Why Early Access?

“HEARTRENDER is a toybox made of all sorts of whimsical parts. The way they interact is what makes it all interesting, but also possibly unwieldy. That's what makes Early Access the best way to release it, where I can talk to my player base and gather feedback from them to tune up HEARTRENDER and make it the best game it can be.

Aside from getting help finding bugs to fix, much of the feedback I'll be looking at will be focused on ensuring that missions, equipment, characters and level design are properly balanced to make HEARTRENDER a game that supports a variety of equally compelling of playstyles and approaches. This back-and-forth, alongside engaging with an audience, will be the driving force that'll get us from the very first test builds to the full-fledged game release I'm committed to make.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“At least two years.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“Alongside an inflow of balance updates and bugfixes, we'll be looking at new equipment, missions and modes, as well as lots more of other stranger, exciting ideas as the project evolves.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“In its first day, HEARTRENDER will have almost all of its base mechanics, the story mode's first missions, a modest selection of equipment and a training area.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“Yes. Gradually throughout its early access and once more in its full release.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Game development is a complex, ambitious, eldritch thing. While it's unrealistic to promise accomplishing every single thing desired by every single player, Early Access will let me establish a back-and-forth between me and the audience, letting them help me shape the HEARTRENDER to its best possible version and help me decide many gameplay design choices I'll make throughout development, especially balancing the effectiveness of the many tools the player can use. The developer's Twitter account (@artdron) will be the major spot to receive feedback and hear thoughts from players.”