Hey everyone,

This update today isn't going to be a Devlog, but rather a list to help prepare you for what to expect going forward. More specifically, I'll be addressing some questions you may have about the project, as well as some details what'll happen after its release. With that said, let's get straight into the meat of things.

What is NIRAVASI?

NIRAVASI is a Dark/Adventure game, built using RPG Maker MV (and the MV3D). You play as Mura, a cat archaeologist that soon finds himself trapped within the lost city. Mura must rely on both his skills and some help from a mysterious ally called Clovis to escape the cursed city.

The primary gameplay loop of NIRAVASI is all about exploring the different areas the game has to offer, and discovering the secrets that lay beneath the city's foundations. There are eight levels in total, with the first acting as a tutorial stage to familiarise the player with the central mechanics of the game. In each level, there are a series of objectives that the player must complete to proceed to the next, with some requiring more effort to do so than others. From the ruins of an old dilapidated Stepwell, to the sunken remains of an old city district, NIRAVASI will take players on a trip of both wonders and horrors.

Where can I get NIRAVASI?

On July 6th, 2022, NIRAVASI will be sold digitally on three different marketplaces.

Steam 

Itch.io 

GameJolt

The game will be sold for $9.99 (with all other currencies matching this value for their respective countries) and will be a one-time purchase on any of the sites. You can find out more information about the project on both the game's official website, and RPGMaker pages. Additionally, you can also follow my social media pages (under the KingSangos moniker) for any and all official NIRAVASI news.

How long is NIRAVASI?

The current run-time for a regular NIRAVASI playthrough is believed to be around 4-6 hours long. Speeding through the game will result in a much shorter playtime (1-2 hours), while taking the time to explore and assess your surroundings will result in a much longer playthrough (6-8 hours). As the game focuses heavily on exploration, the time you spend playing it vary massively, depending on how you approach it.

What can I expect?

NIRAVASI is a single-player experience, so you aren't going to be able take your friends along for the adventure (unless you're streaming it). There's also no direct combat-system in the game, meaning you'll have to run away for most of the encounters you face. The majority of the game's mechanics either involve the use of the Flashlight, or interacting with the environment around you. There are also a number of chase sequences in-game, so being able to act quickly is very important for the gameplay loop.

Will there be any updates or DLC?

Yes, but these will mainly be quality-of-life updates to ensure the game stays in good health after its release. Working on a game of this scale is very difficult and there's bounds to be some bugs/glitches appearing out of the woodwork. I've done my best to nail down as many as I can, but I make no promises in being able to catch all of them. For any I've left behind, I'll do my best to catch them sometime after the game releases. Additionally, there are still some musical tracks left to add into the game, so I'll also be working closely with Adam (the game's composer) into getting those tracks added back.

There will also be a large update sometime in the future that will add a Free-to-Play DLC mission known as "The Path to Enlightenment" or "Enlightenment" for short (this name will likely change before release). This update will give players access to a new ending for NIRAVASI; one which will be unlike any other. The DLC will include a selection of revamped levels, new and complicated puzzles to solve, and a new array of horrors to escape from.

Will the game be sold in other stores (Nintendo eShop, Retail, etc.)?

It would be interesting to explore other distribution options like these, but I'll have to see how the game fares after its release first. If NIRAVASI doesn't turn out to be a commercially viable product, it'll most likely stay as a digital release on the three marketplaces I listed before.

What plans do you have for the future?

Honestly speaking, I'm not too sure. I've invested quite a bit of time into the project and the upcoming release will largely dictate any plans I have going forward. If the game becomes a commercial success, I'll gladly continue working on it (and any other game ideas I may have). But if it doesn't, I'll just have to set them aside for another time.

And that's really all I can think of at the moment. It's crazy to think that we've got less than 24-hours before the game launches. I'll be celebrating the launch with a friend of mine tomorrow, as well as trying to stay off social media for a bit for the first twenty-four hours. I'll be keeping an eye on things if something really bad happens or breaks, but I can't imagine that'll be the case with all the testing I've done for it. With that said, thank you all so very much for getting along this far, and a special thanks needs to go to everyone here that's supported the project. NIRAVASI has been an amazing experience to work on, and I'm really looking forward to hearing what all you of you think of it when it comes out.

Kind regards,
Angus (Sangos)