Table of Contents
Fangtopia Brings Cosy Monster Building to October
Halloween does not necessarily need to involve being chased through a dark corridor by something horrible. Absolutely Games and publisher Secret Mode have confirmed that Fangtopia will launch on October 26, bringing its decidedly scare-free take on monsters to PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
The relaxing puzzle game gives players a randomly generated stack of hexagonal tiles and asks them to gradually transform an empty stretch of ocean into their own spooky kingdom. Matching terrain helps towns, forests, rivers and other landscapes expand naturally, while clever placement earns points and provides access to additional tiles and landmarks.
There is no timer pushing things along either, leaving players free to approach each kingdom as efficiently or aesthetically as they want.
Fangtopia Turns Hex Tiles Into a Monster Paradise
Building outwards is about more than making the map look good. Players can eventually reach mysterious portals scattered across the sea, summoning supernatural residents including scarecrows, giants and werewolves into their growing kingdom.
Different creatures need suitable places to live, turning expansion into a mixture of tile optimisation and monster collecting. New landmarks also provide their own objectives. Completing those challenges adds more tiles to the available stack, allowing the kingdom to spread further while creating additional scoring opportunities.
Everything discovered along the way is recorded inside a Sticker Book, including unlocked tiles and every monster encountered.
Build for Beauty or Chase the Leaderboards
Fangtopia is also designed around several ways to play depending on how seriously players want to take their spooky city planning.
Those looking for a more strategic puzzle can maximise tile placement and pursue high scores on global leaderboards. Anyone wanting something quieter can instead concentrate on building an attractive landscape without worrying about optimisation.
That distinction fits the game’s broader philosophy. Absolutely Games describes its monsters as friendly rather than frightening, while the lack of time limits is intended to keep mistakes from turning into stressful setbacks. The end result feels considerably closer to a cosy board game than a conventional city builder, just with more ghosts and werewolves wandering around once everything starts coming together.
Arriving five days before Halloween seems appropriate, and thankfully, none of its monsters appears particularly interested in ruining the relaxing mood.
Fangtopia launches on October 26 for PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC through Steam, Epic Games Store and Stove.
