ARIE: Moonprayer - Atmospheric Indie RPG Where Music Guides Souls to the Moon

ARIE: Moonprayer is an upcoming indie RPG from Taiwan developer PhantomWorks that creates something genuinely unique - a world where music becomes your most powerful tool for guiding departed spirits to their final rest.

The Setting

The moon is falling. Tidal chaos has flooded most of civilization, leaving only a single mountainous island called Cerul (formerly Tenno Mountain) as humanity's last refuge. You play as Diallo, a Moonbard who inherited a supernatural ability called "Sosou" - the power to send melodies that guide the dead back to the descending moon.

Accompanied by Raye, your journey takes you across this final landmass toward Baptismal Terra, performing musical rites for wandering spirits along the way.

The Diqin Instrument

Central to gameplay is the Diqin (or Kotobue in Japanese) - a fantastical flute-harp hybrid that does more than make music. This instrument resonates with ancient ruins scattered across the island, opening sealed paths and even manipulating time itself.

The rhythm-based Moonsong Performance system has you syncing with musical tempo to complete spirit-sending sequences. Each successful performance helps another lost soul find peace.

Living World Systems

The game features dynamic tidal cycles that transform the explorable landscape. As time passes, your Vitality gradually diminishes - rest at bonfires to restore resources, but this advances the day cycle. Weather patterns shift, affecting both exploration routes and the spirits you'll encounter.

Exploration across Cerul's mountainous terrain rewards you with materials for rebuilding villages and uncovering the backstory behind the moon's descent.

Demo Available Now

A playable demo covering Chapter 1 is currently available on Steam. The demo includes exploration of Maros Cliff and Pappis Inlet regions, initial ruin puzzles, partial village reconstruction, and four playable melodies. Progress carries over to the full release.

The full release targets Q1 2026 for Windows and macOS, with support for English, Japanese, and Chinese languages.