A bat, a salamander, and a polar bear walk into a bar. That’s how my preview of Sunderfolk, a new multiplayer tactical RPG from developer Secret Door, began. Starting your adventure in a tavern is a common trope of the tabletop games that inspired Sunderfolk, and according to game director Erin Marek, it’s just one of many nods to the medium that players will find in the upcoming release, set for PC and consoles in 2025.
Far more importantly than its nods and references, though, Sunderfolk borrows from tabletop RPGs and board games in how it’s meant to be played. A multiplayer-only game for two to four players, Sunderfolk can be played online — that’s how Secret Door employees who work remotely most often play, in fact — but it’s designed with couch co-op in mind. In that ideal setup, Sunderfolk features a main screen that shows the battle you’re playing out or the town you’re exploring, while each player controls their character with a smartphone.
