Hey everyone,
today we’re excited to share something special with you.
Since the release of the My Dear Emma demo on Steam back in February, we’ve been quietly working behind the scenes, listening to your feedback and shaping the experience with great care.
This is our very first major update, A New Light, releasing this Friday, July 17th at 12 PM CET.
The name reflects more than visual changes. It also represents Emma’s journey, as she returns to a place filled with memories and begins to see things in a different way.
Thank you for being part of this journey 💛
🌸 In this update 🌸
A quiet step forward for My Dear Emma:
🌿 A softer, Living World
🧭 A More Immersive Interface
🎮 Comfort & Accessibility
🧾 Clarity & Storytelling
🎬 Narrative & Audio Improvements
🎒 Gameplay Additions
⚙️ Performance & Technical Improvements
🪲 Fixes & Polish
🌱 A Quiet Ongoing Process
A new light, in more ways than one ✨
🌿 A Softer, Living World
A major focus has been the atmosphere of the game.
We revisited lighting, colors, and environmental details to better match the emotional tone of Emma’s story.
Improved lighting and contrast
Reworked forest mood and color tones
Added more foliage and environmental detail
Expanded exploration in certain areas
Fixed visual inconsistencies
Visual of the initial Demo Version
Visual of the updated My Dear Emma Version
🧭 A More Immersive Interface
We redesigned how players interact with the game to make everything feel more connected to Emma’s world.
📖 Notebook-Style Menus
The menu experience has been fully reworked.
New main menu environment
Redesigned pause menu
Notebook-style interface for navigation
Integrated settings, credits, and game flow
View game pageVideo comparing the old and new Main Menu
✏️ UI & Visual Identity
We also updated the overall UI style.
New hand-drawn UI elements and inventory icons
Redesigned encyclopedia with hand-painted illustrations
Behind the scenes work on the encyclopedia
New Inventory Icons (planned for future development)
Some of our new UI-Sprites
🎮 Comfort & Accessibility
We want the experience to feel comfortable and accessible.
Reduced headbob during movement
Slightly faster movement speed
Added mouse and gamepad sensitivity sliders
Gamepad support is in progress, especially in menus
Depth of Field setting added and adjustable
🧾 Clarity & Storytelling
We improved how information is presented to the player.
Fully redesigned subtitle system with more flexibility
Improved subtitle visuals
Added in-game tutorial instructions
Smoother UI transitions and feedback
🎬 Narrative & Audio Improvements
New voice lines added
Voice lines no longer overlap or repeat incorrectly
Improved timing and clarity
Updated cutscenes for better understanding and presentation
🎒 Gameplay Additions
New item added at the end of the casket riddle
Improved clarity in progression and exploration
⚙️ Performance & Technical Improvements
Smoother loading times
New loading screen with fade transitions
Stability improvements
Environmental optimizations
🪲 Fixes & Polish
We fixed a wide range of issues to improve overall quality:
Voice lines no longer overlap or duplicate
Improved collisions and exploration boundaries
Fixed menu navigation issues
Visual fixes across trees, textures, and foliage
General UI and gameplay fixes
🌱 A Quiet Ongoing Process
There are many smaller adjustments not listed here that help shape the overall experience.
Thank you for being part of this journey with us. Every piece of feedback, every kind message, and every person who shares My Dear Emma with others helps us bring this project one step closer to its final release.
If you enjoyed your time with Emma, we would truly appreciate your support. Sharing the game with friends, following our development, or joining our community helps us continue creating this story and give My Dear Emma the ending it deserves.
Thank you for helping us keep this little world alive. 💛
If you would like to stay connected and see more behind the scenes:
Stay cozy. Take a moment. Remember.
Your Soulven Team 🍂