The Grimm Reapress sets May 13 for its Western storybook adventure

The Grimm Reapress and the Drearytale Monster will launch in the West on May 13, 2027. NIS America is bringing Nippon Ichi Software’s storybook adventure to PS5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC following its Japanese console release on April 30, 2026.

The announced physical editions cover PS5 and the original Switch. The publisher lists Switch 2 access through an Upgrade Pack, alongside the digital platform lineup. A Switch 2 listing should therefore not be taken as confirmation of a separate boxed Switch 2 cartridge.

A bargain made to save a sister

The official introduction follows Mono Brightman, a girl neglected by her opera-family household. Her older sister is the person who treats her kindly, making that sister’s illness the reason Mono is prepared to enter a dangerous place and work with a creature she cannot simply trust.

The disease, Paper Mortis, turns its victims into picture books called Grimmoires, which eventually become monsters. Mono’s sister is taken to the Libratarium, a place associated with containing the afflicted. Mono’s search brings her into a contract with Mär, a monster whose hostility toward humanity complicates their arrangement.

That relationship is the foundation of both the story and the action. Mono needs Mär’s strength to navigate the books, while the creature has its own motives. The premise comes from the team behind The Liar Princess and the Blind Prince and The Cruel King and the Great Hero, but this is a separate adventure with its own characters and disease.

Powerful help with a limit

Inside each book, the pair encounter a world shaped by another girl’s past and emotional life. The environments are connected to the people transformed by Paper Mortis, and their individual stories culminate in boss encounters.

Players direct Mär to attack enemies, tear through parts of the paper environment and solve obstacles. His power cannot be used without restraint: excessive use can push him into a berserk state. The publisher presents that risk as part of managing the companion, rather than a separate optional difficulty mode.

Finishing a book unlocks further abilities, including flight and fire breathing. Those powers also open opportunities in earlier worlds, allowing players to return for rewards they could not previously reach. Progress thus changes both the next destination and the usefulness of revisiting completed areas.

Languages and editions

The Western release uses Japanese voice acting. Console text is listed in English; the PC version additionally lists Japanese, Korean and Traditional Chinese. An English subtitle announcement does not imply an English voice track.

NIS America’s US Limited Edition listing is priced at $89.99 for PS5 or Switch. Its pictured contents include a collector’s box, soundtrack, art book, pin set, wooden bookmark and acrylic stand. Those are edition-specific extras accompanying the game, while the underlying single-player puzzle adventure is also being offered through the broader digital release.