Arc System Works America, Inc. today released a new gameplay trailer for Qliphah in Providence’s Shadow, an all-new upcoming tactical counter-timeline role-playing game (RPG) arriving September 24, 2026 for PlayStation®5, Nintendo Switch™, Steam®, and EPIC. In addition, more gameplay details have been revealed for players!
In Qliphah in Providence’s Shadow, the stage is Tokyo after the World Collapse — a city where reality is being eroded and the grotesque entities known as Anomalies run rampant. While working a part-time courier job, the young man Soma Hoshigami is attacked by an Anomaly and left in a “Half-turned” state, human and Anomaly intermingled. He is taken into custody as “Lost Property” by Rena Hizuki, an investigator with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Public Safety Bureau, Foreign Affairs Fifth Division (commonly known as the Public Safety Anomaly Response Division). In a world corrupted by Anomalies and facing total reality collapse, players take on the roles of Rena and Soma as they pursue the demonic drug “Tiny True” flooding the streets, the “Stigmas” (patterns carved into the body that are spreading among the youth and eroding their flesh), and a mysterious cult operating from the shadows. Battle and strike down powerful enemies in stylish fashion, cutting them away with flair, as you unravel the mystery of the world’s transformation.
New gameplay details for Qliphah in Providence’s Shadow include the following:
- Battle System Overview: A Tactical Counter-Timeline RPG
- An exhilarating and unique battle system in which players stack skills effectively within the flow of time to deal massive damage to enemies.
- At a glance, it may look like an action RPG, but it is in fact a game built on new command-battle mechanics.
- Combat Fundamentals
- Players make full use of Counter Skills (which are sorted into Red, Blue, and Yellow) to counter enemy attacks and strategically aim to defeat their foes.
- At low difficulties, simply aiming for counters is enough to defeat enemies easily and satisfyingly. As the difficulty rises, however, enemies begin using multi-layered attacks that simple counters cannot answer — so you will need to switch skillfully between the two protagonists and make full use of a wide range of support skills.
- In addition to attack skills, there are also varied support skills, such as skills that raise attack speed and recovery skills.
- These many skills, which broaden your tactical options, become unlockable from the Relationship Chart screen — where the state of the investigation is compiled — as the story progresses. By combining those skills, you can devise a skill set that suits you and fight in your own style.
- The Timeline
- In the game’s battles, the skills performed by both the enemy and players are displayed on the Timeline at the center of the screen, showing activation timing, type, and more.
- The Timeline extends symmetrically to the left and right, and the moment a skill’s bar reaches the center is that skill’s activation timing.
- Enemy attacks and the player’s own attacks are performed in multiple layers and registered here.
- Players devise their strategy using this distinctive Timeline as their guide.
- Counter Skills
- Overlaying a skill of the same color onto an enemy skill displayed on the Timeline triggers a counter.
- Attack skills capable of countering have cooldowns, and a skill whose cooldown has not yet recovered will have reduced damage and a narrower counter window. Be mindful of your skill rotation and use your skills effectively.
- There are also enemy techniques that must be countered by both protagonists at once. Some of these Buddy Counters will not occur unless countered with attack skills whose cooldowns have recovered, and some produce special effects when the two protagonists use them in succession — so players will need to keep this in mind and consider which skill to use in which situation.
- Aerial Launches and Follow-Up Attacks
- By landing a successful counter, players can launch lesser enemies into the air and deal follow-up attacks.
- Since these follow-up attacks can each be performed by either of the two protagonists once the enemy has fallen, switching between them instantly is the way to go.
- Downs and Secret Arts
- By landing a successful counter, players can drain the gauge of enemies that have a Down Gauge.
- Enemies downed by the Down Gauge always take critical hits, allowing players to deal massive damage. During this window, rack up critical damage until the enemy gets back up, then finish with a special attack known as a Secret Art to deal maximum damage.
- This critical damage can be increased greatly through passive skills and support battle skills, so stacking criticals as a strategy yields a large return.
- At the start of the game, only Rena can unleash a Secret Art, but as players progress, Soma grows able to unleash one as well.
- Story Progression
- The story progresses by selecting locations that players can visit on the map of Tokyo.
- The events that occur change depending on the location visited and the time. Choose your destinations carefully as you search for the cause of the Anomalies’ emergence.
- Voice Recording
- The story progresses fully voiced. It will draw players into a chaotic world where Anomalies emerge.
- Mystic Pass
- By progressing through the story, it becomes possible to acquire skills. Some skills are locked behind passwords called Mystic Passes.
- Mystic Passes can be acquired within the in-game SNS feature, or by chance on the battle results screen. They are quite difficult to discover, so players are encouraged to share them with each other on social media and uncover the Mystic Passes together.
The game’s official website, store pages, and pre-orders are now live. Pre-order and early purchase bonuses are also now available for Qliphah in Providence’s Shadow, including additional skins and extra battles. The game’s packaged version pre-order and digital version early purchase will unlock player access to the “Voidfall” extra battle, three additional skins for each character, and 16 high-difficulty battles at game release.
Qliphah in Providence’s Shadow will be available September 24, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and EPIC platforms. For more game information and future updates, please follow the game’s official website.