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Hello everyone!
I have some great news to share with you today.
First of all, LarsGadiel has had a fantastic launch, with very strong sales, an amazing reception, and overwhelmingly positive reviews. Thank you all so much for your support and kindness!
I'd also like to thank all the passionate players who managed to find a few bugs that slipped past me or simply weren't discovered before release. Thanks to your reports, I've been able to fix them quickly through the latest patches.
As I mentioned in the previous Developer Q&A, if the game sold well, I wanted to bring even more content to LarsGadiel. Today I'd like to explain my plans for the game's future.
As before, I'll do it in a Q&A format.
Absolutely.
I've realized just how much love there is for Metroidvanias, especially after reading all of your comments.
During its launch week (including the launch discount), LarsGadiel sold six times more copies than Demonstier did during its own launch week.
Yes!
I'm still reading player feedback every day and taking note of suggestions that could improve the game.
Version 1.06 will be released this week.
It fixes several bugs and introduces a brand-new Character Status screen.
This screen is very important because it will become the foundation for the game's future updates.
Starting with Version 1.06 and continuing in future updates, Eloen's current limits will no longer be the maximum.
Health, weapon levels, attack power, ammunition capacity, and many other attributes will be expanded beyond their current limits.
Many players have also requested additional information on this screen, including:
A complete world map.
Your current location on the map.
Access to this information without needing to visit a teleport.
When Version 1.06 is released, I'll share more details about these features and several other important additions.
Right now, the maximum health is 16 HP, but that will change.
The same goes for attack power and other character attributes.
I'll also be introducing a new Defense stat.
Yes!
I've already started sketching the new areas by hand.
These maps will feature:
New enemies
New bosses
New treasure chests
Plenty of traps
And lots of guaranteed deaths!
No.
They're designed as optional endgame content for players who love LarsGadiel and want even more challenges and new ways to develop Eloen.
Much harder...
Or at least, that's my goal!
No.
You'll need abilities obtained in the final area of the game before you can enter these new maps.
Very little.
Most of the changes will simply involve the entrances leading to the new areas.
Yes...
However, before working on NG+, I'd like to finish adding all the ideas I currently have for this new content and tie everything together.
No.
I plan to release it gradually, adding new areas over time so players always have something new to discover instead of waiting months for one huge update.
Of course.
However, there's something I'd like to mention.
These new areas were never part of the original NES version, so I have a bit more creative freedom when designing them.
That means you may see:
More enemies on screen
Larger areas
More complex level designs
Yes!
Everything I'm adding will be completely free.
Honestly...
I have absolutely no idea!
"On a side note, please consider bringing the console EX content/changes for Riddled Corpses to the Steam version. Thank you."
A lot of you have asked me about this regarding my very first Steam game, Riddled Corpses.
The Riddled Corpses EX version was ported to consoles by Cowcat.
That version is very different from the original PC release and, honestly, I think it's a much better version. It includes 60 FPS gameplay, improved movement speed, Story Mode, and many other improvements.
Technically, I could update the Steam version to match the EX edition.
However, doing so would completely replace the original version that I created many years ago, meaning that original PC release would disappear forever.
We could always discuss it and even run a community poll on the Riddled Corpses Steam page, but I think it's important that everyone understands this.
I'd also need to discuss it with Cowcat first, and it would require a significant amount of conversion work, since the EX version removed all of the PC-specific features such as achievements, keyboard and mouse support, advanced options, and more.
"I had no idea you were doing assembly coding, that's really hardcore. Respect. What engine did you end up going with for this remake?"
Unfortunately, as I mentioned before, I don't have the level of Assembly programming expertise that only a handful of people still possess in 2026.
Fortunately, I had the help of the engineer DaleCoop, who worked extensively with the famous NESmaker engine, modifying it and creating exclusive modules specifically for LarsGadiel.
The standard commercial version of NESmaker simply isn't capable of creating a game like LarsGadiel for the Nintendo NES.
That's why I credited him in the NES version. His contribution to making the NES release possible was invaluable, and he absolutely deserves the recognition.
