Shade of the Marionette Reveals First Gameplay Trailer, WitchSpring Action RPG Targets Late 2027

KIWIWALKS, the studio behind the WitchSpring series, officially released the first gameplay trailer for Shade of the Marionette: The Story of Piyorita on November 11, 2026. The new footage showcases real-time combat, mid-battle weapon switching, magic reflection, attacks that take advantage of elevated terrain, and the ability to summon previously defeated bosses. Alongside the reveal, KIWIWALKS confirmed that its upcoming 3D action RPG is targeting the second half of 2027 for PC via Steam and consoles, although the exact release date and price remain unannounced.

Unlike WitchSpring R, which features turn-based combat, Shade of the Marionette marks KIWIWALKS' first action RPG, introducing a new story set within the same world. Players control Piyorita, a doll born without emotions or memories, as she explores mysterious rooms beyond a mirror and absorbs other dolls' life force in pursuit of becoming the Masterpiece. The trailer also highlights crafting and progression systems inside the White Nest, along with a mysterious girl dressed in black who has the same face as Piyorita.

Quick Summary

• Official title: Shade of the Marionette: The Story of Piyorita
• Japanese title: 人形の影：ピヨリタの物語
• Short title: Shade of the Marionette
• Format: video game
• Official genres: action, RPG
• Developer description: story-driven 3D action RPG
• Developer: KIWIWALKS
• Publisher: KIWIWALKS
• Studio country: South Korea
• Related franchise: WitchSpring
• Studio's previous game: WitchSpring R
• Development status: in development
• Target release: second half of 2027
• Latest trailer date: November 11, 2026
• Original game announcement: September 2026
• Latest promotional material: official first gameplay trailer
• Trailer duration: approximately two and a half minutes
• PC platform: Steam
• Additional platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo console families, with specific models not yet detailed
• Main protagonist: Piyorita
• Piyorita's identity: a doll born without emotions or memories
• Main objective: become the Masterpiece
• Guide: a mysterious, seemingly familiar Voice
• Starting location: White Nest
• Exploration setting: rooms hidden beyond a mirror
• Combat system: real-time 3D action
• Core mechanics: weapon switching, magic reflection, and elevation-based attacks
• Bosses: giant dolls with different attack patterns
• Companion system: summon boss Dolls after meeting requirements
• Crafting: weapons, spells, traps, and equipment
• Progression: upgrades for weapons, skills, and boss Doll parts
• Exploration structure: room-unlocking order affects scenes and narrative progression
• Game mode: single-player
• Steam features: Achievements, Steam Cloud, and Family Sharing
• Steam interface and subtitle languages: English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and German
• Indonesian language: not currently listed
• Exact release date: unannounced
• Price: unannounced
• Public demo: unannounced

First Gameplay Trailer, Steam, and Piyorita's World

First Trailer Showcases Real-Time Combat and Weapon Switching

On November 11, 2026, KIWIWALKS offered its first substantial demonstration of how Shade of the Marionette plays. While the earlier announcement teaser focused on Piyorita awakening inside the White Nest, the new footage centers on actual gameplay, including character movement, weapon switching, and encounters with enormous enemies.

Piyorita can wield multiple weapons with distinct attack speeds, ranges, and skills. The trailer demonstrates switching between them during combat, allowing players to adapt their approach to enemy positioning and attack patterns rather than remaining committed to a single fighting style.

Another newly demonstrated mechanic is the ability to reflect incoming enemy magic. Piyorita can also exploit differences in battlefield elevation to perform jumping attacks from higher positions, while cover and movement routes provide additional tactical possibilities.

According to the official Steam description, the combat system includes targeting assistance and unlimited dashes. KIWIWALKS aims to deliver responsive action without requiring players to memorize complicated input combinations, while still allowing tactical decisions based on weapons, positioning, and environmental conditions.

Giant Bosses Can Be Defeated and Summoned as Allies

Battles against enormous boss dolls are among the trailer's main highlights. Piyorita must observe enemy movements, avoid dangerous attacks, and exploit openings to launch counterattacks.

However, bosses are more than obstacles to overcome. KIWIWALKS has demonstrated a system that allows Piyorita to absorb the life force of defeated boss Dolls, then summon those dolls to assist her in future battles.

The official Steam page explains that defeated bosses can be transformed into commandable Dolls when certain conditions are met. These acquired companions can also be upgraded using materials gathered during exploration, including enhancements to specific parts that expand their combat potential.

This system allows players to turn previously dangerous enemies into tactical resources. Piyorita can also perform coordinated skills with certain Dolls, connecting the rewards of exploration and boss encounters to the strategies available in subsequent fights.

White Nest Serves as the Crafting and Expedition Hub

Outside combat, the trailer introduces the White Nest Room, where Piyorita first awakens. This location functions as the main preparation area before players venture into new environments hidden beyond the mirror.

Materials collected during exploration can be used to craft weapons, spells, traps, and various support items. KIWIWALKS has also described a magical synthesis workstation where players follow recipes from a magic compendium to create useful equipment for upcoming encounters.

