Blending jRPG storytelling with Metroidvania exploration – creative director shares his vision for Fallen Tear: The Ascension

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What would happen if you mixed the exploration and challenge of a game like Hollow Knight with the storytelling and character-building of a classic JRPG like Suikoden? Fallen Tear: The Ascension, a game I recently played at PAX West, does just that. It’s a challenging, hand-drawn 2D world where you explore and battle, but it also features a diverse group of characters you can meet, get to know, and add to your team.

Before I got to play a thirty-minute demo of the game, I spoke with Stephen Manalastas, the Creative Director. Manalastas is with Winter Crew, a small independent studio that’s been developing this game-their first-since they were founded in 2020.

The game plays like a classic Metroidvania, with platforming, action, and gaining new abilities for movement and combat. What makes it special, though, are the NPCs – called Fated Bonds – who can join your team. You can instantly call on these companions to perform attacks using the controller buttons, and when you’ve built up enough power, you can unleash a powerful team combo.

I wasn’t sure what the demo would be like, but I was initially drawn to the game because of its beautiful art. What really hooked me, though, were the tough boss battles – I had to try them several times during the demo! If you’re interested, Fallen Tear: The Ascension has a free demo available on Steam right now. There’s no firm release date yet, just sometime in early 2026, but you can add it to your Steam wishlist to support the developers and this promising game.

Here is my conversation with the creative director of Fallen Tear: The Ascension:

Matt Buckley: Is this all hand-drawn?

Stephen Manalastas, Creative Director: Yes, it is.

MB: That’s really impressive. What’s the size of the studio that’s working on Fallen Tear?

SM: There are 30 people working full-time on this project.

MB: How has your PAX been so far?

This is our first time at PAX, and it’s been a fantastic experience! It’s been really crowded, which is great, and we’re having a lot of fun. Players are really enjoying the demo, especially the boss battles – they’re completely crushing it!

I’ve been following *Fallen Tear: The Ascension*, and it looks like the combat is seriously challenging! The developers haven’t explicitly said it’s a “souls-like” game, but that’s definitely the kind of tough-but-fair action genre everyone’s into right now. I’m really curious – are they intentionally going for that really high level of difficulty?

For this game, we’re offering two different ways to play. There’s a story mode for players who just want to experience the narrative, and then there’s Fallen Tear mode, which is designed for those who want a really tough challenge.

MB: So, is it kind of a Metroidvania game?

Absolutely. It’s a Metroidvania-style game, but we’re adding a unique element to offer something new to players. We’re aiming to stand out from games like Hollow Knight and other titles in the genre.

MB: Yeah, there’s a lot of Metroidvanias going around right now.

That’s correct. The unique thing about this game is that it combines the best parts of Japanese Role-Playing Games (JRPGs) with the Metroidvania style. To move forward, you’ll need to find and recruit characters. We have 22 of them, called ‘Fated Bonds,’ and each one has their own individual story. You have the choice of recruiting them or not, which affects your gameplay.

MB: It’s optional to recruit characters?

You can choose whether or not to bring those characters into your team. The game seems bright and cheerful at first, but don’t let that fool you-it takes a surprisingly dark turn. It’s similar in tone to *Game of Thrones*, so be prepared for that.

MB: So, what is the length you’re aiming for with the full game? How long will it take to complete?

If you’re playing this game just for the story, you can expect to spend around 25 to 30 hours finishing it. However, if you aim to unlock everything and get all characters, it will likely take between 80 and 100+ hours.

That dedication to completing everything really reminds me of old-school Japanese role-playing games. Were there any games that the team looked to for inspiration while creating *Fallen Tear: The Ascension*?

SM: So, we have many inspirations. For JRPG, have you played a lot of RPGs before?

MB: I’ve played a few.

SM: Ok, so Valkyrie Profile is one.

MB: Ok, I don’t actually know that one.

You haven’t heard of those games? Okay, so for the RPG side of things, I was inspired by Breath of Fire and Suikoden. And for the Metroidvania elements, it’s definitely Hollow Knight, Ori, Super Metroid, and also Mega Man. I’m a big fan of Mega Man!

So, I was asking about the combat and the boss battles. I wanted to know if they had a specific design philosophy behind making them tough, or if the difficulty just changed from one fight to the next throughout the game.

The game’s difficulty changes depending on your choices. Collecting the Fated Bonds will make the game easier, but skipping them will make it much harder, as they’re central to how challenging the game is.

That sounds amazing! I’m excited to check it out. How does it work – what kind of abilities or powers can you get? Do you unlock them by befriending other characters?

There are three ways to improve your character. First, you can increase your stats – things like damage and defense – through Mastery. Second, Ascension unlocks essential skills like double jump and powerful attacks. Finally, you can improve your Hunter skill by successfully hunting specific monsters, which increases your Hunter rank.

MB: Ok, yeah, so there’s a lot going on.

Right, and with Fated Bonds, you develop relationships with those characters. This lets you improve their levels and make them more powerful.

MB: This sounds great. I can’t wait to get my hands on the demo. Thank you so much, Stephen.

SM: Thank you.

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2025-09-22 00:33