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Shadows of Beginnings
A dark fantasy action RPG set sixty years after the Great Eclipse, when the sun died for three days. Enter ruined Novum as an Outsider, fight and gather beyond its walls, and rebuild the town. Seamlessly shifting between isometric and over-the-shoulder perspectives.

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Features
Single-player
Captions available
Family Sharing
Steam is learning about this game 
Languages:
Interface Full Audio Subtitles
English ✔ ✔ ✔

Coming Soon To Early Access

The developers of this game intend to release as a work in progress, developing with the feedback of players.

Note: Games in Early Access are not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“Shadows of Beginnings is being built by a small indie studio, and Early Access gives us the opportunity to continue developing the game alongside the people actually playing it.

We already have a strong playable foundation, including our core combat systems, all four playable classes, the hub world of Novum, the Verdant Rot Swamp, the Thorn Matriarch boss encounter, and the town restoration system.

Early Access gives us the runway to expand beyond that foundation with additional regions, enemies, bosses, quests, progression systems, restoration content, and further polish based on real player feedback rather than assumptions.

Our goal is for the community that discovers Shadows of Beginnings through the demo and Early Access to have a meaningful voice in how the game develops toward full release.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“We currently expect Shadows of Beginnings to remain in Early Access for approximately 12 to 18 months.

Our current target is a full release in late 2027, though development schedules can change. We will not rush the game simply to meet a date if additional time is needed to reach the quality we are aiming for.

Throughout Early Access, we plan to maintain an updated development roadmap so players can clearly see what we are working on, what has been completed, and where development currently stands.”

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

“The Early Access version includes all four playable classes — Warrior, Mage, Ranger, and Rogue — alongside the hub world of Novum, the Verdant Rot Swamp, the Thorn Matriarch boss encounter, and the core town restoration and upgrade systems.

During Early Access, we plan to expand Shadows of Beginnings with additional biomes, enemy factions, boss encounters, quests, equipment, progression content, and further stages of Novum's restoration.

We also intend to deepen the Guild Rank system, expand class and build progression, develop additional restoration content, and continue building systems such as the optional Church progression branch.

The full release is planned to represent the completed version of that larger vision, with more world content, greater system depth, additional encounters, and the level of balance and polish developed throughout Early Access.

Game development changes over time, so future content described as planned or intended may evolve during production. We will always distinguish clearly between what is currently in the game and what is still being developed.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“The core combat foundation is implemented and undergoing continued testing, balancing and polish.

The game currently includes all four playable classes — Warrior, Mage, Ranger, and Rogue — alongside the hub world of Novum, the Verdant Rot Swamp, the Thorn Matriarch boss encounter, and the town restoration system.

Combat systems include weapon hit detection, attack combinations, abilities, enemy reactions, player movement, and the supporting animation systems. Core interface elements including the HUD, menus, and class selection are also functional.

Development is currently focused on continuing to integrate, test, expand, and polish these systems while building additional quests, progression content, encounters, environments, restoration features, and other content intended for Early Access.

Our public demo is planned for Fall 2026 and will serve as an important testing and community-feedback milestone ahead of the Early Access launch.”

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

“We plan to offer Shadows of Beginnings at a lower price during Early Access to reflect its in-development state.

As additional regions, systems, encounters, progression content, and polish are added, we intend to increase the price when the game reaches full release.

Players who purchase Shadows of Beginnings during Early Access will receive the full release when it launches at no additional cost.”

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

“Our Discord server is our primary hub for direct community communication. We share development updates, build notes, work-in-progress content, and gather feedback from players there.

During Early Access, we plan to run regular feedback cycles following major updates, maintain a public development roadmap, and continue publishing behind-the-scenes development content through Cryptid Forge Studios.

Player feedback will help us identify issues with combat, balance, progression, quests, UI, restoration systems, and other areas of the game. Feedback will not determine every design decision, but it will directly inform what we prioritize, refine, or reconsider.

Shadows of Beginnings is being built by a small team. Early Access gives us the opportunity to continue building the world with an active community involved throughout that process.”
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This game is not yet available on Steam

Planned Release Date: Q4 2026

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Roadmap

2026 EARLY ACCESS ROADMAP

Shadows of Beginnings is targeting Steam Early Access in Fall 2026.

The core foundations are in place. Combat, player movement, animation systems, the HUD, level transitions, saving, and the first areas of Novum are already taking shape in Unreal Engine 5.

Development is now focused on turning those foundations into the opening experience we want players to step into.

IN DEVELOPMENT

Our current work is centered on the systems and content that make Novum playable as more than a combat space.

That includes:

  • Warrior and Mage development

  • Quest and progression systems

  • Enemy behaviors and encounter design

  • Gathering and resource systems

  • Town restoration

  • The Aegis Hearth

  • Equipment and upgrade systems

  • Combat, ambient, and environmental audio

  • UI, saving, balancing, and general polish

  • Continued work on Novum and the Verdant Rot Swamp

These systems will continue to change as we test, refine, and connect them together.

PLAYABLE DEMO — FALL 2026

Before Early Access begins, a playable demo will introduce the opening chapter of Shadows of Beginnings.

Enter Novum as an Outsider.

Take up the Warrior & Mage classes.

Venture into the Verdant Rot Swamp.

Fight the Bramblekin spreading through its ruins.

And eventually face the Thorn Matriarch at the heart of the infestation.

The demo is intended to show the foundation of the larger game: combat, progression, exploration, quests, gathering, and the beginning of Novum's restoration.

