Rising Spire Devlog #1 – The Journey So Far
Hey everyone, and welcome to the first of many devlogs as we push toward Rising Spire’s full release! It’s been a long road - longer than we originally planned - but I wanted to take a moment to reflect on where we started, what’s changed, and what’s coming next.
The Original Vision & How It Evolved
When I first started Rising Spire, I envisioned an old-school, top-down JRPG inspired by classic Final Fantasy games - but with fresh twists. Early on, we experimented with unique systems like a day-night cycle and camping, but as development progressed, they became secondary (maybe even tertiary) to the core turn-based combat and character-driven storytelling.
One thing that didn’t change was the influence of Atlus games like Persona, particularly their approach to giving every character depth, not just the protagonist. We built the Side Arc system for this.Though, like many of our ambitious features, it eventually became a secondary focus. The biggest lesson we learned? Making a fully realized JRPG is already a massive challenge, and adding more layers made it even harder.
The Development Struggles & Regaining Momentum
The journey hasn’t been smooth. After a successful Kickstarter, we felt the pressure to deliver something truly worth backing. But that also led to scope creep, and expanding the game’s ambition far beyond what we originally planned.
At the same time, I was personally funding the project for two years before Kickstarter. When it became clear that the timeline had stretched another 2-3 years, I had to return to full-time work to support development. Moving across cities, changing jobs, and personal struggles slowed everything down. For a while, development felt like it was dragging, with no clear momentum.
But when I finally settled in Los Angeles, everything changed. Being around close friends, joining a group of likeminded Indie devs (Glitch City), and the right creative environment reignited my energy for the game. I was able to refocus the team, rework systems, and push Rising Spire toward the finish line. The game didn’t need more features - it needed clarity, refinement, and direction.
Where We Stand Today
Rising Spire is now feature-complete for 80% of the game (Acts 1 & 2). We have:
- Shops, side arcs, and boss fights
- Alchemy, weapon upgrades, and character progression
- The full story, cutscenes, and worldbuilding
What remains is Act 3 - the finale of the game. This includes the Act 3 hub town, the Spire itself, enemy and boss encounters, and the final cutscenes. After that, we shift into heavy polish mode, refining everything we’ve built—fixing bugs, balancing mechanics, and adding final features like cloud saves, multiple save slots, controller support, achievements, error logging, crash tracking etc…
The Road Ahead
Right now, we expect:
- A full Act 2 release in 1-3 months (polishing up the last unfinished bits).
- Act 3 development will take another 2-4 months to complete.
- Polish, testing, and final launch prep to take an additional 2-4 months after that.
These are estimates, and development is always unpredictable - but this is the home stretch.
Stay Involved & Join the Journey
As we get closer to release, I’ll be posting regular devlogs with behind-the-scenes insights, progress updates, and sneak peeks. If you want to stay up to date and be part of the final push:
- Wishlist Rising Spire on Steam (it helps us massively!)
- Join our Discord to chat, give feedback, and follow development
- Spread the word - every recommendation helps an indie game like ours!
Thank you for sticking with us. This has been a long journey, but we’re finally closing in on the finish line. The next few months are going to be huge, and I can’t wait to share them with you all.
More updates coming soon - see you in the next devlog!