Crafting options range from recovery supplies to mines that can be placed and detonated when enemies approach. Players can also prepare defensive tools and improve the weapons that best suit their preferred combat styles.

The White Nest provides facilities to manage boss Dolls, strengthen abilities, and change Piyorita's costume. Rather than functioning as a completely separate activity, base preparation becomes an integral part of planning how to approach the next room and its enemies.

Piyorita Searches for the Masterpiece Beyond the Mirror

Shade of the Marionette follows Piyorita, a doll created without memories or emotions. When she first opens her eyes inside the White Nest, she hears a mysterious Voice that feels familiar, even though she does not understand the identity of the being speaking to her.

The Voice directs Piyorita to explore rooms connected through a mirror. To become the Masterpiece, she must absorb the life force of other dolls, while those considered failures are also competing for approval from the same mysterious presence.

The game features an exploration structure that allows players to choose the order in which rooms are unlocked. According to Steam, this selection can influence the sequence of scenes and how the story unfolds, meaning Piyorita's journey does not necessarily present every narrative event in the same order.

The new trailer also introduces other characters, including Straccio, a small doll that constantly moves around Piyorita. Another mysterious figure is a girl dressed in black with a face identical to Piyorita's, although her relationship with the protagonist and her role in the Masterpiece mystery have not yet been fully explained.

KIWIWALKS Develops Its First Action RPG in the WitchSpring World

KIWIWALKS is best known for the WitchSpring RPG series, including WitchSpring R, which has been released on PC and consoles. In its latest announcement, the studio stated that WitchSpring R had surpassed 300,000 cumulative copies sold worldwide across PC and consoles, according to the developer's own figures.

With Shade of the Marionette, KIWIWALKS retains its emphasis on characters, crafting, and fantasy storytelling while shifting combat toward real-time action. The studio describes this project as its first action RPG, introducing a new narrative within the WitchSpring world rather than simply retelling the adventures of previous protagonists.

The game was initially revealed in September 2026 and already has a Steam store page. The November announcement provides a more substantial gameplay demonstration and narrows the release target from a general 2027 window to the second half of 2027.

The PC version is available to wishlist on Steam, with console editions also planned. However, the specific console models, platform-by-platform release dates, pricing, and availability of a public demo have not yet been detailed in the latest announcement.

Why This Matters

1) KIWIWALKS demonstrates a major shift from WitchSpring R

Shade of the Marionette builds on the WitchSpring world while moving from turn-based combat to real-time action. The first gameplay trailer now shows how mid-battle weapon switching, magic reflection, and free movement work in practice.

2) Defeated bosses become part of the combat system

Enormous enemies do not simply provide challenges during encounters. After meeting certain requirements, boss Dolls can become summonable companions and receive upgrades, making their abilities part of the player's wider strategy.

3) Exploration and crafting directly support story progression

The order of unlocking rooms can change the sequence of narrative scenes, while materials gathered during exploration support equipment upgrades in the White Nest. Both systems connect exploration decisions with preparation for future encounters.

Shade of the Marionette: The Story of Piyorita Game Information

For now, the additional important information currently known includes:

• Shade of the Marionette was first revealed in September 2026
• the latest gameplay trailer was released on November 11, 2026, through KIWIWALKS' official channel
• the previous teaser focused on Piyorita awakening inside the White Nest
• the November trailer showcases combat, new characters, crafting, and weapon upgrades
• the second-half 2027 release target comes from the developer's announcement
• Steam continues to display Coming Soon without a specific date
• the registered Steam App ID is 5034390
• KIWIWALKS is listed as both developer and publisher
• players can switch weapons during active combat
• weapons differ in attack speed, reach, and skills
• the combat system includes targeting assistance
• unlimited dashes are described in the official game listing
• boss Dolls require specific conditions before becoming companions
• exploration materials can enhance parts of acquired boss Dolls
• the White Nest supports crafting recovery items, weapons, spells, and traps
• Piyorita's costumes can be changed through the base facilities
• listed minimum PC requirements include 8 GB RAM and a GTX 950
• listed recommended PC requirements include 16 GB RAM and a GTX 1060
• Steam does not currently mark full-audio support for any of its six listed languages
• pricing, the exact release date, a public demo, and specific console models remain unannounced

• the latest gameplay trailer is available through Official Shade of the Marionette First Trailer
• wishlist registration and game information are available through Official Shade of the Marionette Steam Page
• studio information is available through Official KIWIWALKS Website
• details about the previous game are available through Official WitchSpring R Website

Closing

Shade of the Marionette: The Story of Piyorita finally showcased its first substantial gameplay footage on November 11, 2026, revealing weapon switching, magic reflection, summonable boss Dolls, and White Nest crafting. The trailer demonstrates how KIWIWALKS is adapting the WitchSpring world into a 3D action RPG with a combat system distinct from its previous work.

The game is targeting the second half of 2027 for PC via Steam and consoles. Although its central gameplay mechanics are now clearer, the exact launch date, pricing, supported console models, and availability of a public demo remain subject to future official announcements.

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