Game Log Archives - Rare Castle

Project Escher — Phase 3 Progress Update

Cinematics, Vehicle Driving System, Van Dialogue & Half Demo Milestone

As of December 13, 2025, Project Escher continues to move forward at a strong and steady pace. We’re excited to share that Phase 3 of our 6-phase Heavy Prototyping cycle is now complete — marking the third major milestone in development.

With this phase finished, the project has officially reached a key point:
we are now 50% of the way toward completing the demo / vertical slice.

Today’s newly released dev-log video showcases a significant leap forward in both gameplay and narrative, including:

New Cinematic Sequences
Story-driven moments that help establish tone, pacing, and emotional weight.
Vehicle Driving System
Core driving mechanics are now playable, forming a central part of the experience.
Van Dialogue System
Contextual dialogue taking place inside the van, blending story, character, and gameplay.
Expanded Story Chapter
A major portion of the narrative is now playable, bringing the demo closer to a complete, cohesive experience.

This milestone represents a shift from pure prototyping into a half-demo / half-story chapter, where systems, cinematics, and narrative begin to connect as a unified experience.

Story Direction – Second Half of the Chapters

With the first half of the demo now grounded in the physical world, the remaining half of each story chapter will shift the experience into a non-physical space — a world existing outside of conventional spacetime, off the grid.

This upcoming phase of development will focus on the protagonist’s inner journey through this abstract realm, where reality, memory, and perception begin to blur. Gameplay, cinematics, and narrative systems will evolve to reflect this transition, exploring psychological themes through atmosphere, symbolism, and unconventional storytelling rather than traditional physical interactions.

The next development phases will be dedicated to building and defining this world — shaping its rules, visual language, and emotional impact — as Project Escher moves closer to a complete and cohesive vertical slice.

With three phases complete and three remaining, Project Escher is steadily shaping into a polished vertical slice. Our goal remains clear:
to prepare Project Escher for submission to the Sony PlayStation.

Thank you for following the journey and supporting Rare Castle. More updates are coming soon as we push toward the next milestone.

Project Escher — New Reactive Dialogue, Inner Monologue, Vehicle Traffic, Interaction & Inventory Systems

Heavy Prototyping Development — Phase 2 Complete

Project Escher - dialogue mechanic - vehicle traffic - interaction - inventory Second 5 minutes

As of November 24, 2025, Project Escher continues to accelerate beyond expectations. Our Heavy Prototyping cycle is planned as six phases, each originally set to last two weeks. However, thanks to rapid progress and focused work, we’ve completed Phase 2 in just one week.

Today, we’re releasing the second milestone dev-log video, showcasing a collection of major systems and story elements now functioning inside the build:

Reactive Dialogue System – Characters now respond dynamically to each other based on context, timing, and narrative flow.
Inner Monologue Mechanic – The player gains real-time access to the protagonist’s thoughts, adding psychological depth and guiding exploration.
Vehicle Traffic Simulation – Living traffic behavior now populates the world, adding realism, atmosphere, and narrative grounding.
Interaction System – A flexible framework allowing objects, characters, and world elements to be examined, used, or activated.
Inventory System – Early implementation of item collection, management, and usage tied to the puzzles and story progression.

With this milestone complete, we’re now approaching the halfway mark of our six-phase prototyping sprint. Each milestone pushes the project closer to a polished, playable vertical slice.

Our ultimate goal remains clear:
prepare Project Escher for submission to the Sony PlayStation.

Thank you for following the journey, supporting Rare Castle, and being part of this ambitious chapter. Stay tuned — the next milestone is already in motion.

Dev Dairy: Crafting the Palace Room – A Moment of Light in the Dark

Hey everyone,

Today, I’d love to share a behind-the-scenes look at one of the most essential and atmospheric spaces in our game world — the Palace Room. This environment has been a major focus in recent weeks, not just in terms of layout and visual storytelling, but also in how we’ve been enhancing its lighting to bring it fully to life.

A Safe Haven in the Shadows

If you’re a fan of classic survival horror, you might recall the comforting eeriness of the safe rooms in Resident Evil — those rare moments of safety and introspection amid chaos. The Palace Room is our spiritual nod to that idea: a place detached from the immediate danger and mystery of the game’s larger world.

But this room isn’t just a safe zone — it’s the first space the protagonist finds themselves in after the accident that begins the story. In many ways, it’s a transition point between reality and something far more surreal. A place suspended off the grid of space and time.

A Touch of Neoclassical Grandeur

Visually, the Palace Room draws heavy inspiration from the Neoclassical era, infused with the ornate elegance of Baroque and Rococo styles. Expect grand arches, gilded ornaments, detailed paneling, and decadent textures — all aimed at immersing the player in a space that feels regal yet strangely dreamlike.

I’ve put a lot of effort into creating an environment that feels both ethereal and grounded, like a memory from a forgotten century. It’s not meant to feel like just another room, but rather a place with a presence — a character of its own.

Lighting the Mood

One of the biggest recent improvements has been in the lighting. Subtle but powerful tweaks have been made to create a more emotional atmosphere — using soft volumetrics, bounce lighting, and warm tones to contrast the cold, surreal nature of the outside world.

The goal was to enhance the feeling of safety and mystery simultaneously. This is not just a visually impressive room — it’s a space that should make players feel something the moment they step inside.

Why It Matters

The Palace Room is more than an environment — it’s a narrative milestone. It sets the tone for the emotional journey ahead and provides a quiet space for reflection. In the broader design of the game, it’s a visual and emotional anchor, hinting at the themes of memory, trauma, and beauty within isolation.

Building it has been both a technical and artistic challenge — but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. And I can’t wait for you to experience it in the context of the full game.

Thanks for reading and following the journey. More dev logs and sneak peeks will be coming soon — stay tuned, and as always, feel free to reach out with thoughts or questions.

Until next time,
Mohamed Fawzy
Founder & Developer – Rare Castle

Dev Diary: Building the Mystery of the Palace Rooms

Hey RareCastle fam!
We’re back with another peek behind the curtain and this one’s about atmosphere, emotion, and visual storytelling. One of our talented environment artists is currently deep into designing one of the most surreal and symbolic spaces in our game world: The Palace Rooms.

A Place Beyond the Physical

The Palace Rooms are a condition of being rather than just a place.
A character not as flesh and blood, but as something more abstract enters this weird, ethereal setting at a crucial point in the narrative. By permitting travel by light, thought, and energy rather than footfall, this area challenges the standard rules of reality. Our environmental work aims to create a space that is both historically grounded and otherworldly to support this idea. Incredible lighting, ambiguous borders, and interactive items with narrative weight are all incorporated with elements of Baroque and Rococo, rich, elegant styles that speak of forgotten elegance and emotional complexity.
Creating Emotion Through Environment
At RareCastle, we view settings as emotional landscapes rather than simply aesthetic backdrops. The Palace Rooms are a reflection of identity, loss, connection, and change rather than just a level to explore.
We’re excited to show you how this unique area develops both technically and aesthetically as we continue to build it out. We’ll be releasing our design work soon, so stay tuned for more Unreal Engine visual teasers!
Thank you for following our journey until then.

— Founder of Rare Castle

Reference Photo

Actual photos from the engine

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