Greenville, South Carolina—August 22, 2025—Hybrid Fiction Games today released a closed beta release for their first game, Stratagem Lost. The closed beta for Kickstarter backers coincides with an update to the game's public Steam demo.
Stratagem Lost is a turn-based strategy RPG and visual novel hybrid with a punk fantasy aesthetic set in a world left broken and paranoid from war. Funded on Kickstarter, it is a single-player indie game currently being developed for PC.
Wishlist the game on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3041220/Stratagem_Lost/
Watch the new trailer:
About the Development
A 30-day Kickstarter campaign started on October 14th, 2024 to fund the game’s development. With the help of 331 backers, Stratagem Lost has received $26,233, being 146% funded. The game’s Kickstarter has also featured additional goals to enhance the game’s experience. Since then, Hybrid Fiction Games has consistently posted updates on the games progress, and was also included in Turn-Based Thursday Fest 2025.
Watch the 2024 Kickstarter trailer:
https://youtu.be/Ir5jfWElBNM
The closed beta features 10 chapters, with full story content. It is intended as a glimpse of the final game, with all of the integral mechanics intact. The build features over 10 playable characters, each with unique skills, stories, and animations. A trailer for the game has been released, showing off the new scenarios, characters, and VA performances.
New backers can still purchase the game on Kickstarter and get access to the alpha and beta with late pledges before the game’s release in Q4 2026. In addition, backers can receive rewards like the game’s digital artbook and soundtrack, physical prints, and access to community polls to influence the game. Late pledges will be closed at a future date, so those interested will still need to act quickly.
For those who want to try the game first, Stratagem Lost has also updated its free demo on Steam. The demo was a hit in October 2024’s Steam Next Fest! It was consistently in the top 20 Strategy RPGs and generated over 2,000 new wishlists for the game!
The updated demo contains 5 story chapters, providing a playtime of 2-5 hours. In addition, the demo features new music, overhauled presentation, and a plethora of improvements to the game. Notably, all of the game's locations and map sprites have been redrawn to improve on the game's already exceptional style!
About the Game
The story follows a group of drafted soldiers uncovering a dark mystery as they come to blows with terrorists and otherworldly entities. Gameplay has a focus on unique characters and teambuilding, creating an experience that forces players to make tough decisions both in and out of combat.
Compared to other games in the genre, Stratagem Lost’s identity is found in its eclectic, over-the-top attitude. Gameplay is aggressive and dynamic, characters have strong and belligerent personalities—the game as a whole sports an outspoken demeanor, inspired by art movements like Dadaism and pop art, as well as music genres like alternative rock and nu-metal.
Stratagem Lost features expressionist, vibrant illustrations during cutscenes and combat. Battles play out with a punchy style, like they’re snapshots out of a comic book. Characters express themselves firmly, with each pose accentuating personality and individuality.
Between battles, the player can spend more time with their allies and learn more about them in Off-Time Segments. These segments offer insight into the characters’ individual stories and the world around them while also unlocking new skills in combat. Build up your relationships off of the battlefield and see your options increase on it.
Stratagem Lost features professional voice actors from the industry, including Amanda Hufford (The Amazing Digital Circus, Genshin Impact), Joshua Waters (Fire Emblem Heroes, Honkai Star Rail), Gianni Matragrano (Ultrakill, Death Battle), Brandon Jay (Pokémon Evolutions, Final Fantasy VII Remake), and Allanah Fitzgerald (The Gaslight District, Murder Drones).
The music in the game is composed by dante gofar, known for his work in AD: Trance, Paper Perjury, and UNBEATABLE [white label]. Stratagem Lost boasts a hard rock soundtrack, complete with live guitars, enhancing the experience with a heavy groove.
For more information, follow Hybrid Fiction Games on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram. To connect with the community, join the official Discord.
About Hybrid Fiction Games
Hybrid Fiction Games is an indie game duo from the Carolinas crafting eclectic experiences with strong presentation and authenticity. Their work is inspired by a wide range of mediums, leading to experimental and thoughtful adventures that come from the heart.