Balor Games and Riyo Games have announced Threads of Time, a turn-based JRPG-inspired adventure headed to Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 with a digital release on the Nintendo eShop slated for Summer 2027.
The studio collaboration positions Threads of Time as a retro-styled, time-traveling role‑playing experience built in Unreal Engine 5 and aimed at players who enjoy tactical combat and narrative-driven exploration.
In their announcement, the publishers described a game in which players command a vessel capable of traversing time to recruit characters from disparate eras.
The developers say the objective is to rebuild the Order of the Time Knights and defend the timeline, with players assembling a party of heroes drawn from ancient civilizations through to a distant post-apocalyptic future.
Key gameplay elements outlined by Balor Games and Riyo Games include a time-traveling campaign that moves between distinct historical and speculative periods, strategic turn-based combat that emphasizes team combos and time-bending mechanics, and a roster of era-spanning characters who must be united to stop a plot that threatens history.
The publishers also highlighted a visual blend that marries pixel-art, hand-crafted 2D character work with modern environments rendered using Unreal Engine 5, aiming to capture the feel of classic RPGs with contemporary presentation.
Reported features in journalistic terms:
- Time-spanning exploration: Players will travel from prehistoric settings to far-future and alternate realms to uncover interconnected stories and secrets that shaped different ages.
- Tactical, turn-based battles: Combat is framed as strategic and visually dynamic, with mechanics that let players manipulate time to break enemy defenses and chain powerful team attacks.
- Era-diverse heroes: The game centers on recruiting and uniting characters from multiple epochs to restore an ancient order and preserve the continuity of the timeline.
- Retro aesthetics with modern tech: Threads of Time combines pixel art and handcrafted 2D characters with environments and effects produced in Unreal Engine 5.
The announcement was accompanied by a trailer and screenshots from the game, and Balor Games and Riyo Games confirmed the title will be available worldwide on the Nintendo eShop for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in Summer 2027.
For Nintendo audiences tracking Switch 2 launch lineups and upcoming eShop releases, Threads of Time represents a noteworthy indie effort that blends classic JRPG influences with current engine technology.
The studio collaboration positions Threads of Time as a retro-styled, time-traveling role‑playing experience built in Unreal Engine 5 and aimed at players who enjoy tactical combat and narrative-driven exploration.
In their announcement, the publishers described a game in which players command a vessel capable of traversing time to recruit characters from disparate eras.
The developers say the objective is to rebuild the Order of the Time Knights and defend the timeline, with players assembling a party of heroes drawn from ancient civilizations through to a distant post-apocalyptic future.
Key gameplay elements outlined by Balor Games and Riyo Games include a time-traveling campaign that moves between distinct historical and speculative periods, strategic turn-based combat that emphasizes team combos and time-bending mechanics, and a roster of era-spanning characters who must be united to stop a plot that threatens history.
The publishers also highlighted a visual blend that marries pixel-art, hand-crafted 2D character work with modern environments rendered using Unreal Engine 5, aiming to capture the feel of classic RPGs with contemporary presentation.
Reported features in journalistic terms:
- Time-spanning exploration: Players will travel from prehistoric settings to far-future and alternate realms to uncover interconnected stories and secrets that shaped different ages.
- Tactical, turn-based battles: Combat is framed as strategic and visually dynamic, with mechanics that let players manipulate time to break enemy defenses and chain powerful team attacks.
- Era-diverse heroes: The game centers on recruiting and uniting characters from multiple epochs to restore an ancient order and preserve the continuity of the timeline.
- Retro aesthetics with modern tech: Threads of Time combines pixel art and handcrafted 2D characters with environments and effects produced in Unreal Engine 5.
The announcement was accompanied by a trailer and screenshots from the game, and Balor Games and Riyo Games confirmed the title will be available worldwide on the Nintendo eShop for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 in Summer 2027.
For Nintendo audiences tracking Switch 2 launch lineups and upcoming eShop releases, Threads of Time represents a noteworthy indie effort that blends classic JRPG influences with current engine technology.
