Qliphah in Providence's Shadow FAQ

The PC version (Steam) launched on September 23, 2026, and the console versions — PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch — follow on September 24, 2026, per Arc System Works' official announcement. The Steam release date is confirmed by the Steam store API itself, which is the most reliable source for the PC date.

Four platforms: Windows PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch (playable on Switch 2 as well), and the Epic Games Store — where the game is listed and wishlistable. The game supports full controller play on every platform and requires a Windows PC for the Steam and Epic versions.

The Steam version is $24.99 USD — a budget-price RPG from publisher Arc System Works. Regional pricing varies by platform and store; a physical edition for consoles is also planned through Meridiem Games, and early purchases on Steam include bonus skins plus the Extra Battle: Voidfall DLC.

The Grand Scenario — the main story mode — takes around 20 hours, according to the developer’s preview coverage. That count includes the story choices and bad endings the mode is built around; full achievement hunting (Rank A on every boss, 100% Evidence Board, Dread difficulty) adds a substantial completionist tail on top.

No — it is a single-player tactical RPG with no co-op or online modes. The Steam store listing confirms Single-player as the only mode. The two-lead structure (you switch between Rena and Soma, including mid-fight Buddy Counters) is a story and combat mechanic, not a multiplayer feature.

Yes — a free demo is available on the Nintendo eShop (about a 1.3 GB download). The game was also shown hands-on at Anime Expo 2026 and covered in previews from RPG Site, Noisy Pixel and others. There is no Steam demo at launch; check the eShop listing for the playable trial.

The game is developed by UnitePlus and published by Arc System Works — the studio best known for Guilty Gear and BlazBlue. The English release is handled by Arc System Works America, with Meridiem Games producing the physical console edition.

It is a Tactical Timeline RPG — a story-driven RPG whose combat runs on the Tactical Counter-Timeline system: a real-time fight you can slow down or pause, with a timeline gauge that shows exactly when and how enemies will attack. You program skills, predict moves and counter through stylish combos, layered over a visual-novel-style fully voiced story set in a collapsed Tokyo.

The core combat interface: a dynamic timeline gauge exposes the exact timing and nature of incoming enemy attacks. You use it to program your own skills, shatter enemy offensives with counters, and slip buffs into the gaps — and you can slow time or pause at any moment to analyze the tactical forecast. Mastery turns it from methodical planning into an aggressive, action-game-paced offense.

Two leads: Rena Hizuki, a lethal investigator from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police’s Public Safety Mutation Response Division, and Soma Hoshigami, a delivery boy left in a Half-turned state — half man, half Anomaly — after an Aberration attack. Rena rescues Soma and takes him into custody as ‘lost property’; the story follows their investigation through the ruined city.

Yes. The Grand Scenario features player choices and bad endings, confirmed in preview coverage of the game. Your decisions across the five-day countdown shape which ending you reach — including the Rena and Soma epilogue scenes tracked by the Public Anomaly Squad achievement. The endings guide covers the known branching points.

Voidfall is a bonus battle expansion — an early-purchase bonus on Steam that also grants bonus skins for Rena and Soma. Arc System Works has stated it will be sold separately at a later date, so buying early is currently the only free way to get it. It appears on Steam as its own app entry alongside the main game.

The game ships for Nintendo Switch and is playable on Nintendo Switch 2 via backward compatibility. Search interest in a native Switch 2 version is high, but Arc System Works has only confirmed the Switch version plus PS5 and PC (Steam/Epic) — no separate native Switch 2 edition has been announced.

Critical reception is positive for a budget RPG: the OpenCritic aggregate sits around 78 (‘Strong’), with reviewers praising the stylish combat, cel-shaded visuals and the two leads, while noting the combat can feel repetitive in long sessions. If you like Arc System Works’ style or tactical-action hybrids, the $24.99 price is an easy recommendation — the combat system is the standout.

Nine text languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and Korean — with full Japanese and Korean voice acting. The story is fully voiced, with an opening theme and in-game insert songs carried across the language options.

Yes — the game tracks at least two difficulty tiers, with Dread difficulty confirmed by the achievement list (Flawless Victory and The Boss of Bosses both require it). Boss fights also grade your performance with an overall Rank, so the challenge scales from story-level play to Rank-A mastery runs.