Introduction/Vision

Project Arcana is a love letter to the RPGs that shaped my imagination and gave me a sense of wonder, comfort, and purpose. I grew up disappearing into worlds like Final Fantasy XII, Fable II, Kingdom Hearts II, and Shadow of the Colossus, games that invited me to live in their games rather than just tell me a story. With Project Arcana, I hope to create a world like that: one where magic, emotions, and heart drive every moment of the adventure.

At its core, Project Arcana is about exploring what it means to find hope after loss, to chose connection over isolation, and to question the nature of power and purpose. I want players to feel like they’re stepping into a handcrafted world that’s as rich in lore as it is in emotion. A world that remembers the magic of classic RPGs while offering something new and deeply personal.

What is Project Arcana?

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Setting

Project Arcana unfolds in the world of Alunira, a land still scarred by a magical cataclysm known as The Hollowing, the moment when Arcana, the universal source of magic, was violently severed from the mortal realm. In the aftermath, magic became fragmented, accessible only through specialized Archetypes tied to ancient traditions and the guardianship of kingdoms.

Alunira is divided into seven kingdoms, each protecting a sacred Gate that links to the Arcane Plane. These realms are bound by a fragile alliance, struggling to maintain order as new factions rise out of the old empires. Among them, LUMA emerges as a polished yet radical movement, seeking to reclaim Arcana for all, no longer filtered through kings, gods, or sacred oaths.

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Themes

At its heart, Project Arcana is a story about connection, and the struggle to restore what was lost. After The Hollowing severed the world’s natural bond with Arcana, the game explores how individuals, cultures, and entire civilizations grapple with rebuilding trust, rediscovering truth, and defining their place in a fractured world.

Throughout the journey, players will navigate the tension between those who seek knowledge and those who seek control, a conflict that shapes the fate of Arcana itself. Along the way, deeper questions of identity, heritage, power, and corruption weave through the party’s personal stories, challenging them to decide who they are, and what they stand for.

The tone of Project Arcana is both melancholic and hopeful: a world haunted by loss but driven hopeful revolutionaries who dare to imagine something better.

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Structure

Project Arcana unfolds as a chapter-driven, story-rich RPG designed to guide players through an emotional, tactical, and meaningful journey. The game is divided into three acts, each containing five chapters that blend exploration, character development, and strategic combat encounters. This structure allows the world and its characters to grow and change over time, with each chapter introducing new challenges, locations, and moral choices.

Gameplay alternates between story moments, exploration of handcrafted environments, deck-building through the Arcana Card system, and tactical grid-based battles that test both strategy and teamwork. The pacing is designed to balance moments of quiet discovery with high-stakes decisions and intense combat, creating a rhythm that supports both personal storytelling and grand adventure.

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Core Features

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Arcana Card System

In Project Arcana, your power is shaped not just by your Archetype, but by the Arcana Cards you carry each day. The Arcana Card System blends tactical preparation with rogue-like variety, inviting players to build a custom deck each morning after a long rest. This deck defines your abilities, magic, weapons, armor, items, and stat enhancements for the day’s encounters.

There are seven Arcana Decks, each focused on a different aspect of the hero’s journey. The Reaver’s Deck (weapons), the Sentinel’s Deck (armor), the Aegis Deck (shields), the Forms Deck (abilities), the Mystic’s Deck (magic), the Talismans Deck (items), and the Essences Deck (stats). Each deck contains both Major Arcana, representing powerful keystone gear, abilities, or boons, and Minor Arcana, offering versatile tools that can be mixed and matched across decks to build your strategy.

Players can carefully craft their deck, draw from saved favorites, or leave their fate to chance with a randomized spread. Every choice shapes the day ahead: will you lean into raw power, clever utility, or daring risks? No two journeys, or days, will ever play out the same.

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Tactical Combat

Combat in Project Arcana combines turn-based combat, grid-based strategy, and evolving overworld battlefields, challenging players to think several moves ahead. Battles unfold on handcrafted tactical maps, where positioning, terrain, and teamwork all play critical roles. Each encounter is designed to feel meaningful, whether you’re defending a village from Hollowed Beasts or outmaneuvering powerful foes in high-stakes confrontations.

Your party’s abilities, drawn from your daily Arcana Deck, shape every fight, requiring preparation along with improvisation. The combat system rewards players who adapt their tactics to match each encounter, leveraging synergies between Archetypes, Arcana, and the environment itself.

Project Arcana’s battles aim to balance thoughtful strategy with dynamic pacing, ensuring that no two fights ever feel the same, and that victory always feels well earned.

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Pixel Art World

Project Arcana blends the charm of classic RPGs with a modern, handcrafted pixel art approach that’s rich in detail, emotion, and atmosphere. Every environment, character, and effect is designed to evoke the wonder of exploring a living, breathing world. From crumbling ruins to bustling cities shaped by tradition and magic.

The game’s style draws inspiration from the golden age of pixel art while embracing a unique, high-fantasy identity. Expect vibrant natural palettes, intricate character designs that reflect each culture’s heritage, and visual storytelling that brings the world of Alunira to life. The pixel art is supported by subtle animations and expressive flourishes that make even small moments feel meaningful.

Above all, Project Arcana’s style aims to balance nostalgia with originality, creating a world that feels both familiar and new, inviting players to lose themselves in its beauty and detail.

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Inspiration

Development Approach

Project Arcana is a solo-developed passion project, a game I’m building from the ground up out of love for the RPGs that shaped by imagination. While it’s just me for now, I’m always open to connecting with other developers, artists, writes, and creative minds who share a passion for storytelling, pixel art, and tactical RPGs. Collaboration is welcome, and I believe the best ideas often come from shared vision and community.

Production Timeline

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