THE FIRST CLOSED ALPHA BEGINS SEPTEMBER 5
Hello everyone!
This is the first real development update I've posted here on Steam, and it feels like the right time to start.
Edroseph's Tower will enter its first closed alpha on September 5.
This first test will be deliberately small, with around ten players. The goal isn't to open the game to everyone just yet. I want to start with a manageable group, observe how the game behaves outside of my own development environment, gather detailed feedback, and fix the problems that only become visible when other people actually start playing.
And since I'm developing Edroseph's Tower on my own, reaching this point means a lot to me.
WHERE THE GAME IS TODAY
Edroseph's Tower has grown considerably during development.
At its core, it is a dark fantasy tactical turn-based roguelike RPG where every run begins again at level 1. There are no permanent combat bonuses carried over from previous runs: what changes from one ascent to the next is the party you build, the rooms you encounter, the equipment you find, and the decisions you make.
The game currently includes:
21 playable classes
Five talent trees for each character
Hundreds of rooms
A large variety of enemies, bosses, equipment, talents and encounters
Solo and multiplayer for up to 4 players
Classic, Quick Game, Endless and Campaign modes
Procedurally structured runs with different rooms, rewards and situations
Extensive party building and class synergy systems
There is already a huge amount to experiment with, and that's exactly why I now need people other than myself playing it.
WHAT THIS ALPHA IS FOR
The main objective of this first alpha is not to add more features.
It's to play, break, observe and improve what is already there.
During the test, I'll be paying particular attention to:
Bugs and softlocks
Game stability
Multiplayer synchronization and connectivity
Combat pacing and clarity
Class balance and interactions
Talents and equipment
User interface and readability
Room progression and rewards
Situations that feel confusing, frustrating or simply not fun
Multiplayer will be one of the biggest priorities.
A system can appear completely stable when I test it alone and behave very differently once several real players start interacting with it at the same time. This alpha is an important step toward making that part of the game reliable.
CAMPAIGN AND THE WORLD OF EDROSEPH'S TOWER
The game also includes a Campaign mode.
At launch, Chapter 0 will serve as an introduction to the game, its systems and part of the lore surrounding the tower.
I have ideas for additional chapters and a much larger world to explore, but as a solo developer I have to choose carefully where I spend my development time.
Rather than promise a long list of future chapters before the game is even released, I'd rather listen to the community.
If players enjoy the Campaign and want to discover more of the characters, history and world surrounding Edroseph's Tower, that is absolutely something I would be interested in expanding after release.
BUILT WITH PLAYER FEEDBACK
Edroseph's Tower is a solo-developed project.
That means development can sometimes take longer, but it also means I can communicate directly with the people playing the game and react to feedback without several layers between us.
That's something I want to keep as the community grows.
The closed alpha is the beginning of that process.
The first group will be small, and there is no public Playtest registration for this test. I want to make sure the foundations are solid before opening the doors to more players.
If everything goes well, I'll share more about future testing opportunities later.
WHAT COMES NEXT
The coming week will be heavily focused on testing, bug fixing and multiplayer.
I'll also be recording new gameplay footage and taking updated screenshots during these sessions, which will eventually be used to improve the Steam page and create a proper gameplay trailer.
The current goal is still to release Edroseph's Tower in December 2026.
There is plenty left to do before then, but reaching the first closed alpha is an important milestone.
Thank you to everyone who has wishlisted, followed or simply taken an interest in the project.
I'm looking forward to finally seeing other people climb the tower.
See you at the top.
— Phoenix Ashes