HOSHIKIRI: Parry the Zodiac — Press & creator kit

An action match-3 roguelike

Every match is a sword stroke.

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Fact sheet

Title: HOSHIKIRI: Parry the Zodiac
Developer: NemoQ Studio (solo developer, UK)
Genre: Action match-3 roguelike
Platform: Windows (Steam)
Demo: Free. Act 1: four zodiac bosses (Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer)
Steam Next Fest: October 19–26, 2026
Early Access: TBA
Languages: English / 简体中文 / 日本語 / 한국어
Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/5160370
Contact: nemoqstudio@gmail.com

About the game

HOSHIKIRI: Parry the Zodiac is an action match-3 roguelike where every match is a sword stroke. Read a zodiac boss's windup, shape your match inside the red zone to parry, break her posture, then finish her with a single Overclock strike.

Twelve zodiac girls wait along the run, from Aries to Pisces, and each has her own windups and attacks. When a boss winds up, a red zone lights up on the board. That is where the blow will land, and you get one defence window to answer it.

Every defence is a shape. Match an L, a T or a cross inside the red zone to parry; a parry works against any zone. Blocking depends on the zone. Against a line zone, a horizontal or vertical sweep, match three along the same direction. Against an area zone, such as the heavy smashes of Taurus and Scorpio, a straight line won't hold: match a 2x2 square inside it. Touching the zone is a block, all four tiles inside is a perfect block, and a 2x2 does nothing against a line zone. A swap that makes no match is a dodge: it still costs a move and deals no damage. Act before the window opens and the blow lands at once.

Parries and blocks wear down the boss's posture. Break it and you enter Overclock: one action that costs no move, where damage past the cap overflows as gold.

Between battles you shape your build: pick one of three tarot cards, choose natal charts, and collect star signs and arcane runes. The star route is different every run.

Features

Every defence is a shape
L, T and cross matches parry any attack. Lines block sweeps; a 2x2 square holds against a heavy smash. Read the red zone, answer with geometry.
Break the posture, strike once
Parries and blocks wear the boss down. Break her posture and Overclock gives you one action that costs no move. Damage past the cap spills over as gold.
Twelve zodiac bosses
Each house brings her own windups: Aries's sweeping rows, Taurus's heavy smash, Gemini's twin zones, and more.
A different run every time
Tarot drafts, natal charts, star signs and arcane runes shape your build, and the star route changes every run.
Free demo for Steam Next Fest
Act 1: Aries, Taurus, Gemini and Cancer. Steam Next Fest runs October 19–26, 2026.