Woohoo! Phoenix Springs wins the "Are Games Art? Yes, Of Course" Award at the 2024 TGAGWCAGA! If you've missed it, you can watch the whole live stream with chat replay here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrLRWxntgg&t=7240s What a fun event and lovely chat/community. Thanks so much and congrats to all the nominees, winners and organisers. There is also an ongoing Steam event, so make sure you check out all the other amazing games mentioned: https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45328769-The-Great-Awards-for-Games-With-Creative/sale/tgagwcaga

[ 2024-12-18 14:58:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

Were thrilled to announce that Phoenix Springs will be featured in TGAGWCAGA 2024The Game Awards for Games Who Can't Afford the Game Awards! The showcase highlights indie games that truly deserve more attention while also poking a little fun at the exclusivity of The Game Awards. TGAGWCAGA 2024 Friday, December 13th 5:00 PM UTC / 6:00 PM CET / 12:00 PM ET Watch the stream here: https://www.youtube.com/@TGAGWCAGA Well also be part of the TGAGWCAGA Steam Event running from December 13th to December 22nd, featuring tons of amazing indie games. See you later today!

[ 2024-12-13 10:48:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

You can now vote for Phoenix Springs in a few categories at this year's Steam Awards! 2024 has been an incredible game for games. We were huge fans of Mouthwashing, Lorelei and the Laser Eyes, Judero, Miniatures, and so many others. Our GOTY, however, is No Case Should Remain Unsolved. Anyway, maybe consider us for the Outstanding Visual Style award? Up to you! Calligram x

[ 2024-11-28 12:45:31 CET ] [ Original post ]

Internally, we often referred to Phoenix Springs as an experiment. We know it asks a lot of the player. Its not for everyone. Its not straightforward. It does things that maybe shouldnt be done. Which is why it means so much to see that it resonates with some of you. Your words have been incredible. I mean... [quote]A sleek, dreamlike noir that'll never give it to you straight. It's a captivating work, with mysteries I still feel desperate to solve.[/quote] [quote]Beautiful, intriguing, an exploration on memory and perhaps hubris of wanting to never let go. Go in without expectations, with patience, and take the time to listen.[/quote] [quote]Indescribable, absolutely nothing like it. Played it in one sitting and i'll never ever be able to forget it."[/quote] [quote]Beautiful and captivating art style, consistently compelling prose, incredible voice work. A remarkable work from end to end, deserving of replays and a lifetime of contemplation[/quote] [quote]Frankly, the aftertaste is similar to that of finishing a great novel. This relatively short piece of art channels favorite themes of Kazuo Ishiguro, Don DeLillo, and even, to some extent, Italo Calvino.[/quote] [quote]By the time the credits rolled, I felt further than ever from knowing the truth; but nor did I feel entitled to it.[/quote] So thanks again for playing, losing yourself and, more importantly, taking the time to think about our little experiment. Calligram x P.S: Here's a list of links if you ever feel like revisiting the oasis: Fan theory thread on Steam Jigm zers interview with the New York Times Ludicamag: Il segreto di Phoenix Springs nel suo simbolismo Katie and Catburger: Phoenix Springs has a secret to tell you Grajmerki: TA GRA MNIE ZMIENIA. Phoenix Springs recenzja gry Matt J. Wilson: A Deep Dive Into Phoenix Springs Jacob Price & Emily/Egg: Indie Impressions: Phoenix Springs

[ 2024-11-28 12:24:06 CET ] [ Original post ]

Really proud to announce that Phoenix Springs made it onto Vulture's list of the Best Games of 2024. Ultros! Lorelei and the Laser Eyes! Indika! Iris is in great company. You can read the whole list here. Calligram x

[ 2024-11-11 13:48:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

You asked for it: there it is. Relive the dream/nightmare of Phoenix Springs with our lovingly crafted six-track LP. Now available as MP3, WAV and FLAC. Havent played Phoenix Springs yet? The game + OST is available at a discount for a limited time only. Phoenix Springs OST on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/3308160/Phoenix_Springs_Soundtrack/ + Phoenix Springs + OST https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/46450/Phoenix_Springs__OST/ Happy playing, Calligram

