- Development Status: TSAREVNA. Age of Tales - 3 September 2026
Work on the game continues. Here's how TSAREVNA. Age of Tales development is progressing: what's already done, what we're working on, and what's ahead.What we've doneIn July and August, we ran two closed playtests. A huge thank you to everyone who took part and shared detailed feedback. We received a lot of responses and comments!We were especially pleased that players highly praised the aerial combat. We're glad you enjoyed sending enemies flying! Many also noted that the ballet-inspired combat feels unique and stylish. For us, this was an important sign that we're moving in the right direction.But there were also areas for improvement. Some mechanics turned out to be unintuitive, and enemy attacks were sometimes hard to read. Not all players immediately understood how to act in certain situations. We've already started working on this feedback and are actively polishing the mechanics.…
- TSAREVNA at the BIG Fall Showcase 2026! - 31 August 2026
We're taking part in the Best Indie Games Fall Showcase 2026, an event that brings together some of the most promising indie titles from around the world. For an indie studio like ours, it's a great opportunity to show our work and be seen alongside other promising indie titles.Join us on September 1 at 8:00 AM PDT (3:00 PM UTC / 5:00 PM CEST) for an exclusive trailer and a special announcement at the end.Where to watch:YouTube: We hope to see you there! Join our Discord and wishlist TSAREVNA on Steam. Be the first to see ballet become a weapon!
- Upyr Volkhv: The Sorcerer Who Cheated Death - 20 August 2026
What happens when a priest of the gods decides to deceive death itself? Meet the Upyr Volkhv, a character who began his journey as a respected sage and ended it as an unholy creature. His story is woven from pride, fear of old age, and reckless rituals.The Attempt to Cheat DeathAs old age approached, fear of the inevitable drove the volkhv toward forbidden rites. To extend his own life, he began stealing years from unsuspecting villagers. Volkhv did this through curses, enchanted objects, and even drinking their blood. Each ritual restored his youth, but gradually erased his humanity.And yet, one cannot hide from fate forever.Death caught up with the volkhv late, but it was agonizing and unclean. Neither rituals nor incantations could ease the torment as his flesh decayed while he was still alive.For the lives he stole from others, Veles would not allow his soul to find peace. The volkh…
- How we recorded Tsarevna's main theme with the orchestra - 13 August 2026
What does a dark Slavic fairy tale sound like? For us, it's not just about visual style, combat systems, or characters. It's also about the music that evolves with the heroine and immerses you in a world of dark fantasy.Recently, we recorded a live orchestral performance of the game's main theme. Let us tell you how it happened. How Tsarevna's Theme Came to LifeThe main musical theme of Tsarevna reflects her journey. At the start of the story, it is bright and carries a sense of wonder, almost childlike. But as the heroine faces trials, loses loved ones, and pushes toward her goal, the music grows darker and more intense.Composer Alexander Billion worked to ensure that a single melody could reveal just how far Tsarevna has come. It was a challenge: keep the theme recognizable while allowing it to evolve alongside the story.Live PerformanceThe recording was done with the Opensound Orches…
- From Movement to Combat: How Ballet Becomes Battle in TSAREVNA. Age of Tales - 9 July 2026
Every strike begins long before the blade reaches its target. Today, we want to take you behind the scenes of our development and show you how the real-world movements of a Bolshoi Theatre prima ballerina become the foundation of the combat system in TSAREVNA. Age of Tales.Body Physics and GraceIn TSAREVNA. Age of Tales, combat is built on more than just attacks, dodges, and status effects. At its core lie the physics and fluidity of the human body. A step, a turn, a breath, a fleeting moment of balance right before a graceful movement transforms into a devastating blow.For us, ballet isn't just a beautiful visual layer, nor is it limited to aesthetic poses and elegant silhouettes. It is the very foundation of how our heroine perceives the world and fights. Her movements must feel graceful yet lethal. Precise yet brutal.That is one of the core ideas behind the game: taking something dee…
- Refining Tsarevna’s Combat System and Animations - 7 July 2026
Over the past few months, we’ve received an incredible amount of feedback following our recent playtests and the release of our first gameplay clips. As indie developers, analyzing and acting on player feedback is essential to us, because our community’s input is what truly helps us make the game better. We want to thank everyone who took the time to share their thoughts, critiques, and ideas. During development, it’s easy to get too close to the project, overlook certain flaws, and love your game just the way it is, rough edges and all. That is exactly why your fresh perspective is so crucial to us—it helps us see the game clearly and make it better.Based on your feedback, the most frequently discussed points were:Combat combo animations felt too choppy, lacking smooth transitions between strikes.The ballet-inspired movements risked becoming repetitive.The overall sense of impact from…
- How Levels Are Created in Tsarevna - 16 May 2026
Hi, my name is Tanya. I am the level designer for Tsarevna. I am responsible for how gameplay and narrative come together into a complete player experience: how the player follows Tsarevna’s path and accompanies her through different locations.My work is built around collaboration with all departments. Before building a level, I request input from game design, narrative, and art teams. Together, we discuss the future location: its goals, limitations, and the new experience it should give the player.When developing a level, it is important to consider several layers of the game at once: game design, the combat system, narrative, and visual presentation – all of this affects the player experience.From Layout to BlockoutAfter gathering the input, I start working on the structure of the level. First, I create a prototype – a paper layout that we call pen to paper. It becomes the foundation…
