The use of colour is so important in games, and very few seem to nail it. Everywhere I look are the same drab browns and greys, with little catching the eye. Tokyo 42 doesn’t have that problem as it combines a clean, bold colour scheme with some wild looking isometric action. It also features cats. Everyone loves cats right?

As you can see from that gorgeous pre-alpha trailer, this is looking like it will be a wonderfully colourful game that is self-described (on the official website) as being the lovechild of Syndicate and the original GTA. There certainly seems to be a lot going on in this futuristic imagining of Tokyo where you will become an assassin trying to uncover what sinister forces are behind the cyber-shenanigans that plague the city. There is also something about cats happening here.

There will be an open-world single player mode alongside competitive multiplayer. You will have to master stealth, bullet physics and the purchase of many weapons to succeed in this world, while the online component will allow you to change your skin and blend into crowds. Maybe you can turn into a cat, who knows?

Tokyo 42 is the debut game from SMAC, a development studio comprising brothers Maciek Strychalski and Sean Wright who have been working on the game in their London kitchen. Nice to know that developers are moving to more food-oriented places than the basement or garage!

This is also the first game that Mode 7 Games (famous for Frozen Synapse among others) are publishing. In the press release, Mode 7 co-founder, Paul Kilduff-Taylor shared the following, insightful, tidbit:

“When I first saw this computer game it made me feel a strong feeling inside my pancreas. After I recovered, we decided to work with SMAC closely on it to help them achieve their astonishingly ambitious vision. This game is genuinely wonderful. It reminds me of some Amiga and DOS-era classics while still somehow being modern and stylish. I cannot wait for everyone to play it and tell me how clever I was to sign it.”

Paul was also kind enough to reveal a bit more about what role the cats will play in Tokyo 42…exclusively to us on Twitter! (@TheReticule what a cheap plug – Ed):

@TheReticule pretty damn important. they can hunt down your opponent in multiplayer when they are stealthed :-)

— Paul Kilduff-Taylor (@mode7games) March 30, 2016