Hello, Im Sean Jung, Art Director on Ember and Blade. This is my first time speaking to you directly, and I'm excited to share some thoughts in our second official devlog. Were now approaching the one-year mark since the project began. Honestly, I didnt' expect to be writing like thisat least not this early. As someone used to communicating visually, stepping into this writing role still feels somewhat unfamiliar. Nonetheless, now feels like the right moment to discuss how I began building this world and where it's headed. Looking back, my first steps with this project felt cautious and tentative.
A temporary loading screen from the demo, featuring a keepsake left behind by Fenrixs younger sister, Chloe. [hr][/hr]

A First Step into the Unknown

Before joining Ember and Blade, I spent most of my career in the animation industry, working across feature films, TV series, and short-form animations. Just before this project, I was on a TV animation series based on a well-known game IP. But as things often go in this industry, the project was put on hold. That's when J.Kim, our director, reach out with an opportunity. And after some thought, I took my first step into game development. I wasnt very confident at first. I believed animation and games were based on different foundations. In animation, visuals are built on a narrative base. In games, it all starts with systems and player interaction. Animation gives you full control over every frame. Game visuals have to respond to what the player is doing, moment to moment. It felt unfamiliar and intimidating. But the story of Ember and Blade helped me take that step. At first, it seemed like a familiar set of fantasy elementsangels, demons, ancient seals, and great evils. These were tropes I had seen many times. But as I explored the story more closely, my perspective changed. It wasnt just background worldbuilding to support gameplay. It was a story about pain, choice, and transformation. The characters felt real, and the emotions behind them were sincere. For me, narrative has always been the foundation of visual design. That connection is what gave me the confidence to try something new. Ember and Blades unique and original story, which is unusual for an action game, was the main reason I felt prepared to step into this unfamiliar world.
One of the placeholder thumbnails from the internal 2024 build test. This image hints at the dreamlike tone of ACT 1 and the presence of a mysterious figure. [hr][/hr]

Dark Fantasy, Reimagined with Grace

Once I understood the tone of the story, I started thinking about its visual identity. What kind of look should this game have? How should the world feel to the player? Art isnt just about creating nice visuals. Its about helping players understand the story and connect with the world through what they see. At its core, Ember and Blade is an action game. Because Ember and Blade is an action game, I naturally looked to classics like 'Diablo' and 'Path of Exile.' We could have followed that pathgritty textures, a dark palette, and a heavy atmosphere. Theres a familiar strength to that style. But I felt drawn to a different direction. Two games stood out as alternatives: 'Hades' and 'AFK Journey.' 'Hades' made a strong impression with its comic book-style line work and bold black shading. It matched the games sharp storytelling and high energy. 'AFK Journey' isnt an action game, but its watercolor-inspired palette, refined UI, and delicate textures created a lyrical, emotional rhythm that ran through the entire experience. Both of these titles had a clear and confident visual identity. They didnt follow tradition. That gave me the freedom to explore something less expected. Instead of heavy armor and gritty realism, I started leaning toward something more delicate and surreal. Elegant dark fantasy might sound like a contradiction, but it felt like the right fit for us. We looked to Art Nouveau patterns, soft pastel tones, and a quiet, unsettling kind of beauty. This wasnt just about aesthetics. It was the most effective direction achievable given our teams resources, time, and tools. Style is about finding a visual language that plays to your strengths. It can also help you sidestep limitations. I wasnt trying to make the game look impressive through sheer force. I wanted the visuals to feel meaningful, grounded in the story and characters. That search for something graceful and expressive shaped the visual direction we have today.
This is Baphomet, the first boss of Act 1. He was the first major boss we designed. There are definitely things I would change in hindsight, but this design helped us set the tone for everything that followed. [hr][/hr]

Whats Next

In this devlog, I shared how the visual identity of Ember and Blade began and what inspired its earliest direction. In future entries, Ill go deeper into character design, environments, technical art, modeling, and animation. My goal is to show how were using art to shape the tone and emotional atmosphere of the game. Thank you for reading through to the end. If you add Ember and Blade to your wishlist, it helps us reach more players and grow the world were building. I hope youll stay with us for what comes next.
This is a temporary placeholder of the Sanctuary, a symbol of the game itself. We put a lot of effort into capturing Ariellas elegance and solitude here. [hr][/hr] Copyright Notice All game titles, trademarks, and copyrighted materials mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

• Diablo Blizzard North
• Path of Exile Grinding Gear Games
• Hades Supergiant Games
• AFK Journey Lilith Games
  
  [ 2025-05-28 18:00:24 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey everyone!

