Indie developer Pterosoft Studio has officially launched the crowdfunding campaign for their debut title, Akolyta, on Gamefound. Akolyta is a story-driven, episodic psychological horror RPG built in Unreal Engine 5 that treats mental health and trauma with seriousness and respect, rather than relying on them as gimmicks.
To ensure the psychological elements are grounded and authentic, the game’s narrative and trauma mechanics are being co-written by a licensed psychologist.
Set in the fictional, decaying city of Gorenwille, players step into the shoes of seasoned detective Marshall Prime. What begins as a routine investigation quickly pulls players into a web of Cold War-era conspiracies involving government experiments, psychological manipulation, and the remnants of the MK-Ultra program.
"From the beginning, our goal has been to blend narrative-driven horror with RPG mechanics, allowing players to shape not only the story but also the mental state of the protagonist," said Jan Bostl of Pterosoft Studio. "Choices matter. Perception matters. What you believe to be real may not always be the truth."
Key Features:
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Authentic Psychological Horror: Narrative and mental health mechanics co-written by a licensed psychologist.
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Deep Investigative Mechanics: Players must collect physical evidence, analyze audio logs, and connect disparate clues on an Investigation Board to trigger deductions and solve cases.
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Environmental Traversal & Growth: Upgrade Marshall’s physical conditioning, investigative gear, and perception to navigate the mean streets of Gorenwille.
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Episodic Structure: The current Gamefound campaign aims to raise €250,000 to fund the development and release of Episode 1.
Akolyta recently migrated development from CryEngine to Unreal Engine 5 to utilize a modern, well-supported foundation for its lighting, atmosphere, and mechanics.
The Gamefound campaign is currently live, offering backers rewards such as having their name in the credits, exclusive development insights, and full access to the complete 10-15 episode game upon release.
Campaign Link: https://gamefound.com/projects/pterosoft-studio/akolyta
About Pterosoft Studio: Pterosoft Studio is a fully remote indie team consisting of fresh talent and industry veterans. The core team includes two writers, an environment artist, and a composer dedicated to creating a haunting journey through the darkest corners of the human psyche.