Two Realms: Whispers from the Rift is an upcoming point and click adventure from MOD42 Studio – an unknown in the realms of fellow adventurers, but perhaps you might be aware of the PowerQuest Unity tool created by none other than Powerhoof’s GOTY, The Drifter. Without knowing who made the game, I wondered whether it was the same developer based on the throwback pixel art, but nope – they used the tool to create the interface.
The tool and visuals are where we leave the comparisons behind, as this is a game of magic. Set in a fantasy world, you play the brothers Tobias and Juno as they wander through the woods picking up sticks. No, we’re not starting a limerick; this is what people did back in the day before social media. With an ominous purple glow emanating from a dodgy hole in the wall that’s nothing to do with glory, Tobias assures his younger sibling that he’ll be safe with just a little peek. Famous last words.
There’s a slight Excavation of Hob’s Barrow vibe mixed in with those intuitive PowerQuest controls. I played this demo on the Steam Deck and was able to move Tobias around with the left stick and highlight points of interest with the right, with the verb wheel being automated in terms of interaction. No point and click adventure would be complete if it weren’t for space for a rubber chicken with a pulley in it, and access to that inventory space to combine with all manner of things is available throughout.
Two Reams: Whispers from the Rift claims a 30-minute playthrough, but I’d wager half that. It’s pointless telling you what happens as it’d ruin the experience. The devs could have left it at the penultimate scene, but instead, we get a credit sequence that looks prepped for Kickstarter support. Irrespective, it’s worth playing to see what you think thus far.
Comparing it to Cloak and Dagger Games’ excellent folk horror is an accolade in itself, and through the limited scenes, it’s setting the premise quite well. The visuals, control system and peculiar origins of this… dark crystal… are intriguing. I just wish the voice-overs were a little more coherent. Whether it’s these cauliflower ears or not, the accents were a little hard to decipher and wondering if they’re a Game of Thrones interpretation of ‘oop North’ dialects. Those didn’t work with me, but the setup did.
Two Realms: Whispers of the Rift isn’t due until 2027, nor is the demo I’m writing about here (time travel is a wonderful thing). However, the playable demo should be available from the 3rd April 2026, so… add it to your wishlist and give it a go, or I’ll tell the police.