In Ember and Blade, strength isnt handed to you. Its grown, shaped, and carved from every choice you make. Some paths will test your patience. Others, your conviction. At the center of that journey stands the Grace of the Arbora silent, sprawling tree that remembers. Fed by Amber, awakened node by node, it doesnt just make you stronger. It makes you you. But before we dive into how it works, lets look at the currencies fueling your growth and why they matter.

In-Game Currency Overview

Ember and Blade features several distinct resource types, each tied to a specific part of your progression. Knowing what they do and where to spend them will help you level up faster and build smarter.
Amber How to Obtain: Dropped by bosses, or obtained through Arbor purification Usage: Used to strengthen your stats through the Grace of the Arbor Dew How to Obtain: Dropped by treasure monsters, or obtained through Arbor purification Usage: Used to unlock and recharge Artifacts Claynite How to Obtain: Purchased from someones hideout. Their identity hasnt been revealed... yet Usage: Required to craft relics in Workshop run by someone just as mysterious Shard How to Obtain: Dropped by monsters, found in breakable props, or earned through Arbor purification Usage: Consumed when leveling up to select blessings Blood Crysts How to Obtain: Dropped by bosses Usage: Enhance weapons in the Forge Each currency plays a different role in your overall progression. Spend them wiselyand where it counts.

Grace of the Arbor System Overview

Among all these resources, Amber plays a unique role. Its not just a part of your build. Its the foundation of who you become. The Grace of the Arbor is Ember and Blades long-term progression system, built around a branching node structure. At the start, the tree is dormantno nodes are active. As Fenrix collects and invests Amber, he gradually awakens each branch, enhancing his core stats, unlocking new Blessing options, and shaping his build potential.

How It Works

Unlocking one grants its own rewardand reveals new paths, inviting either focused specialization or wide exploration depending on your strategy.
Some strengthen your core stats. Others expand your Blessing options, improve utility, or offer long-term perks that echo across every run. The deeper you go, the more powerful your build becomes.

Build Planning, Your Way

With limited Amber, every choice matters. You might choose to specialize, focusing all your energy into a single path to amplify a specific strength. Or you might spread across multiple branches, favoring flexibility and balance over raw power. Theres no right answeronly the one that reflects your intent. And for now, this is only the foundation. Well be sharing more soon on Shrines, Blessings, and the artifacts you can build deep within the Sanctuary. . . . Curious where your path might lead?

Add Ember and Blade to your wishlist and follow along as we bring more of this world to life

The Ember and Blade Team

[ 2025-05-22 05:34:33 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey everyone, Today, we're pulling back the curtain on six of the central figures shaping the world of Ember and Blade. As the Sanctuary begins to fracture under the weight of forgotten powers, these characters find themselves drawn into the heart of its unraveling fate. Each carries a different perspective, a different burdenand none of them are here by accident. From quiet guardians to enigmatic guides, their paths are about to collide as the balance between light and darkness begins to shift. Youll meet them in moments of chaos, choice, and consequenceand as their stories unfold, so will your role in shaping what comes next.

Introducing the Characters of Ember and Blade!

