Why Early Access?

“Ashen Reverie focuses heavily on branching narratives and nuanced dialogue. Releasing in Early Access on an episodic schedule allows me to balance pacing and dialogue flow, manage player choice clarity, adjust route requirements, fix narrative inconsistencies, address bugs, expand on ideas and requests from the community, and ultimately create a game that you'll want to replay! As a solo developer, ongoing feedback and support from the community is invaluable.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“The full release is currently planned between late 2026 to early 2027. This timeline may shift based on community feedback and the potential expansion of the development team. Depending on the level of support during Early Access, I plan to grow the Ashen Reverie team in areas that improve the game's quality, content, and release schedule while remaining fiscally responsible. ”

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

“The final release is planned to have nine chapters in total with multiple branching paths and endings, an expanded notebook system, and additional Live2D character expressions and animations. ”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The first chapter is fully playable with branching paths, nuanced dialogue, soundtrack, completed background art, animated Live2D models, core notebook system, customizable UI settings, and accessibility features.

Please keep in mind the first chapter focuses on character introductions and worldbuilding; branching paths will be minor compared to what's planned for future chapters. ”

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

“Yes, there will be price increases as the game approaches full release and exits Early Access. Any price adjustments during Early Access will be announced in advance.”

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

“I'll be using Discord, Steam forums, and other platforms to gather feedback on what's working, what needs improvement, bug reports, and anything else related to Ashen Reverie. I want to hear what you think!”