EARLY ACCESS — FALL 2026

Early Access will expand beyond the demo with more systems, content, progression, and polish.

Our work leading into release includes continued development of:

  • Additional class content

  • Expanded quests and progression

  • More enemy encounters

  • Audio and VFX

  • Steam features and achievements

  • Cloud saving

  • Performance and optimization

  • Balance and accessibility improvements

  • Additional Novum restoration content

Early Access is the beginning of a longer development period, not the end of it.

BEYOND EARLY ACCESS

Development will continue with new regions beyond Novum, additional enemies and bosses, expanded character classes, deeper progression, further restoration systems, and the continuation of the story.

The roadmap will evolve as development continues and as we learn from the people playing the game.

What matters most is building Shadows of Beginnings deliberately, without rushing systems simply to fill a release checklist.

Wishlist Shadows of Beginnings now!

Join the Discord and follow Cryptid Forge Studios on YouTube to follow development.

About This Game

Sixty years ago, the Great Eclipse swallowed the sun for three days.

Novum never recovered.

You arrive at its gates as an Outsider with no gear, no standing, and no place inside. The town survives behind failing walls. The Guild has diminished. Beyond the gates, creatures spread through lands that were abandoned long ago.

If you want a place in Novum, you will have to earn it.


PROVE YOURSELF

You begin as an Outsider.

Take on work others cannot. Clear the roads beyond the walls. Hunt the creatures pressing closer to town. Help restore what Novum has lost.

Your standing grows through what you accomplish.

Rise through seven Guild ranks, from Outsider to Stranger, Journeyman, and eventually Legendary Grand Master.

Nothing is handed to you.

SHIFT YOUR PERSPECTIVE
Shadows of Beginnings does not lock you into a single ARPG perspective. Pull back into a traditional isometric view, then rotate seamlessly into an over-the-shoulder perspective and step closer into Novum. The perspective changes continuously during gameplay, there are no hard camera transitions separating the two.

REBUILD NOVUM

Novum has spent decades falling apart.

You can change that.

Gather resources from the lands beyond the gates and restore the Blacksmith, Guild Hall, Infirmary, Inn, and other ruined structures throughout town.

Each restoration changes Novum both visually and functionally. Buildings return to use. Services become available. The streets begin to feel inhabited again.

At the center of that recovery stands the Aegis Hearth, a sanctuary against what waits beyond the walls.

Novum grows as you do.


MASTER YOUR CLASS

Choose how you face the dark.

The Warrior holds the line through armor, stamina, blocking, and close-range force. Stand your ground, turn aside incoming blows, and punish anything that stays within reach.

The Mage controls distance through destructive elemental power. Keep enemies where you want them, manage your positioning, and strike before they can close the gap.

The Ranger controls the battlefield from afar. Set traps, poison targets, and punish enemies with carefully placed shots before they reach you.

The Rogue fights through speed, precision, and sudden bursts of damage. Close the distance, eliminate priority targets, and escape before the enemy can answer.

Four classes. Four different ways to survive what Novum has become.


FACE WHAT LIVES BEYOND THE WALLS

The Verdant Rot Swamp is among the first lands waiting beyond Novum.

The Bramblekin have consumed much of it. Thorn, root, and parasitic growth spread outward from a corrupted hive, overtaking what little remains of the settlements that once stood there.

At the heart of the swamp waits the Thorn Matriarch.

Ancient. Rooted deep beneath the Heartroot Clearing. Still growing.

And she is only one of the things waiting beyond Novum.


FORGE WHAT YOU NEED

The weapons and armor you find are only the beginning.

Gather materials throughout the world and bring them back to Novum to strengthen your equipment through multiple upgrade tiers.

At Tier 3, elemental modifiers open another path of specialization. Choose between Fire, Void, and Nature, altering how your equipment performs and allowing you to prepare for the threats ahead.

What you carry into the wilds matters.

FEATURES

  • Timing-driven real-time combat built around positioning, stamina, dodging, blocking, and class abilities

  • Four distinct classes with their own abilities, strengths, and combat styles

  • Seven Guild ranks earned through quests, combat, exploration, and your contributions to Novum

  • Town restoration that changes Novum visually and unlocks new services

  • Resource gathering tied directly to restoration and equipment progression

  • Multiple hostile biomes with their own creatures, environments, and major encounters

  • Weapons and armor that can be strengthened through upgrade tiers and elemental modifiers

  • Single quests, quest chains, progression quests, and repeatable activities

  • The Aegis Hearth, Novum's sanctuary and a central part of restoring what remains

Rise from the shadows of your beginnings.

Built in Unreal Engine 5

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

Generative AI tools are used as part of the visual asset production workflow for Shadows of Beginnings, including 3D models and UI/HUD elements. These assets are reviewed, edited, refined, and integrated by the development team before being used in the game.

The development team remains responsible for the game's design, programming, systems, level construction, gameplay, balancing, narrative, and overall creative direction.

No generative AI content is created live during gameplay.

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • OS: Windows 10 64-bit
    • Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB or AMD RX 580
    • DirectX: Version 12
    • Storage: 15 GB available space
    • Sound Card: DirectX compatible
    Recommended:
    • OS: Windows 10 / 11 64-bit
    • Processor: Intel Core i7-10700K or AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    • Graphics: NVIDIA RTX 3060 or AMD RX 6700 XT
    • DirectX: Version 12
    • Storage: 15 GB available space
    • Sound Card: DirectX compatible
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