Fenrix

They were never meant to cross paths, yet here they are. Some seek atonement, others revenge. Fenrix talks big, fights hard, and acts like he doesn't carebut behind every scar is a story he wont tell, each one tied to a demon he hunted while running from something far darker within himself. The only story he truly cares about is the one he cant rewrite. He came here to fight, but he stays for someone who cant. *Mood: Brash on the surface, but shaped by grief and guilt *Vibe: Bloodstained sword, silent burdens, sharp wit

Ariella

They call her the Guardian, but she never asked for the titleor the solitude that came with it. She moves with poise and speaks with the sharp precision of someone used to silence being obeyed, placing her trust in no one, especially not the man who fights loud and speaks louder. Beneath the white robes and controlled words, time has left its mark. Something stirs in the darker corners of her memorysomething she cant explain, yet cant ignore. *Mood: Cold and regal on the outside, stubborn resilience masking the scars within *Vibe: A fortress in human form, with hairline fractures you almost miss.

Kaliel

Kaliel is an angel of quiet authority, with a voice that calms and a smile that disarms. He speaks often of justice and balance, rarely of himself, and carries a wisdom that feels both ancient and immediate. He listens more than he speaks, and when he does, every word is carefully chosenlike a blade drawn only when necessary. Behind his calm guidance lies something deeper, something left unsaid. He shows you the path forward, but never promises where it leads. Still, when you falter, hes the one who reaches for your handeven if he knows the road ahead ends in sacrifice. *Mood: Serene, composed, deeply compassionate, ultimately unknowable. *Keywords: Olive robe, floating leaf-crystal halo, quiet gaze.

Haniel

Haniel appears with a smirk and arms folded, always seeming one step ahead of everyone else. She nags, mocks, and sighs louder than necessary, but she shows up when it matters. She calls it professional detachment, though it feels more like a stubborn version of tough lovewell, something like it. Shell never say it out loud, but she does care. Just dont expect a hug. *Mood: Dry, sharp, secretly kind in her own way *Keywords: Full blunt bangs, floating crimson shard halo, white dress with red trim

Lumi

Shes got paws, shes got whiskers, but shes not a cat. Dont let her catch you calling her one. Lumi is a magical creature with a habit of nagging and a knack for showing up exactly when needed, then vanishing just as quickly. She insists shes not a cat. You believe her. Mostly. *Mood: Mischievous, loyal, chipper, dramatic *Keywords: Slender, floating presence

Baphomet

Once a servant, now something else entirely. Baphomet stands with heavy antlers and hollow eyesnot to speak, but to judge. He doesnt ask questions. He simply measures your worth and usually finds it lacking. He believes in hierarchy, and youd better hope youre high enough in it. You probably arent. *Mood: Mockingly polite, judgmental, quietly cruel *Keywords: deer skull, faded livery, memory made flesh

And thats just the beginning.

Weve got more characters in the workssome already taking shape, others still waiting for their moment. As the world of Ember and Blade continues to grow, well be revealing more stories, faces, and secrets in the updates ahead.

Want to see where it all leads?

Add Ember and Blade to your wishlist and stay tuned for whats next!

Were just getting started. The Ember and Blade Team

[ 2025-05-08 00:29:01 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hi everyone, We wanted to share something special from behind the scenes a track thats been with us since the earliest narrative explorations of Ember and Blade. This is Ariellas Theme, composed to reflect her duality as a protector bound by duty, and a soul weighed down by memory. The track is built around moments of stillness, restraint, and quiet sorrow. Its melody drifts between sacred clarity and buried tension much like Ariella herself: distant, graceful, and never quite free. This piece plays during key moments tied to her backstory. Its more than a theme it sets the emotional tone for some of the most important scenes in the game. Watch on YouTube [previewyoutube=Ke_c7EeWVRE;full][/previewyoutube] Thanks for following our journey. More behind-the-scenes tracks and worldbuilding notes coming soon! The Ember and Blade Team

[ 2025-05-02 06:44:20 CET ] [ Original post ]

What were we trying to make here?

Hello, and welcome to the very first devlog for Ember and Blade. Im J. Kim, the director of the project, and Im excited to share our very first development update with you. In the upcoming devlogs, youll hear directly from members of the team not just about what were making, but why were making it. Starting things off is always a little nerve-wracking. Id like to begin with a famous question posed in Hideaki Annos 1995 manifesto, though it might sound somewhat grand: 'What were we trying to make here?' To answer that, we have to go back to where it all began, many years ago.