- On Combat, Animation, and Your Comments - 15 May 2026
We have collected and analyzed comments from different platforms under the gameplay video for TSAREVNA. Age of Tales, and we sincerely appreciate all the feedback.With this gameplay video, we wanted to show how far Tsarevna has progressed and share how the idea we strongly believe in is being implemented at the current stage.We see the main issue clearly: the animations do not yet look the way they should in a hack and slash about combat ballet. This part requires serious improvement.Thank you to everyone who pointed this out. All the feedback has been collected, structured, analyzed, and is already being worked on: we are improving movement fluidity, attack transitions, hit weight, and the overall feeling of combat choreography.We will definitely return and share our progress, as we are committed to bringing the animation and combat system to a level that matches the core idea of the g…
- New trailer for Tsarevna. Age of Tales - 2 May 2026
One strike gives birth to thousands more. Violence in the world of Tsarevna is an endless cycle, frozen within the facets of Ichor. The cinematic reveals the terrifying nature of these stones: they bloom on the bodies of the dead, offering power to those willing to part with their soul.Tsarevna seeks revenge for Buyan, destroying the unholy creatures in her path.Each step takes her further away – to a place where she will no longer be the same, no longer be herself. She fears the call of the red stones, knowing that the madness of Ichor is too high a price for victory.Watch the trailer, share your thoughts, and add TSAREVNA. Age of Tales to your wishlist
- We’ve released the first gameplay trailer for TSAREVNA - 7 April 2026
For the first time, you can see how the combat works in motion. Movement, attacks, and timing come together into a single flow. Spins turn into strikes, combos connect into smooth chains, and every action feels part of one sequence.TSAREVNA. Age of Tales is an action slasher where combat feels like a dance. You move, attack, and react in rhythm, keeping the flow going from one enemy to the next.This is not the final version of the system. We’re continuing to refine the combat, focusing on clarity, control, and how consistently the flow holds through each encounter.The game takes place in a dark fantasy world inspired by Slavic folklore, reimagined in a more brutal and unsettling way. Familiar elements are twisted into something new you never experienced beforeWatch the gameplay trailer to see it in live action, and add the game to your wishlist now!
- We’ve released the official TSAREVNA comic - 24 March 2026
This story explores a moment of choice, the temptation of ancient power, and the price one must pay for strength. It’s a perfect addition to the world of the game and another way to dive deeper into its setting.The Tsarevna encounters ichor — an ancient substance that promises power.At first, it feels like an opportunity. Then — a tool. And eventually comes the question: how much are you willing to give to become even stronger?The comic highlights key themes of TSAREVNA: the temptation of power and the cost of vengeance.If you enjoy stories where style is part of the combat and the world itself, this one will resonate with you.👑 Read the comic and wishlist TSAREVNA on Steam:
- The secret behind Tsarevna’s animations - 19 March 2026
I’m Valentin, an animation artist on the Tsarevna project at WATT Studio. Today I’ll talk about how we create the heroine’s movement by combining ballet grace with the resolve of a warrior.From the very beginning, we wanted Tsarevna’s combat system to feel like ballet. Not just fighting, but a performance where every attack becomes part of a dance.Motion capture and working with expertsTo achieve subtle and authentic movement as close to ballet as possible, we used motion capture with Alyona Kovalyova — Prima Ballerina of Bolshoi Theatre.This allowed us to capture natural body movement, posture, and the flow of arms and legs — details that are difficult to recreate manually and are essential for making animation feel truly alive.The challengeOne of our main goals was to find a balance between responsive controls and the fluidity of ballet movement.A slasher demands fast and readable ani…
- How We Create Deep, Dynamic Combat in Tsarevna - 14 March 2026
My name is Alexander, and I’m the Lead Game Designer on Tsarevna. Today I’d like to share our approach to creating dynamic combat in the game.In any slasher, the combat system plays a key role. It should give players a sense of power, rhythm, and constant movement. When developing Tsarevna, our goal was to achieve exactly that: large arena-style group battles where players constantly test their skills - timing, dodging, positioning, and attack combinations.Starting the ProcessOur main character is the Tsarevna. Her combat style is inspired by ballet: grace, precision, pirouettes, jumps, and precise timing.Tsarevna’s combat system includes several types of attacks:Launch attacks that send enemies into the airArea attacks that hit multiple targetsWide, sweeping strikes against groups of enemiesRanged attacks effective against flying enemiesIn contrast to this elegance, we needed enemies t…
- How Slavic Ritual History Translates Into Character Design in Tsarevna - 7 March 2026
