3 days until release.
I just finished the final pass on the build, and my coffee fueled session has me so wired up I couldn't sleep, so I decided to write you all something. I wanted to give you a better sense of where this game is coming from.
My name is Manos (short for Emmanuel, don't ever call me that, insta ban) and I live in Greece.
I've been a self-taught developer for more than 10 years now, and only recently went into it professionally with my first title, Final Fall. It didn't exactly go according to plan. I lost money on it, but somewhere while watching those sales numbers after God knows how many hours, I realized something: I couldn't care less.
The journey up to that point was insane, and I loved every second of it.
So now I'm apparently a junkie for this business, and I just couldn't stop.
Spiritus Sancti comes from a dark place of obsession.
It's a deeply personal project, not because I'm particularly religious, but because I'm obsessed with trying to invent mechanics that add another layer of immersion.
I'm one of those people who barely flinch at horror games, movies, etc. Let alone actually get scared. I just don't. But I can't stop playing them.
So I thought to myself: cool concept, but what could make it feel more real?
What if I could find a way to reach beyond the screen somehow?
That would scare the crap out of me.
To those that might not have guessed it, this was hinting at the real-life contact feature.
I'm damn proud I managed to pull that off considering my development budget is basically 3 grapes and a pack of Mentos, and it kind of pains me that I had to make it optional. But I'm also glad it's there for those who want to experience it.
If that had been part of the core mechanics instead, trust me, the game would be a lot scarier and I'd have you questioning your own sanity.
Maybe on the next project, while I'm figuring out how to turn off your actual bedroom lights from within the game.
Cusco the dog.
Boy oh boy.
Cusco started as a fun little prop and, yes, possibly an "oh no! Not the doggy" moment. But then I realized he was so well received and so popular that I am simply not powerful enough to bring him harm.
So, as per your request, he is now a solid part of the game and no harm shall ever befall him.
Hell, he can even play fetch now.
The game took around 4,500 hours to complete. Yes, I did the math, and my wife hates me for it.
I thank her wholeheartedly for putting up with me while I did this.
During that time I've had the pleasure and privilege of meeting some amazing people in the space: fellow developers, content creators, and a ton of players who gave me invaluable feedback.
Unfortunately, I'm not able to implement every piece of feedback, but I did my best to address the most pressing things, and I still am.
So here's what you can expect from Spiritus Sancti following release.
Day 1–7
Summon the Developer will remain ON and available as always... During the busiest time the game is ever going to see...
Day 2
Regretting my day 1 decision.
Day 8 onward
If you break the game, I shall fix what you broke.
Day 10–30
I'll be monitoring as many streams, videos, reviews and pieces of feedback as I can get my hands on, with the goal of delivering fixes and improvements as quickly as possible.
I have no delusions of a bug-free game, even though it would be pretty nice.
Month 2
Professional localization for multiple languages will begin, with additional languages rolling out afterward.
I wanted to do this properly rather than throw a bunch of Google translations, they felt very wrong.
In the meantime, you can find me on X and DM me about any questions, concerns, or things you think I should know about. I'll do my best to answer as many messages as I can.
And lastly, something important.
I really want you to play the game. I really want you to enjoy it.
If you genuinely can't afford a copy, I've set aside 50+ copies of the game that I'll give away to people who want to play but can't afford to buy it.
No questions asked.
Okay, maybe some questions asked.
Like, are you gonna sell the key?!
Kidding aside, if you want a copy, just let me know. If you love the game, you deserve the game.
Please understand I can't hand out infinite keys, but I'll do what I can.
My caffeine is running low, so I'll end this here.
Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart, for wishlisting the game, for playing the game, for creating content around it, and for all the feedback you've given me.
I sincerely hope that in 3 days, the faith you've shown will be rewarded with a game that leaves you with something when the credits roll.