In just under one month, the first chapter of Ashen Reverie will be available in Early Access!

The first chapter focuses on character introductions and worldbuilding. Choice-based mechanics and other narrative systems are present, but theyre intentionally lighter in scope compared to whats planned for future chapters. As of now, nine chapters in total are planned for Ashen Reverie.

The Steam storefront includes a brief Early Access questionnaire, but for those interested in more context, please see below. A full FAQ page will also be published on the Tidalspire website later this week.

Whats the Plan for the Full Version?

While the phrase may sound familiar, Ashen Reverie is designed to be a game where choices truly matter. What sets it apart is how these choices influence the narrative flow. Instead of shifting into fixed linear paths, it tracks a combination of trust, fear, and more to shape how your story progresses.

My vision for the game is to create a story that evolves based on how the characters perceive you, ranging from minor changes in tone during conversation to rejecting you entirely, as well as how your character perceives the world around them. An overly cautious or wary player might later struggle to think rationally, while players who are too agreeable might miss red flags. Players who are indecisive may find no one on their side by the end.

One feature Im excited about is the player notebook. It automatically records key decisions and observations for easy reference, and it allows you to jot down your own notes. Its already implemented in the game, but I plan to add more functionality based on community feedback. Whats currently being worked on is a dedicated section in the game menu for a full screen view.

I plan to refine the Live2D character animations and expressions as development continues. While not the top priority, expect incremental improvements throughout Early Access. Although the core assets for all nine planned chapters are complete, more visual content is planned to be added if resources allow.

Due to the nature of the visual novel genre, one last point Ill mention: Ashen Reverie does not include romance routes. None of the characters will be romanceable.

When to Expect New Chapters

The current release schedule is roughly every eight weeks. If this needs to change, an updated timeline will be shared.

The estimated final release window is between late 2026 and early 2027, based on continuing as a solo developer. This may shift depending on future developments.

What to Expect with Each Chapter Release

• New story content that continues directly from the previous chapter.

• Refinements to earlier chapters based on community feedback.

• General updates to the notebook, animations, and/or UI. The scope of these may vary with each release.

• Patches and fixes will be issued as needed.

How Will Development Stay on Track?

All core assets are complete, and the full story with branching paths is outlined (though not set in stone). Much of the script is already written or drafted, so the focus is primarily on implementation.

For the sake of transparency, the area thats impacting development time the most is coding. I am brand new to programming, something which is proving to be very time-consuming. Once its financially feasible, I plan to add a programmer to the team to help streamline this part of development.

Above all else, I love this game and want to see it completed!

How Will the Community be Involved?

Ill be actively gathering feedback from Discord, the Steam forums, and direct emails, while also keeping an eye on other social media platforms. While I wont be able to implement every suggestion, I genuinely want to hear what you think! As well as answer any questions, or even just say hello.

Ill be upfront, Im not good with social media and will likely stumble in the beginning. Ive used it more in the last two months than I have in the last ten years combined, if thats any indicator.

So if anyones interested in helping mod the Discord server, please feel free to reach out

In all seriousness, thank you for taking the time to read this announcement.

Thank you for supporting Ashen Reverie!

Greetings! A few minor updates:

• New audio channel for footsteps.

• Changed the text speed test box in the settings menu so that it no longer stays on the screen when scrolling away.

• Minor UI and text adjustments.

• Basic menu/UI translations for Simplified Chinese (), Traditional Chinese (), Japanese (), Russian (), and Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia). The game itself is not translated, and the current menu translations may have some mistakes.

A few bigger updates with the notebook:

• Adjusted the Title field to prevent spillover text.

• Entries are timestamped.

• Entries can now be edited and favorited. Story-based entries can't be edited but can also be favorited.

• A new "Bookmark" tab that filters favorited entries.

• The "Story" tab has been renamed to "Main".

Now, why would there be updates to the notebook? More news tomorrow!

Some lines of dialogue were locked behind a redundant check during the first half of the demo, [spoiler]while texting Nami during the walk to the lunch meeting if you have her phone number[/spoiler].

Apologies for the back-to-back updates, they should slow down after this one. Thank you!

Greetings! Minor update:

• Notebook quick menu button has been replaced with a placeholder book icon.

• Adjusted description of the auto-forward setting to "Auto-Forward Delay" to reflect what's actually changing when the bar increases. Higher value = longer delays between dialogue.

If the update isn't showing up, exiting and restarting Steam should load it.

Thank you!

Greetings!

New content has just been added to the Ashen Reverie demo. This update includes expanded dialogue, improved animations, and eight possible endings to discover.

New Content

• The demo now features eight endings with multiple branching paths based on your choices and interactions. Progress for unlocked endings can be viewed in the Extras section on the Main Menu.

• Some new paths include mature content, specifically [spoiler]descriptions of blood and knife wounds[/spoiler].

• Several existing scenes have been expanded with additional dialogue.

Visual & UI

• Live2D character models have been enhanced with improved motions and expressions.

• New UI customization options, including background opacity adjustments for menus, overlays, and choice screens

• Photosensitivity and content warning splash screens now appear on launch.

• The pop-up notebook has been consolidated to a single window.

• Player-created notebook entries can be deleted by clicking the X button beside them. Story-generated entries can't be deleted.

Minor Fixes & Polish

• Olivias model position has been slightly lowered.

• Small UI adjustments and minor dialogue edits.

• Demo version corrected from 1.0 to 0.1.1.

• All text settings have been moved to the Text section of the settings menu

Feedback

Your feedback let's us know what's working, what needs improvement, and what's missing.

• A short survey link will now appear after completing the demo. You can also find this link on the Endings Summary screen in the Extras menu.

• Don't like surveys? Feel free to contact us at ashenreverie@tidalspire.com.

Final Note

The Ashen Reverie demo will remain available indefinitely. As long as the game is listed on Steam, there will be a playable demo alongside it.

[img src="https://clan.cloudflare.steamstatic.com/images/45594870/0e5f1957802d4ed6a9883fc7f083b59503d7a107.png"][/img]

Thanks for playing, and thank you for your continued support. We'll have some exciting announcements next month, stay tuned!