My name is Egor, and I’m a narrative designer at WATT Studio. In this developer diary, I’d like to talk about how we create characters for our game Tsarevna.In Tsarevna, the lore never appears out of random ideas. When we design characters and creatures, we start with research — Slavic rituals, mythology, ethnography, and historical sources.This approach helps us build a world that feels like a complete system where everything has roots: fears, legends, and beliefs about life and death.In this diary we’ll talk about the creation of one of the game’s enemies — the Upyr Warlord.Connecting the Character to the Game WorldIn traditional Slavic beliefs, the difference between a “pure” and an “impure” dead person was determined not so much by their actions in life, but by the nature of their death.There was a distinction between “one’s own death” and “unnatural death.”If a person died peaceful…
- How We Create Enemies in TSAREVNA - 28 February 2026
In TSAREVNA, every element serves one purpose - building a dark, dense atmosphere. Enemies are not just targets to fight. They are part of the world, its history, and its cruelty. At the same time, each of them must challenge the player. Only when visuals, lore, and mechanics work together do they create a powerful gameplay experience.We’re constantly refining the lore and gameplay mechanics, and as the world evolves, its details evolve with it. If you’ve been with us for a long time, you might remember the old enemy names - but as the story grows and takes shape, familiar characters have received new titles. These are their current names, reflecting who they’ve become in the latest version of the game.Upyr - The Foundation of the Dark ArmyUpyrs are the flesh and bone of the grim army. Their packs roam ravines from the shores of the Kavstrian Sea to the tar-black swamps of the West. It…
- The key details that make a game world feel dark and atmospheric - 21 February 2026
In any game, it’s important that the world isn’t just a background — it should breathe, have its own secrets, stories, and mood. In Tsarevna, we aimed to immerse the player in a dark, mysterious world where every corner holds a story, and every detail enhances the sense of mystique.As you move through the levels, you encounter shadowy, fog-filled locations where every object and every sound creates tension and the feeling of a true fairy tale with a dark side 🖤Special attention was given to the idols — wooden, ominous, with cryptic symbols. They aren’t just decorative elements: they give meaning to the world, add mysteries, and help the player feel the depth of the story.Elements like environment details, lighting, sounds, and interactive objects make the world feel alive and atmospheric. Every scene, every turn in a location tells its own story and evokes emotions: anxiety, curiosity,…
- Showcase: Environment Shader Features - 18 December 2025
Multilayer wall material in TSAREVNA In TSAREVNA, environment shaders carry not just color, but history.Here’s a look at how our multilayer material system works: blending stone, dust, moisture, erosion, and hand-painted details into one living surface. These layers react to lighting, camera angle, and local accents, helping walls feel less like geometry and more like part of the world’s memory.We’ll share more behind-the-scenes looks into how we build the environments of TSAREVNA.Follow our dev diaries — there’s much more world-building magic ahead, and support the project by adding it to the Wishlist!
- Playtest: Access is open - 5 December 2025
We are happy to announce that the first playtest for Tsarevna has officially begun! Thank you very much to everyone who showed interest—we received over 19,000 applications from around the world.Since this is our first playtest, access was limited. If you didn't receive an invitation, don't worry! This means that you will have even more chances to join and directly influence the development of the game in future tests.Access was distributed randomly among all applications. The playtest itself will last 10 days, and we plan to summarize the results after December 15.Your opinion is important!This is not the final build or visuals, so your opinion can significantly influence development — please fill out the questionnaire after completing the test.Immerse yourself in a world where ballet dancing becomes a deadly battle! The team is looking forward to your feedback!
- Dev Diary 3: Immersive Sound Design - 25 November 2025
Sound doesn’t just exist in TSAREVNA — it lives there. Every whisper of the wind, echo in a corridor, or muffled voice behind the wall obeys its own physical laws. Just as our in-game physics simulate mass and weight, our soundscape follows the acoustic logic of the real world.To achieve this, we use Wwise Spatial Audio — a system that allows us to simulate the real behavior of sound within complex virtual spaces. The result? An environment that feels alive — sound that truly belongs to the world it inhabits.Building the Acoustic GeometryEach location in TSAREVNA starts with a layer of acoustic geometry — invisible structures defining the shape, volume, and materials of rooms, halls, and corridors. This is the physical framework that gives sound its “home.”Defining the Sound ProfileEvery space has its own acoustic identity:A room tone that sets its baseline atmosphere,A reverb preset tu…
- Location: Baba Yaga’s Hut - 13 November 2025
At the edge between the living and the dead — where the idols of Mokosh greet the traveler — stands the hut of Baba Yaga. Perched on chicken legs, it rises like pillars for the soul, echoing ancient rites of sky burials.Inside burns a stove. Not just a source of warmth, but a symbol of the womb — of rebirth through fire. In old rituals, sick children were placed inside the warm oven to be “born again” and break their ties with the otherworld.Behind the stove hides the Domovoi — the spirit of the house, the forgotten ancestor guarding the threshold.Red threads stretch through the hut, reminding of the Valkyries who wove the names of heroes, and of Mokosh, the goddess of fate.Here, the fragments of bodies become symbols of power: the Slavs believed that the soul could dwell in eyes or hands — and so the remains of the dead could heal or protect.🎭 Add TSAREVNA to your Steam wishlist — the…
