📢 Inquisitor Shepherd - June Devlog
Hello.
This is Narrowdeep, the developer of Inquisitor Shepherd.
In this June devlog, we would like to share the major updates from May, including the expansion of our global publishing collaboration, the demo relaunch rebuild, preparations for Japanese voice acting, and our participation in domestic and international events.
May was a month in which we continued development on Chapter 2 while also beginning full-scale preparations to introduce Inquisitor Shepherd to a wider global audience.
In this devlog, we will cover the expansion of our global publishing collaboration, the current status of the demo relaunch rebuild, preparations for Japanese voice acting, Chapter 2 development updates, and news about events and selections.
🔔 June Devlog Summary
Expanded Global Publishing Collaboration We had previously signed an Asia-focused co-publishing agreement with Neverland Entertainment, centered on Greater China and Japan. After further discussions, we have decided to expand the scope of our collaboration to global publishing.
Demo Relaunch Rebuild in Progress To newly relaunch the demo together with Japanese voice acting and reach a wider global audience, we are improving the early-game structure, investigation flow, Codex, Canon of crium collection, and UI feedback.
Japanese Voice Acting in Preparation We are preparing Japanese voice acting for the demo version.
Chapter 2 Development Status Chapter 2 development had been progressing smoothly, but we are currently putting it on hold for a short time in order to prioritize the demo rebuild and trailer production.
Participation in Domestic and International Events We participated in PlayX4, Game AiCON Seoul, and BitSummit, and Inquisitor Shepherd was selected as a PlayX4 Indie Award TOP5 title.
Selected for Tiny Teams 2026 Inquisitor Shepherd has been selected for Tiny Teams 2026, a global online showcase that highlights games made by small development teams.
🎮 Detailed Development Updates
1. Expanded Global Publishing Collaboration
We had previously signed an Asia-focused co-publishing agreement with Neverland Entertainment, centered on Greater China and Japan.
After further discussions, we have decided to expand the scope of our collaboration to global publishing for Inquisitor Shepherd.
This means that we are not simply adding more languages. We are also preparing various elements to introduce Inquisitor Shepherd more effectively to players around the world.
The major tasks currently in preparation include the demo relaunch rebuild, Japanese and Chinese localization, Japanese voice acting for the demo version, a new trailer, a new key visual, and participation in overseas events.
These preparations are intended to communicate more clearly what kind of game Inquisitor Shepherd is to global players.
We will continue working step by step with Neverland Entertainment on localization, promotion, and event participation.
2. Demo Relaunch Rebuild in Progress
We are currently rebuilding the publicly available demo version.
This rebuild is being prepared so that the demo can be newly relaunched together with Japanese voice acting and introduced to a wider global audience.
Since Japanese voice acting is being added, we are also refining the existing demo so that it feels more immersive and more complete as a first experience.
In the previous demo, evidence submission and the process of making judgments appeared more fully in the later judgment sequence. In the rebuild, we are adjusting parts of the structure so that players can experience this flow earlier in the game.
Through this, we want players to understand the core structure of Inquisitor Shepherd more quickly.
We are also refining the early story flow and key dialogue scenes, while adding the Codex system and the Canon of crium collection feature.
During investigation sections, players will be able to find hidden entries from the Canon of crium. Collected entries can then be checked in the Codex.
We are also improving movement during investigation sections and adding clearer UI feedback.
Players will be able to move by directly clicking locations on the screen, and when evidence, information, or Canon entries are acquired, visual feedback will appear through the smartphone UI.
The Purity and Fracture system introduced in the April devlog will also appear in part through the demo rebuild.
This system will not be fully active in the demo version yet, but it will be shown in a way that suggests how the player’s choices and judgments may influence Shepherd’s direction later on.
Through this rebuild, we expect the demo version to become more immersive and more gameplay-focused than before.
3. Japanese Voice Acting in Preparation
We are also preparing Japanese voice acting for the demo version.
Since dialogue and atmosphere are very important to Inquisitor Shepherd, we believe that voice acting will have a major impact on the impression of each character and the immersion of each scene.
This Japanese voice acting is not simply an addition of voices. It is being prepared together with the demo rebuild as part of our effort to newly introduce the game to global players.
We cannot reveal all the details yet, but we are working with Neverland Entertainment to prepare Japanese voice acting that fits the demo version.
We will proceed carefully so that Japanese players can also experience the atmosphere of Shepherd and the village of Hoshi more clearly.
4. Chapter 2 Development Status
Chapter 2 development had also been progressing smoothly.
However, we currently need to prioritize preparations for the global relaunch, the demo rebuild, and the new trailer, so full-scale work on Chapter 2 has been put on hold for a short time.
Chapter 2 is a section where the world of Inquisitor Shepherd and its major systems will expand further in the full version.
The content currently in development is also directly connected to the core story, so we ask for your understanding that it is difficult to reveal many details at this stage.
Instead, in this devlog, we will share a small portion of the Chapter 2 illustrations that were in progress.
There is still much we cannot talk about yet, but Chapter 2 is also being prepared step by step.
✨ Event Participation and Awards
- PlayX4, Game AiCON Seoul, and BitSummit
In May, we participated in PlayX4 and Game AiCON Seoul.
At these events, we were able to introduce Inquisitor Shepherd directly to many visitors and hear their reactions and feedback after playing the game.
In particular, the feedback helped us review the flow of the demo version and how the early section communicates the game to players. This also helped us organize the direction of the demo rebuild.
We also participated in BitSummit, held in Kyoto, Japan.
BitSummit was an important opportunity to introduce Inquisitor Shepherd to Japanese players.
Based on the reactions and feedback we received on-site, we will continue preparing localization and the global relaunch more carefully.
- Selected as a PlayX4 Indie Award TOP5 Title
Inquisitor Shepherd was selected as a PlayX4 Indie Award TOP5 title.
We are truly grateful that the game received positive recognition among so many excellent indie games.
This selection has been a great encouragement to us, and it has given us more strength to continue development with greater confidence.
Through this award, we have also gained opportunities to participate in future overseas exhibitions and support programs.
We will make good use of these opportunities and continue working to introduce Inquisitor Shepherd to more players.
- Selected for Tiny Teams 2026
Inquisitor Shepherd has been selected for Tiny Teams 2026.
Tiny Teams is a global online showcase that highlights games made by small development teams.
Since Inquisitor Shepherd is being developed by Narrowdeep, a two-person development team, this selection feels especially meaningful to us.
We believe it will be a valuable opportunity for our small team to introduce Inquisitor Shepherd to more players around the world.
✨ Closing
May was a month in which Inquisitor Shepherd began preparing in earnest to reach a wider global audience.
At the same time, we are rebuilding the demo version so that it can be newly presented together with Japanese voice acting.
As we continue preparing for events, publishing, and localization, the development process has become more complex. Still, we believe that the most important thing is the quality of the game itself.
In June, we are also scheduled to participate in 판 : PLAY — Gyeonggi Content Korea Lab × IGGK × Gyeonggi Global Game Center Indie Game Exhibition. The exhibition will run from Monday, June 15 to Friday, June 26.
We are also scheduled to participate in BilibiliWorld later on, and we will continue preparing so that Inquisitor Shepherd can reach even more players.
We will do our best to repay your support with a better version of the game, the rebuilt demo, and our preparations for the global relaunch.
Thank you sincerely for your continued support.
Narrowdeep
X: https://x.com/narrowdeepgames
DISCORD: discord.gg/2r9cpBBZjg