New Xbox Game Pass Game Coming July 18 Might Appeal to Zelda Fans

gamerant.com:

Xbox Game Pass title Dungeons of Hinterberg has been treated to a release date, July 18. This day-one addition to Xbox Game Pass may appeal to both The Legend of Zelda and Persona fans, as it includes a healthy mixture of both series' elements.

Originally announced in June 2023, Dungeons of Hinterberg is the first-ever title from Austrian studio Microbird Games. While primarily pitched as an exploration-heavy action RPG in the vein of The Legend of Zelda franchise, it also incorporates some life sim elements, including a point-based social bond system akin to the one used throughout the 3D Persona games.

Half a year after publisher Curve Games confirmed Dungeons of Hinterberg as a day-one Xbox Game Pass title, the ARPG has received an official release date, July 18. Apart from PC, the game will also be released for the Xbox Series X/S. Microbird is planning to hold a closed playtest ahead of Dungeons of Hinterberg's summer debut. The test will be exclusively available to Steam users, with its sign-ups already being open. Buying Dungeons of Hinterberg via Steam is not a prerequisite for participating in the test, not least because pre-orders for the game haven't even gone live yet. The closed beta will run from May 9 through May 16.

Aside from its distinct mixture of genres, Dungeons of Hinterberg also tries to set itself apart with its mesmerizing visuals. The game takes place in a fantasy version of the Austrian Alps, around the eponymous village of Hinterberg, with its visuals seemingly being inspired by the iconic works of Jean Henri Gaston Giraud, better known by his pseudonym Moebius. The late French artist and cartoonist had a reputation for creating incredibly vivid scenes characterized by confident linework and a liberal use of dot halftone patterns for shading. Dungeons of Hinterberg brings this style to an interactive format using cel-shaded graphics.

The game itself stars Luisa, a law trainee who visits the Austrian Alps in search of a break from her