Twelve Years Ago: A Project Left Behind

Twelve years ago, I was a technical director on a game called Mabinogi II: Arena. It was a unique 3D online action game. It combined the crowd-crushing chaos of Beatem ups like Golden Axe with the rowdy combat inspired by Kunio-kun, where grabs and throws were part of the core. The project was ultimately left unfinished, for all sorts of reasons. But even years later, whenever I met the old team, that game always came up like an old inside joke we all remembered. We all shared the same regret that something so unique and full of character never got the chance to see the light of day. (As a side note, a spiritual successor "Mabinogi Mobile" has since been released. If you'd like to take a look, you can check it out [here]) [previewyoutube=e2aqTG1yQJw;full][/previewyoutube] This is the teaser video from G-Star 2012 for Mabinogi II: Arena. It gives a sense of how unique the action was and maybe why this idea has stuck with me for so long. After that, I wrapped up my time as a technical director and moved on to directing, leading a few small projects. Unfortunately, none of them ever made it to launch. Coming up with a solid idea was tough. But keeping a team on track and finishing what we started? That was way tougher. It was hard, not releasing a finished game. But in the end, those failures shaped me.

Back to Games, Once More

At some point, I found myself thinking Maybe there are already too many games in the world. Maybe making another one just isnt the answer anymore. So I stepped away for a while, and joined a metaverse project instead. Leading that team was an incredible opportunity and I learned a lot from the experience. As the world slowly moved on from the pandemic, however, the buzz around the metaverse didnt last long. And I started to realize this wasnt where I was meant to be. After stepping away, I started to realize just how much it weighed on me that I hadnt released anything in over a decade. It hit harder than I expected. I took about a year off, stepped away from development completely, and started asking myself if it was time to let go. (Thanks to my family, who kept believing in me through all of it.) One morning, I found myself thinking about going back to games. And naturally, the project I had left unfinished twelve years ago came to mind.

The Two Games That Inspired It All

I knew what I wanted to make, but I just didnt know how to get there. Then I came across Vampire Survivors. Its controls were simple. The satisfaction of cutting through endless enemies never got old. It reminded me that maybe Id been overthinking what games needed to be. It was like a wake-up call. Something about Vampire Survivors brought Mabinogi II: Arena back to mind. I even started to wonder if the 3D beatem up action I once imagined might actually work better within a survivor-like framework than I first believed. Ive always been drawn to games that tell a deeper story; titles like Shadow of the Colossus, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Prince of Persia (2008). And more recently, Death Stranding left me thinking for days. Deep down, there was always a part of me that wanted to make a game with that kind of story. Something that could truly reach people. It was around then that I started thinking about another masterpiece. Hades by Supergiant Games. A tale of family conflict and personal growth was beautifully done. What struck me most, though, was how perfectly the premise aligned with the gameplay loop. The son of Death, dying and rising again. It wasnt just metaphor. It embodied what a roguelite is all about. Thats when I realized something. Narrative doesnt have to sit on top of gameplay. It can grow from it. When it does, they become inseparable. From that point on, Ive been chasing one question: How do you write a story thats not just added in, but born from the genre itself? That question naturally shaped the narrative in Ember and Blade. Were building a story that lingers. One that grows out of its roguelite structure, not against it. Looking back, maybe that was a little reckless. But I genuinely can't wait to see how you'll feel when you reach the end. (Ill be sharing more about the story and the art thats inseparable from it in an upcoming devlog.)

