FAQ | The Buried Light

Steam systems, Tales of Amasia, Tome of Arçuray, War-Trees, Studio process, and the Resistance - short answers.

When does it launch on Steam?: The Steam store page is live - wishlist now. Planned release Q4 2026. Join the Resistance on Discord for playtests and updates.
What platforms?: PC via Steam (Windows, macOS, and Linux targets as announced closer to launch). An Xbox release is also planned - store links and timing will be shared when confirmed.
What kind of game is it?: A monochrome 1-bit action roguelike set in Arçuray’s void: craft modular bullets, breed War-Trees, and survive escalating bullet-heaven sieges under punishing permadeath.
Is there a lore / story?: Yes. Forty generations ago Erlik buried the sentient forests of Arçuray in a lightless void. The roots mutated into War-Trees - botanical spacecraft fighting to reclaim the sun. Read more on the Lore page.
How does this connect to Tales of Amasia and Tome of Arçuray?: The lore is rooted in Tales of Amasia and expands the tree-folk creation myth: trees come to the world of Tales of Amasia from planet Arçuray. The Buried Light is a transmedia branch of Tome of Arçuray - a mythic narrative strand of a new-media hybrid art installation in Berlin. Details on the Lore page.
How is the game developed?: By experienced developers and designers across disciplines, using software and game-design best practices, regular sprints, version control, and playtests with varied players. We want more players on Discord to collaboratively develop the game - see the Studio page and join the Resistance.
How does bullet crafting work?: You build unique bullets in a 4-slot system: Bullet (damage type), Shooting Style (pattern/trajectory), On-Hit Effect, and On-Kill Effect. Details live on the Systems page.
What are War-Trees?: Living war machines you unlock and breed. Breeds like Kav’akk (sniper precision) and Guerr’gen (heavy defense) offer distinct ride and combat styles, plus anatomical upgrades, Scent auras, and orbiting sticks.
Does the game use AI-generated content?: Some generative models helped prototype ideas; a portion reached production. AI-generated content is no more than about 1% of total game assets and art. See Legal for the full notice.
Is this a self-funded indie game?: Yes. The Buried Light is a true indie project - self-funded and developed by a small team without publisher backing. Wishlists and Resistance feedback help us ship.
Is it single-player?: Yes - the core experience is solo. Each run is a climb through escalating arenas with punishing permadeath.
Is multiplayer planned?: Yes. Multiplayer is on our roadmap. We’re focused on the solo siege first; modes and timing will be announced on Discord as development progresses.
Will Steam achievements, trading cards, and Workshop be supported?: We’re planning Steam achievements, trading cards, and Workshop support alongside the Steam release. Scope and timing will be confirmed as development progresses.
Where do I get news?: Join the Resistance on Discord - the hub for trailers, playtests, bullet recipes, breeding talk, and Steam alerts.
Will there be a demo?: Playtest plans are announced on Discord. Wishlist on Steam to get launch alerts.