▶ 2D JRPG Metroidvania by Filipino indie studio Winter Crew
▶ Launching on March 17 with 15–20 hours of content… Favorable reviews from both media and users
Fallen Tear: The Ascension, a 2D JRPG Metroidvania developed by the Manila-based indie studio Winter Crew, will be officially released via Steam Early Access on March 17 (local time).
The game is an open-world Metroidvania where you purify the world alongside spirits amidst beautiful watercolor visuals in the style of Eastern mythology, and it will be released for $19.99. The Early Access version offers approximately 15 to 20 hours of gameplay content.
Hira, the boy who lost his memory, the last hope of a collapsing world
The game is set in ‘Raoah,’ a world filled with magic. The gods of this land have guarded the balance of the world for thousands of years, but as the seeds of corruption spread, war and suffering began to engulf the world.
The gamer takes on the role of Hira, a boy who has lost his memory, and embarks on a journey to save a world on the brink of collapse. The secrets hidden within Hira’s lost memories become crucial clues that will change the fate of the world.
‘Fated Bond’ system for sharing abilities with colleagues
The game’s key differentiator lies in its companion relationship system. During exploration, players meet various companions and form ‘Fated Bonds,’ through which they can unlock unique abilities applicable to both combat and exploration. In particular, by combining the strengths of companions, players can unleash a powerful ‘Fated Rush’ attack, which serves as a decisive blow to turn the tide of battle in boss fights.
The secret held by the protagonist Hira herself is also a powerful weapon. Through the ‘Overgrowth’ system, Hira can unleash her inner beast and transform into a form that unleashes powerful new attacks and abilities.
The Early Access version contains approximately 35% of the entire game. Playable content includes 10 interconnected regions, 6 main bosses and 3 selectable bosses, 10 Fated Bond characters, 3 Ascension abilities, 3 Hunter skills, 16 Mastery skills, and the entirety of Act 1 of the story.
Hand-drawn 2D animation and full voice dubbing
The world of Laoa is realized in a hand-drawn 2D animation style, and all major characters are fully voice-dubbed, enhancing immersion in the story.
The development team stated that their motivation for development was to simultaneously realize an emotional story and dynamic combat through direction inspired by JRPGs and anime.
Indie studio from the Philippines… Developed over several years while working a full-time job
Winter Crew is an indie studio where team members took on the challenge of game development while holding full-time jobs. The game is nearing completion after years of development, and they also conducted a Kickstarter campaign in 2024 to raise production funds.
Publisher CMD Studios is a game company based in Manila, Philippines, and operates with the goal of creating unique game experiences under the motto ‘Creative Minds and Designs’.
CMD Studios founder Steven Manalastas stated, “The world of ‘Fallen Tear’ has evolved significantly over the years,” adding, “The Early Access version features areas to explore, powerful bosses, and various Fated Bonds that expand Hira’s adventure. We want to incorporate community feedback to further develop the game into a more polished experience.”
Acclaimed by both media and users… “The Elden Ring of Metroidvania”
The reaction from the media and community before and after the release was enthusiastic. Gaming media outlet GamesRadar described it as “the Elden Ring of Metroidvania in terms of map scale,” while GameSpot gave it high praise, noting that “its story-driven structure inspired by JRPGs and animation stands out.” Local Philippine media outlet Rappler also introduced it as “a work with impressive, beautiful hand-drawn animation.”
Positive reviews regarding the art style, music, and professional voice acting continue within the Steam community. However, some users have requested technical improvements, such as memory leaks and the lack of support for key remapping, and the development team has stated that they will actively incorporate this feedback through the Steam forums and Discord.
Targeting an official release in Q4 2026… A console version is also planned.
The development team plans to continue Early Access until the fourth quarter of 2026, focusing on polishing, optimization, and adding new content. The official 1.0 version will include new major areas, additional bosses, new Fated Bonds, multiple endings, and more, and will be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and Xbox One in addition to PC.
Information regarding Fallen Tear: The Ascension
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Winter Crew (Manila, Philippines, established in 2020) |
| Genre | 2D JRPG Metroidvania / Action |
| Release platform | PC (Steam) / Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo coming soon |
| Release date | March 17, 2026 (Steam Early Access) |
| background | Magical fantasy world ‘Raoah’ |
| Core mechanics | Fated Bond companion system, Overgrowth transformation, choice-based world change |
| Released content | 15~20 hours worth |
| price | $19.99 USD |
| ESRB rating | E (Includes fantasy violence) |
| Steam Page | store.steampowered.com/app/1446900 |
