News

SFB Games’ follow-up to award-winning Tangle Tower, The Mermaid Mask, is out now on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 1 and 2

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To review The Mermaid Mask or arrange an interview, email - korina@panicdepartment.com
Watch the launch trailer: https://youtu.be/lGzSjY6AwIw

The creators of Crow Country and Snipperclips invite players aboard the world’s weirdest submarine to solve an undersea murder mystery.

London, UK - 16th July 2026 - Critically acclaimed indie studio SFB Games, the team behind Crow Country, Tangle Tower and Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together!, is delighted to announce the launch of its much-anticipated detective mystery game, The Mermaid Mask. The game is available now on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam.

Premiered in partnership with Convergence Games Showcase on 16th July 2026, The Mermaid Mask is the long-awaited follow-up to Tangle Tower and the latest case for fan-favourite investigators Detective Grimoire and Sally. This time, the pair are called aboard an extraordinary submarine, where tragedy soon gives way to secrets, suspicion and an impossible murder.

Far below the waves and past the decaying remains of the forgotten fishing town of Silkwirm-on-Sea, Captain Magnus Mortuga has been found dead aboard his own vessel. Rumoured to be a cursed mariner, an immortal time-traveller, or possibly even a vampire, Mortuga leaves behind a crime scene that defies explanation: a locked room, a single fatal wound, and no weapon in sight. Drawn aboard by a cryptic summons from the elusive Captain Seafoam, players join Grimoire and Sally as they step aboard the world’s strangest submarine and begin untangling a case unlike any they have faced before.

Following their surprise indie hit Crow Country, one of 2024’s standout horror games, SFB Games now returns to the detective genre with a richer, more ambitious mystery: a brand-new cast of suspects, a densely atmospheric undersea setting and a case that plunges players into uncharted depths.

Today’s release marks an evolution of the acclaimed Tangle Tower formula, introducing stranger mysteries, deeper exploration and, for the first time in the series, truly 3D clues that players can inspect and manipulate to unlock the truth behind The Mermaid Mask.

"It’s been nearly five years to the day since work began on The Mermaid Mask, and it’s been quite a journey. Development has taken us to some unexpected places, including releasing an entirely different game along the way, but we feel we’ve finally delivered on what we set out to make. The Mermaid Mask is longer, deeper, and more ambitious than any of our previous Grimoire games, and we’re incredibly proud of it. We hope the community enjoys playing it as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing this new mystery to life." - Tom Vian, Creative Director/Technical Director at SFB Games

The Mermaid Mask is available now for $19.99 USD. For more info, check out the store page on PlayStation Store, Nintendo Store, or Steam.

To interview SFB Games, request a game key or for more information about the game, please email Korina at korina@panicdepartment.com

About SFB Games

SFB Games is a British independent game studio, founded by brothers Tom and Adam Vian, who have been making games together since 2003. They’re passionate about designing unique games with a focus on fun, artistry, and innovation. These particular design philosophies lined up well with Nintendo, when the two companies worked closely together to create the Nintendo Switch launch title Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! SFB Games’ most recent release, Crow Country, was hailed as a GOTY candidate in 2024, inspiring countless fan art, cosplays, YouTube videos, streams and speedruns - as well as maintaining a user review score of 98% positive on Steam.

Fights in Tight Spaces sequel, 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces, launches into Steam Early Access

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For more information, key requests or interviews with the team, email - korina@panicdepartment.com
To view the Press Kit for 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces, please visit - Press Kit
Watch the Early Access launch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulEzQDTiVNs

One spy was never going to be enough: team up and fight smarter in the brand new online co-op mode.

Bristol, United Kingdom – 7th June 2026 – Ground Shatter today announced that 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces, the successor to their award-winning deckbuilding, turn-based tactical combat game, Fights in Tight Spaces, is now available in Early Access on Steam.

Announced during the PC Gaming Show’s Summer of Games showcase, 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces marks Ground Shatter’s first release since returning to independent ownership earlier this year, and the studio’s first self-published Tight Spaces game. Built around Early Access from the outset, the game expands Ground Shatter’s signature tactical action with online co-operative play for the first time in the series, inviting players to assemble a team, take on brand new crime gangs, and help shape its systems, content, and long-term direction alongside the studio.

Blending the series’ iconic run-based progression, high-impact combat, and build-defining upgrades, 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces drops players into a bold new PvE world where every run becomes a shared experiment in risk, reward, and dealing with the “consequences” of bad days in the office.

