Indie game developer, GSE Studios just launched the Kickstarter campaign for their upcoming dark fantasy amare visual novel, Keepers of Astraela. The team debuted with the game Heart & Soul, a Greek mythology otome visual novel that follows the myth of Psyche and Eros.
Their latest project Keepers of Astraela is inspired by the book ‘Vision‘ by Wrenna Stone, which follows a writer whose characters come to life. The Keepers of Astraela base game is set for a fall 2024 release.
Game Details
- Genre: Amare | Dark Fantasy | Isekai
- Demo available on itch.io and Steam
- Campaign Period: October 4, 2023 to November 3, 2023
- Tentative Release Date: Fall 2024
Keepers of Astraela Story
Eva has a world inside her head: the land of Astraela, where Darkness and Corrupted beasts threaten eternal doom. Vivid dreams have given her four books as an up-and-coming author, but when undead fiends appear on Earth for a killing spree, she is caught in the crossfire between dreams and reality.
These creatures shouldn’t exist outside the pages of her books—and neither should Emrys, the fictional hero who slips in from the shadows to tell her that Astraela is facing its ultimate destruction. With the fate of her own world at risk, and her main character’s life being drained by an age-old curse, the player must guide Eva’s actions in order to protect the people she cares about and avoid the total destruction of all she holds dear.
Keepers of Astraela Characters
⬥ Eva, The Protagonist ⬥ “I’ll drink motor oil if you add enough dirty beans to it.”
An “ordinary” assistant librarian, Eva has crafted a series of self-published fantasy novels from years’ worth of vivid dreams. Much to her surprise, all of her dreams are real and happening in another world–and, according to her main character, she has gotten many facts wrong.
⬥ Emrys, the Male LI ⬥ “Humans are pretty useless. No offense.”
The legendary Phoenix, Emrys’ powers far exceed that of the average Blessed. Even in a weakened state, the Phoenix is one of few creatures strong enough to create rifts in the Barrier between realms.
⬥ Bobbi, the Female LI ⬥ “If this night gets any weirder, the Winchesters are going to break down my door. “
Owner of Ambrosia’s Brew and Eva’s best friend, Bobbi has her hands full when Earth meets Astraela–from controlling Eva’s “sleepwalking” to keeping the local Phoenix from exploding the last of her kitchen appliances. She can always be counted on to keep her head in any situation, even when it means standing up to Demonic entities.
⬥ Jensen, Un-romanceable Perfection⬥ “You’re a brilliant writer. I know you’ll figure it out.”
The newest hire at Havenwood Public Library, Jensen is the coworker that Eva never wanted, but never knew how much she needed. With quick sarcasm and a sweet tooth bigger than his heart, Jensen’s charm is useful on even the angriest of patrons.
Keepers of Astraela Art Assets
Features to expect in Keepers of Astraela
- A Wide Array of Choices with Varying Effects: Some choices are simple flavor text, others determine which character you spend time with. Certain choices in the story affect Eva’s Fatigue and Inner Darkness. Being too exhausted can lead her to falter at critical moments, while spending too much time touching Corruption can lead to strange intrusive thoughts and more…
- Optional Romance: Keepers of Astraela has two love interests to pursue: Bobbi and Emrys. However, if romance isn’t your thing, you can to toggle either love interest to a romantic or a platonic setting. This will influence Eva’s inner dialogue towards Emrys and Bobbi, Eva’s interactions with them, and how Eva’s feelings towards them are perceived by other characters.
- Multiple Endings: Alongside a True Ending that stays true to the plot of ‘Vision‘, the book ‘Keepers of Astraela’ is based on, there will be a multitude of new endings exclusive to the game. Some will be noticeably better and brighter than the original, while others will be much, much darker. Depending on the choices you make, not all of the main cast will make it to the end in one piece.
Why You Should Support the Campaign!
The campaign is set to run fromOctober 4, 2023 to November 3, 2023 with a funding goal of $6,400 USD. In addition to the base funding goals, the team has a number of stretch goals that will expand on the content of Keepers of Astraela. There are also a ton of physical rewards and merch to add to your collection!
Learn more about GSE Studios
GSE Studios is a developer/publisher hybrid, their debut game was ‘Heart & Soul‘: a Greek mythology otome visual novel that follows the myth of Psyche and Eros. The studio is led by SAHM Gwynne.
