The Shadowed Rune : The Shadowed Rune is now available in Early Access

The Shadowed Rune is now available in Early Access

This message, although written in advance, will be posted once the game is already available for purchase on Steam. On February 14th, 2024, The Shadowed Rune was born as a participant in the Roguelike Jam. The Jam ended on the 28th of that same month, and a few days later we learned that it had won 5 out of the 7 categories. That was the moment we saw the game’s potential and its combination system, and the journey began.

Since then, The Shadowed Rune has been my top priority. I’ve balanced it with other jobs and projects, but in the end it became a personal project that I’ve fallen more and more in love with. Every second of my life that I’ve dedicated to it has been filled with joy and passion.

And it has changed a lot. A lot since that first Jam. It has gone through at least two or three major graphical overhauls, the latest one this past November after the Steam Fest. I turned everything upside down. By working closely with Félix, the composer of The Shadowed Rune’s soundtrack, and with the small Closed Beta group (a small but wonderful family), I managed to transform the game and push its own limits.

I know it’s not going to be a best-seller, and yes, it has flaws (animations, ahem ahem), but I’m incredibly proud that, on my own, I’ve taken all the feedback from Reddit, testers, communities, and friends to build an amazing project—one that I can only recommend in one way: Play it .

Because if you could sit down with your 20-year-younger self (if you’re over 40 like me), you’d say that you’d love to play a game filled with puzzles and adventure, but also with dynamic, fun combat. A game that combines the endless runs of modern action-roguelikes with the puzzle spirit of the early Zelda titles. And on top of that, the joy of being able to play with your child, your partner, or your best friend in co-op. Losing a run because of a bad fall, an explosive barrel, or a glorious ambush… those are the moments you’ll experience in The Shadowed Rune .

Because it’s not a perfect game, but it has everything I would want in one. Well, it’s missing a few things, but it will have them sooner or later. For now, it already offers enough content to enjoy hours and hours of exploring an ever-changing dungeon. And once you’ve beaten the current challenges, while waiting for the next expansion, I invite you to explore the level editor. Create your own levels, join the Discord, and download fun and unique creations from other players. Build your own campaigns, share them. Because I’ll keep adding new content to both the game and the editor, so you can create whatever you want.

And that’s the reality. The Shadowed Rune is not going to be one of the games of the year: It didn’t even reach 1,000 wishlists. I’m grateful to every single person who kept theirs all this time. Because the journey starts now. The game has a roadmap, but it’s not set in stone. It’s very much a sandbox, which means from this moment on I can add anything I want. New enemies? More traps? More spells? More items? Customization options? There’s no limit. We’re going to enjoy this Early Access journey a lot .

There will be issues, of course—bugs and unfair deaths included. But I promise I’ll work hard to make the experience fun. You’re about to enjoy a story full of charm, magic, and many secrets alongside Maia, Brishen, Veld (and Neku!) and the rest of the friends you’ll meet in The Shadowed Rune. Ready to combine runes?

The doors of the Arcane Tower are open.