For players who prefer to go it alone, 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces refines the original “One Man Army” experience with a new dynamic weapon system, enemy disarms, and interactive environments.

Players return to the role of Agent 11 and their fellow Section XI agents, as they try to take down shadowy cabals across small rooms crammed with shifting encounters, varied objectives, and choices that change the shape of every fight. Whether players favour precision, brute force, careful planning, or “I wonder what happens if I stack this six times,” each run offers new routes to victory over the criminal underworld.

The Early Access launch combines classic cards, characters, and levels, with two new enemy factions, 150+ new Abilities, new environments, and a refined new visual style. Throughout Early Access, Ground Shatter will expand the game with new content, modes, balance updates, quality-of-life improvements, and community-led refinements shaped by player feedback. A full roadmap is available on the 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces Steam page.

"The process of building Fights in Tight Spaces was transformed when we unleashed the game on players for the first time and alongside the community, we were able to learn the wonderful (and sometimes weird) ways in which they played the game.

We've taken some big swings for the sequel, with all-new mechanics to enjoy, new adversaries to face, and the challenge of working seamlessly with your friends. The game is at the perfect point to throw the doors to the Tight Spaces open once again and see what players can do with it. Early Access gives us the chance to build 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces with the people who are most invested in it, and ensure that the final product is the perfect blend of deck-building, tactical play, and our trademark smashing people’s faces into things." - James Parker, Game Director at Ground Shatter

Key Features

A stylish, action-packed take on co-op deckbuilding
Fight through high-stakes scenarios packed with enemies, cinematic action-movie vibes, slick design, and a soundtrack elegant enough to make even a failed mission feel extremely cool.

Assemble the team
Bring up to 3 players together for an online co-operative tactical roguelite adventure where every mission demands sharp positioning, smarter teamwork, and the occasional heroic bit of improvisation.

Master the Disarm, Stance, Transition System
Collect and master powerful polymorphic cards that work with the dynamic weapon system to ensure that every card draw is valuable and every hard-gotten weapon is an upgrade; unlocking elegant synergies, deadly new tactics, and just the right amount of rule-breaking.

Smash & Grab
Grapple, punch, and improvise your way through enemies using the world around you, then raise the stakes by grabbing improvised melee weapons, guns, and whatever else is conveniently lying around. Use the world as your weapon with powerful and deeply satisfying environmental hazards.

Find your team’s playstyle
With multiple classes, gear to equip, and a deep upgrade system, 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces offers countless ways to build, adapt, and strategise across every run, whether your squad is made up of seasoned tacticians or first-time agents learning not to stand next to explosive barrels.

2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces is available now in Early Access on Steam for $12.99, with an introductory launch discount of 15%. Visit the game’s Steam page for more.

About Ground Shatter

Founded in 2014, Ground Shatter is an independent 13-person games development studio based in Bristol, UK. The studio develops for PC and consoles with a focus on action-movie inspired, short-session experiences. After their debut title SkyScrappers and multiplayer-shooter RICO, the studio came to prominence with the BAFTA Games Award nominated Fights in Tight Spaces, and Knights in Tight Spaces, a medieval fantasy, turn-based tactics deck-builder. They are currently working on 2 Fights 2 Tight Spaces, the formula-smashing co-op sequel to the original game.

The Mermaid Mask launches July 16th on PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

To review The Mermaid Mask or arrange an interview, email - korina@panicdepartment.com
Watch the announcement trailer: https://youtu.be/Z9T_I7XTXDs

London, UK - Saturday, June 6th 2026 - SFB Games, the studio behind Tangle Tower and cult favourites including Crow Country and Nintendo Switch launch title Snipperclips, today announced that The Mermaid Mask - a stylish, witty, and atmospheric new instalment in the beloved Detective Grimoire series - launches on PC, Steam Deck, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 on July 16th, 2026.

In the pitch-black waters beyond a long-abandoned fishing town, the enigmatic Captain Magnus Mortuga - rumoured to be everything from an immortal time-traveller to a cursed vampire - has been found dead inside his submarine. His body lies alone in a locked room, marked by a single fatal wound, with no weapon in sight. At the centre of the chamber sits an ancient, barnacle-covered cauldron, recently opened, its interior eerily empty save for deep, unexplained scratches.