[ 2024-11-04 11:29:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

We're big fans of the Steam Deck here at Calligram. So it is our great pleasure to announce that Phoenix Springs is playable on the handheld console!
However, please note that it's not fully compatible yet! Here's how it works: Phoenix Springs is still a point-and-click game. The trackpad controls the cursor (you may want to adjust your sensitivity). The right trigger is your left click. The left trigger is your right click. The pause and menu buttons work as expected. You can also touch the screen to click. It's a bit hard to select and combine items but it's doable. We're still working on controller support. Hopefully, the next update will show the game as Supported on the Deck Calligram Studio

[ 2024-10-24 09:01:46 CET ] [ Original post ]

[quote]A slippery exploration of memory, time and space (...) This elliptical game dares not to bend over backward to explain itself...[/quote] We're extremely proud to be featured in the Arts section of the NYT. You can read the full feature and interview with designer/writer Jigm zer here: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/15/arts/phoenix-springs.html Calligram Studio x

[ 2024-10-18 12:49:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

We hope you enjoy getting lost in our world. Calligram Studio

[ 2024-10-07 14:25:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi there, Just wanted to express our gratitude to everyone who played the preview. Weve sensed some anticipation online, but as it stands, the late embargo means we have no idea how it will be received. Either way, its been a privilege to be the stewards of this world for the past seven years. Its yours now. A bit of housekeeping: I am currently pushing a small update (navigation fixes, handful of typos that will haunt me for many nights to come, Kickstarter backers whose names have changed during development). A good question from The Verge about the walkthrough/solution. Yes, it will be available in the public version. It links to this page, which is behind a soft paywall (email address). Its designed to add a tiiiiny bit of friction before the spoilers and to replicate the experience of 90s hint lines. I suspect it might evolve as more guides become available online. Steam Achievements: theres a lot of them! Its a metagame designed for replayability. Youre unlikely to unlock more than a handful on your first playthrough, but I might go back to the drawing board depending on whether its playful or annoying. Optimisation: the game runs great on all supported devices. It is, however, on the heavy side (5GB). The hand-drawn animations are mostly to blame. Im confident we can do better, but Im scared to break everything right now. This will be for a later update. Thanks again for your time and patience. We hope you enjoy your travels through our labour of love/experiment. Jigm @Calligram Studio

[ 2024-10-04 09:04:30 CET ] [ Original post ]

A couple of weeks ago, a select few press outlets got their hands on the first act of Phoenix Springs. Were extremely grateful to all the journalists who took the time to play and write about our little experiment. Here is a selection of our favourite quotes: TheGamer "somehow manages the impossible in that it pays homage to the past while simultaneously embracing the future with a sleek, modern style and reimagining of classic point-and-click tropes" ScreenRant "...feels a little like Disco Elysium (...) as it's both our world and our time, but also not of our world and not of our time. There's something intoxicating about that setup..." GodIsAGeek "Im already hooked. Its a point-and-click adventure that manages to streamline the investigative side to make it accessible, but the challenge is still threaded throughout everything you do." Reminder that you can submit a key request for the big launch here. We can't wait to hear what you all make of the whole game. Calligram Studio

[ 2024-07-31 12:02:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

Phoenix Springs opens its doors on September 16th. If you'd like to receive a reviewer key (no matter how big or small your audience is), please let us know! A few options to register your interest:

• Fill out this form: https://t.co/0IHfwfS7N3
• Email directly: hi@calligramstudio.com
• Follow + DM on Twitter

You can also tag your favourite creators in this thread to let them know about the release. Looking forward to welcoming you into our world very soon. Calligram Studio

[ 2024-07-03 14:39:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi there! Phoenix Springs appeared in three (three!) SummerGameFest showcases last weekend, including Future of Play, Women-Led Games and Day of the Devs. It's been an incredible opportunity to introduce "the prettiest detective game ever" to a mind-blowingly huge audience. Here's the big news: Release date: September 16th PC, Mac, Linux Release trailer has been added to the Steam page. You can also watch it below [previewyoutube=o3ynJ739_ts;full][/previewyoutube] I will compile a list of FAQs and post the answers in a community post. In the meantime, feel free to ask anything here or on Twitter. It's finally happening, folks! Calligram

[ 2024-06-10 21:42:39 CET ] [ Original post ]

Last two events before (we hope) the big news. London Games Festival official selection (Best of British) A MAZE Berlin nomination (Gender Diversity Award presented by WINGS) We won't make it to the UK capital but will be in Berlin in person May 8th-12th. Do come say hi if you're about .