The Influence of Soulslikes And the Fusion of Genres

But even then, it still felt incomplete. Maybe even lazy. Im not the kind of genius who can dream up something like Balatro. So when I make games, I lean on ideas from the great ones who came before me. If youre borrowing ideas, I think its only right to treat them with care and to build something that still reflects who you are. We had survivor-like mechanics, 3D beatem up action, and a compelling mix of art and narrative. It was strong, but something was still missing. Thats when I turned to Soulslikes. To me, 3D action games didnt start from scratch. They stand on the games that came before. Super Mario 64 taught us how to navigate space with character and camera and God of War brought cinematic weight, and showed us what stylish, large-scale combat could feel like. Then Monster Hunter deepened the genre, turning every fight into a tactical encounter built on weight, timing, and spacing. Soulslikes took it even further. They stripped combat down to its essence, where every move carries weight and every choice matters. Soulslikes dont reward brute force. They ask you to try again: to read the space and master the rhythm of survival. They demand a balance of challenge, patience, and precision. And when they click, theres nothing quite like it. Naturally, not everything from a Soulslike fits neatly into a survivor-like framework. The core design values just dont align. Survivor-likes thrive on escalation. The thrill of growing stronger and mowing down waves of enemies. Soulslikes are about control. You face overwhelming foes, where every action tests your focus, timing, and strategy. Even so, I believed there was value in bringing some of that Soulslike spirit into a survivor-like experience. Its a tribute to the genre that shaped modern 3D action. But more than that, its a way to push the boundaries of what a survivor-like can be.

The Birth of Ember and Blade

And then, in March 2024, everything finally clicked. The survivor-like structure. The 3D beatem up action that had stayed with me all this time. The narrative, woven into gameplay. The Soulslike echoes of precision and respect for combat. All of it came together. No longer as fragments, but as one vision. Thats how Ember and Blade was born. (Of course, it took another six months of proof-of-concept to bring that idea to life. But Ill save that story for another time.)
A screenshot from the days when we still called it Project NL. Its only been half a year, but it already feels like a lifetime.

What Comes Next

In the devlogs to come, well walk through how were building Ember and Blade. From core systems to narrative and worldbuilding. Youll get a closer look at how each component is designed, and the reasoning behind those choices. The project is still evolving, but were pouring everything we love about games into it. And were doing our very best. Thank you for being here with us, right at the beginning. If you liked this devlog, please add Ember and Blade to your wishlist! Were learning that making a good game is only half the battle. Getting people to care about it, thats where you come in. Your support means more than you might think. [hr][/hr] Copyright Notice All game titles, trademarks, and copyrighted materials mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

• Mabinogi II Arena Nexon Korea
• Vampire Survivors poncle
• Hades Supergiant Games
• Shadow of the Colossus Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Konami Digital Entertainment
• Prince of Persia (2008) Ubisoft Entertainment
• Death Stranding Kojima Productions / Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Balatro LocalThunk / Playstack
• Super Mario 64 Nintendo
• God of War Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Monster Hunter CAPCOM CO., LTD.

[ 2025-04-18 07:00:10 CET ] [ Original post ]

The official teaser page is now open for Ember and Blade! Check out the official trailer, concept art, and the newest in-game screenshots, with the latest news on development progression on social media! (https://event.line.games/EmberandBlade)
The veil is lifting. Dare to see the truth? Get exclusive updates firstvisit our teaser page now! Add to your wishlist on Steam and get notified of the release!

[ 2025-04-10 06:20:55 CET ] [ Original post ]

Hey everyone, the Steam page is now officially open for the Survivors-like Dark Fantasy game Ember and Blade! "A Soul Torn in Two, Truth Beyond Deaths"
Unravel the mystery of Ember and Blade On the verge of death, the demon hunter Fenrix made a pact with an angel, forever binding himself in the twilight between life and death. He jumps into the abyss where the seal of the archdemon is being breached, chasing the truth hidden deep within its shadows. Who dares to destroy the seal of the archdemon? What is the truth buried within the Sanctuary of Oblivion? Lurking in the darkness are Asmodeuss demons and Ariella, the mysterious guardian of the seal. It's not long before Fenrix is embroiled in her tragic fate as inevitable destruction draws near. Defeat endless hordes of demons and forge your legend in the depths of darkness Can you defy fate and break free from its endless cycle?
Join Now! We will update more development milestones and game news. We cant wait to show you whats next! Add "Ember and Blade" to your [Steam Wishlist Link] now!

[ 2025-04-10 06:07:30 CET ] [ Original post ]