Summoned by the mysterious Captain Seafoam, players step into the shoes of Detective Grimoire and his sharp-tongued partner Sally to unravel the truth - armed with little more than a cryptic letter and two photographs.

Returning to their roles are acclaimed voice actors Edwyn Tiong (Loco Motive, Harold Halibut, Unavowed) as Detective Grimoire, and Amber Lee Connors (Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, The Outer Worlds 2) as Sally. They are joined by a diverse ensemble spanning games, anime, film, and radio, including Tara Langella, David Menkin, Anairis Quiñones, Eric Morgan Stuart, Jacqui Bardelang, and more.

The game features expressive hand-drawn animation by Velvet V and Catherine Unger, fully 3D interactive clue objects modelled by Kindra Dantone, and a cinematic score by Raphael Benjamin Meyer performed by the Budapest Art Orchestra.

A playable demo is available now on Steam. For more information and to wishlist the game, visit the game's Steam page.

Crow Country devs announce that The Mermaid Mask, the follow-up to chart-topping detective mystery Tangle Tower, is releasing this summer

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

To review The Mermaid Mask or arrange an interview, email - korina@panicdepartment.com
To view the Press Kit for The Mermaid Mask, please visit - Press Kit

Detective Grimoire and Sally return to take on a new mystery on PC and consoles. Play a free demo available on Steam now!

London, UK - 11th February 2026 - Critically acclaimed creators of Crow Country and Snipperclips: Cut It Out, Together! SFB Games is delighted to announce that The Mermaid Mask - the thoroughly charming successor to the award-winning murder mystery title, Tangle Tower - is releasing this summer on PC and consoles.

A riotous follow-up to the beloved Tangle Tower, one of Apple Arcade's top three most highly rated games of all time. It is the latest instalment of SFB Games’ much-loved Detective Grimoire series, which began as a flash game on Newgrounds in 2007. The Mermaid Mask is a witty, visually spectacular detective mystery that balances heavy themes with light-hearted humour.

Submerge yourself in the nautical beauty of the sprawling Mortuga Submarine, unlocking its many oddities and secrets. In the pitch-black waters beyond a long-abandoned fishing town, the enigmatic captain of the world's strangest submarine has been murdered. Some say he was an immortal time-traveller. Others say he was a vampire, cursed to stay hidden beneath the waves forever.

Interrogate the sub's suspicious occupants - each lovingly voice-acted and brought to life through expressive, hand-drawn 2D animation - and collect clues by solving satisfying puzzles designed to encourage curiosity, experimentation, and that ultimate "aha!" moment of discovery.

This new entry to the series sees the return of renowned voice actors, Edwyn Tiong (Loco Motive, Harold Halibut, Unavowed) and Amber Lee Connors (Jujustsu Kaizen, Demon Slayer, Dandadan, The Outer Worlds 2), to their roles as the endearing Detective Grimoire and his sardonic sidekick, Sally. Supported by an incredible cast of voice talent from gaming, anime, film, and radio - to be revealed soon.

"We've been working on The Mermaid Mask for a long time - never before have we poured so much love and care into a single project, and it's become something quite remarkable.

In 2024, our survival-horror game Crow Country became a surprise hit, which diverted our attention a little longer than we'd initially intended (a good problem to have, as Crow Country was wonderfully well received).

We can't wait to finally share The Mermaid Mask with players this year. There really is so much to discover in this game. It's a great self-contained murder mystery for new players - while at the same time, for those people who are familiar with the series, particularly 2019's Tangle Tower... you're really not going to want to miss this." - Adam Vian, Creative Director

Get your sea legs ready and prepare to board The Mermaid Mask when it officially sets sail! In the meantime, check out the newly released Steam Next Fest demo available now.

For more information on The Mermaid Mask, visit the game's Steam page. To interview SFB Games, please email korina at korina@panicdepartment.com

About SFB Games

SFB Games is a British independent game studio, founded by brothers Tom and Adam Vian, who have been making games together since 2003. They're passionate about designing unique games with a focus on fun, artistry, and innovation. These particular design philosophies lined up well with Nintendo, when the two companies worked closely together to create the Nintendo Switch launch title Snipperclips – Cut it out, together! SFB Games’ most recent release, Crow Country, was hailed as a GOTY candidate in 2024, inspiring countless fan art, cosplays, YouTube videos, streams and speedruns - as well as maintaining a user review score of 98% positive on Steam.