[ 2024-03-21 16:03:18 CET ] [ Original post ]

Come ask questions about the game during the Storyteller's Festival.

[ 2024-02-01 09:01:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

Rock Paper Shotgun listed Phoenix Springs as one of its 75 most anticipated games of 2024. You can find the full list here, which includes some great projects we're excited to play ourselves.
In other news, we'll be showcasing the demo in person at the Debug Indie Game Awards in Nottingham on February 2nd. If you're around, please do come and say hi!

[ 2024-01-08 12:35:43 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi there, over the past few months, we've been incredibly lucky to get to showcase the Phoenix Springs demo around the world. There was WASDxIGN in London, SXSW in Sydney, and IndieX in Lisbon.
Its been a true privilege to chat with players, press, and fellow developers. Not only has the reception been fantastic, but were also pleased to announce that the last event culminated in us ]winning our first award for Best Art Direction!

The award is of course dedicated to the talented artists in the team, namely Eleanor for her illustrations and animations, Alex for his sound design, and Alexandra for her voice work. It's also a great time to thank IndieX and all of you for your continued support

What's Next?

We're back at work on the game, more or less full-time. Today, Alexandra delivered her ten-thousandth recorded word as Iris Dormer. Alex is mixing her lines as we speak. We also exported a timelapse of one of Eleanor's animations. It might give you an idea of the amount of work that goes into a one-second clip.

Thank You

As always, thanks for your support and patience as we continue crafting the game. And to answer the big question: still no release date, but it's coming :) Best, Calligram Studio

[ 2023-11-20 15:34:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Important announcement! We will shortly delete Phoenix Springs: Prologue from Steam. Apologies for the change of heart especially if you took the time to write a lovely review. We simply found that having a demo on the main page makes more sense. The Prologue and Demo are identical, so it was redundant and confusing. Hope it doesn't mess up your Steam libraries too much. So this page will be your main destination for Phoenix Springs news from now on. You can also subscribe to the newsletter on our website at calligramstudio.com I will be answering any questions below if you have any. We can't wait to let you into the world of Phoenix Springs. Calligram Studio.

[ 2023-09-18 20:17:27 CET ] [ Original post ]

Get ready!

Join us September 11 - 14 right here on Steam for one of the largest digital expos about audio and music in games. Save & Sound features concerts, deep-dives, and mashups from 70+ developers from around the world! Starting at 10am PDT / 7pm CEST, a 3-day live show from September 11 - 13 will showcase original content made just for Save & Sound. Calligram Studio makes an appearance with a recorded live session. You can watch it live on the 12th.

Dont miss out on updates!

Set a reminder to be notified when Save & Sound will go live! The show will be streamed on the Save & Sound website, YouTube, and Twitch. Check out all the games part of the event on saveandsound.io

[ 2023-09-11 08:10:22 CET ] [ Original post ]

Yesterday, SixOneIndie premiered our official trailer as part of its Summer Showcase. This is what they had to say about it: Just when you've seen it all, a game like Phoenix Springs rolls around and totally blows you away with its storytelling and aesthetic. Which was nice. Anyway, here is the trailer, we hope you like it :) [previewyoutube=wYuj2ErrCaQ;full][/previewyoutube]

[ 2023-08-31 10:43:11 CET ] [ Original post ]

You can finally tweak the in-game settings, including: Resolution Texture quality VSync Full Screen On/Off + A handy (approximate) FPS counter Let's hope we didn't break anything

[ 2023-08-28 09:47:19 CET ] [ Original post ]

Whereupon we attempt to answer more questions than during our previous live AMA which totalled zero Qs and saw us recommend demos from other cool games instead.

[ 2023-06-21 16:15:53 CET ] [ Original post ]

When will Phoenix Springs be released? Who does the voice? What's up with the weird kid on Taibao Street? All your questions answered live.

[ 2023-06-21 06:54:07 CET ] [ Original post ]

You can now play the first act of Phoenix Springs for free! It's available here on Steam or itch.io If you get the chance, please leave a review because it helps us a ton. We'd also love to hear your feedback, thoughts, questions anything goes! hi@calligramstudio.com Thanks so much in advance

[ 2023-05-05 09:25:58 CET ] [ Original post ]