A New Awakening
Welcome back to the devlog! It’s been a little while since our last update, and that’s because
we’ve been hard at work, not only on the game but also its identity. Development is a journey of
discovery, and sometimes that journey leads you to unexpected, thrilling new paths.
Today, we’re incredibly excited to share two major updates that bring the game closer to its true
potential and, most importantly, make it a reality we can confidently deliver to you, our
community.
A New Name: Introducing "Beast Awakening"
First, let's talk about the name. We are officially changing the game's title from "Beast
Unleashed" to Beast Awakening.
This decision came after we discovered a brand name conflict with Monster Energy's "Beast
Unleashed" alcoholic drink. To ensure our game has its own clear, unique identity and to avoid
any confusion for players down the line, we knew a change was the right move.
And honestly? The more we sat with it, the more we realized that "Awakening" is a far better fit.
It captures the soul of the Beast Universe: the lore of ancient, primal Beasts being roused from a
long slumber; the strategic "awakening" of their true power as you play; and the feeling of
something ancient and mysterious stirring in the Northern Expanse.
The Artistic Journey: Finding Our True Form
Our second evolution is a visual one. As you saw in our first dev blog on Bolgin, our journey
began by bringing the stunning miniature models into a full 3D world. Our mission, always, was
to capture the incredible, painterly, and raw aesthetic of Aron Midhall's original artwork. We
spent months working to achieve this in 3D, adding brush-stroke textures and hand-painting
models to give them that iconic "scribbly" feeling.
image Caption: An early look at our 3D world. Our goal was to replicate the painterly style, but
we felt we could get even closer to the source.
But we felt like we were constantly fighting the medium. We were trying to imitate a 2D painting
in a 3D space. It was a noble effort, but it came with immense technical hurdles and costs that
kept us from focusing on the core experience.
The World of Beast Awakening in 2.5D
This led us to a pivotal decision: shifting our art style to 2.5D.
What does that mean? It means beautifully illustrated 3D characters and environments set
within a 2D space. Think of it as a living diorama or a pop-up storybook, where every frame is a
painting, but with depth, life, and motion.
This approach allows us to be even more faithful to Aron Midhall's original vision for Beast. The
results speak for themselves.
OLD
NEW
The environments, too, have transformed. They feel less like a 3D level and more like a living,
breathing illustration you can step into.
Delivering Satisfying Impact: The Art of the Attack
The 2.5D pivot didn't just solve a visual problem; it solved a gameplay one. In a tactical game
with a wide camera view, our characters are relatively small on screen. We struggled for a long
time with a key question: how do you make an attack feel monumental when the animation is
happening so far from the camera? A simple claw swipe or lunge just lacked the weight and
impact we wanted.
Our new style gave us the answer.
Instead of a distant, small-scale animation, combat now unfolds in a dynamic "battle scroll."
When an attack happens, a gorgeous, hand-drawn scroll unfurls right on the screen, showing
the action up close and personal in a 2D animation.
This approach ensures that every single attack, no matter how small, feels like a centerpiece
moment. It's stylish, personal, and it's incredibly satisfying. All while keeping the tactical
overview of the map perfectly clear. We believe it is the best of both worlds.
Why This is a Huge Win for the Game (And For You!)
This isn't just a matter of style but also a decision that we believe will make a better game, and
experience for our players. Here are some reasons why we’re so excited about it:
A More Beautiful and Authentic Experience. This style lets us be 100% faithful to the source
material. Every tree, rock, and stump can be their own piece of art, creating a unique and
interesting world that feels unlike anything else out there.
More Focus on What Matters: Gameplay. By choosing a smarter art pipeline, we can pour
more of our time, energy, and budget into what makes Beast great: deep strategy, more game
modes, more playable Beasts and Hunters, and polishing the core mechanics to perfection. It
means more game, more features, and more fun.
A Promise We Can Deliver. This is the most important point for us. This pivot gives us
absolute confidence in our production timeline and budget. It means we can create the rich,
expansive game we’ve promised within the scope of a successful Kickstarter campaign. We
are committed to you, our future backers, and this decision ensures we can deliver a finished,
polished, and incredible game into your hands without needing to over-promise or under-
deliver.
Thank you!
Thank you for all the support you have shown so far. Be sure to check us out on socials, as well as, if you have any questions regarding the game, feel free to drop a comment on Discord!