopt a genre that works and make it their own. Take the platforming genre, for instance. We’ve seen many games regurgitate the same concept, art style, level designs, and more. It’s become so unbearable that you’d rather stick to the OGs: Mario, Donkey Kong, and more recently, Hollow Knight and Celeste. However, Croak may flip the coin on its head with its unique take on the genre. The trailer already has gamers’ interest peaked, leaving us with the task of compiling everything there is to know about Croak so far.

What is Croak?

Croak is an upcoming cartoon platformer game. It’s quite similar to Cuphead, borrowing the art style from the game and merging it with the intricate level designs of Celeste. Combined, you can look forward to a goofy and challenging precision platformer whose sole aim is to grant players a fantastic time. The game’s Steam page promises an innovative grapple mechanic, which you can catch a sneak peek of in the trailer embedded below. 

Your grapple hook is essentially your tongue, which you stick onto surfaces to haul yourself between platforms. But you can also bounce against platforms to reach higher distances or jump between gaps in the level designs. With hundreds of rooms to maneuver, Croak is shaping up to provide a diverse and engaging playthrough. You’ll explore distinct biomes, each one having a unique boss and gameplay mechanic to master.

Story

So, a curse that befalls the kingdom of Croak turns the prince into a frog. You can already tell where the story is going, as its characters and environments lean on a “fractured fairy tale” perspective. You’ll meet exciting characters as you strive to save the world (and yourself) from doom.

Gameplay

From the trailer, Croak seems like it’ll be one tough cookie. You’ll likely have to employ strategy to beat the levels. There’s a chance the levels may be Metroidvania, but that remains to be confirmed. Overall, though, the gameplay looks goofy and fun. So, even if it humbles you across its stages, you’ll at least enjoy a great time.

Platformer

Croak is a platformer that will allow you to use your tongue to propel yourself across platforms. You can also bounce off surfaces to reach higher levels and close the gap between holes. The platforms will be interactive, pushing you to think outside the box, while also sharpening your reflexes. 

Exploration and Combat

As you progress, you’ll navigate diverse biomes, from snowy mountains to swamps and mines. Your goal is to reach your cursed castle. But before reaching the castle, you’ll solve puzzles, discover secret areas, collect valuables, fight foes, and take on formidable bosses.

Solve Mystery

At the center of Croak’s gameplay is a mystery-solving tale. You’ll find the answers to the curse, exploring the kingdom and interviewing your subjects for clues. Your subjects have been turned into animals, too, while the kingdom has sprouted poisonous vines. Still, the visuals will be vibrant, even as you strive to save the world.

Development

WoodRunner Games is spearheading the development and publishing of Croak. Croak will be WoodRunner’s first game. WoodRunner is a new indie studio based in Montreal. They have been steadfast in marketing the game, with genuinely exciting teaser videos showing development so far. 

Also, some of the developers at WoodRunner have worked on the beloved game Cuphead. Meanwhile, some animators have worked on Rick & Morty. You can easily spot the inspirations from the two franchises in the trailer, with an anticipated fun and immersive gaming experience.

The developers are calling out to gamers to join Croak’s Discord server. There, they will be posting updates on the development of the game. Moreover, you can ask the developers questions and apply to an insider program where you can give direct feedback and access dev builds. This is your chance to influence the development of the game and help WoodRunner launch an impactful platformer.

Trailer

Croak’s official reveal trailer is out now on YouTube. The first curtain drop of the trailer was at the Future Games Show at the Gamescom 2024 event. Along with the trailer was the developing team’s sentiment about the game. The team is evidently excited to launch the game soon as they reveal bits and pieces of the visuals and gameplay you can expect in the final game. But the best sample is the trailer, which showcases a cartoon frog protagonist leaping off walls and bouncing off surfaces to reach distance platforms. 

According to WoodRunner’s director and game designer, “Croak is a platformer that feels familiar yet unique.” That statement couldn’t be any more true as the frog uses his tongue to grapple around the levels. Further, WoodRunner’s 2D animator and concept artist reveal that all the animations will be “hand-drawn frame by frame.” As the game continues being developed, you can prepare yourself for exciting boss fights with “unique move sets and multiple phases.” 

Some of the bosses have been shown in the trailer. You can see a fox and bear a thousand times your size. Still, the bosses are unique. They look fantastic and fight you differently. With their super high agility and multiple phases, you’ll probably have a welcome, tough time defeating them. 

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

Unfortunately, we still don’t know when Croak plans to launch. The release date will be announced in the foreseeable future. We can at least confirm that the upcoming game will launch on PC platforms via Steam. What’s more? You can add the game to your wishlist as early as now to get a notification when it drops and support the development of the game by showing an interest in its progress. As for editions, they are unconfirmed at this time. For any information still under wraps, you can always follow the official social handle here to keep track of new updates.

So, what’s your take? Will you be grabbing a copy of Croak when it drops? Let us know over on our socials here.