This port was developed using GameMaker Studio 2 (GMS2). The old GMS 1.4 engine I used for my previous three games has finally been put to rest.
If you have more questions or would like to know more about the game's development, feel free to leave your questions in the comments of this news post.
If I do another Developer Q&A in the future, I'll do my best to answer everyone.
Thank you all so much for your incredible support!
The hidden Valkyrie Statue can now be used up to three times to reset your death count.
Improved the collision in the Valkyrie Statue room.
Slightly reduced the height of the double jump.
Closed an unintended route that allowed players to reach a much later part of the game by exploiting extra jump height.
Modified a room containing an important item in the Ruins area.
Reduced the collision area of the ceiling instant-death spikes. Since the double jump now reaches higher, it was easier to accidentally touch them.
Removed a ladder near the starting area. That room is intended to be one-way only.
Improved collision in the starting village, preventing players from jumping over a wall with the upgraded double jump.
Added a special collision that protects the player from certain enemy projectiles that could hit before appearing on screen, such as the red robots in the final area.
Fixed a bug that caused dialogue text to appear higher than intended after certain story scenes.
Fixed a bug where some objects were not displayed correctly when using the CRT graphics mode.
The melody that plays when obtaining an important item now plays at its original speed instead of being sped up.
Increased the minimum damage dealt by Eloen's swords and guns. As your level increases, both the minimum and maximum damage now scale accordingly.
To balance the increased weapon damage, the health of several late-game enemies and bosses has been increased.
After obtaining the Thermal Suit, you are now immune to environmental lava and acid hazards.
After obtaining the item that destroys spikes, you are now immune to spike traps (but not to arrows).
Fixed several other minor bugs and collision issues.
Fixed an issue with keyboard remapping where several function keys, such as Space, Ctrl, and F3–F11, were not being assigned correctly.
Fixed a collision issue in a room within the Volcanic Area.
Fixed a collision issue in a room within the Laboratory.
Fixed a collision issue in a gap where a spiked enemy passes through in an advanced section of the Ruins.
Added a collision to prevent an enemy from hitting the player when re-entering a room if it hadn't been defeated.
Removed an unnecessary collision in a spike-filled room in Icy Peaks.
Increased the height of the double jump, as it was previously a bit too tight for reaching some platforms.
Improved ladder climbing. When reaching the top of a ladder, the character now automatically steps off instead of requiring a jump.
This update includes several bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements: Enabled V-Sync. Fixed a collision issue in one room of the Icy Peaks area. Fixed a collision issue in one room of the Castle area. Added a missing room icon in the Burning Debris area. Added a save point in the scene just before the final boss. Improved the collision of some breakable objects. Previously, you had to destroy the block above before you could pass underneath. This is no longer necessary. I've also noticed that some players have experienced issues with the keyboard configuration, so I've made a few changes: In the Options menu, pressing F2 before entering the keyboard configuration screen will restore the default keyboard controls. Fixed a bug that could occur when saving the keyboard configuration, causing F1 (the save key) to be incorrectly assigned as the Up key.
I'll continue improving the game and reading all of your feedback for future updates.
Hello everyone!
LarsGadiel launches tomorrow, and before release I'd like to share some additional information that may help you better understand what this game is, how it was created, and what you can expect from it.
I thought the best way to explain everything would be through a simple Q&A, so let's get started!
Yes, it is.
After finishing and releasing my previous game, Demon's Tier, more than six years ago, I decided to develop a game for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. From the very beginning, I wanted it to be a classic Metroidvania.
The NES version was completed about five years ago and could be played from start to finish.
After that, I moved on to several new projects that have not yet been announced, so LarsGadiel was temporarily put on hold.
This year, however, I decided to do the opposite. I paused development on those other projects in order to focus on bringing LarsGadiel to Steam and giving it the version I had always envisioned.
Original Nintendo Nes Version.
Not exactly.
The original NES version is a much simpler experience. At the time, I wanted to include many more gameplay features, abilities, traps, and mechanics, but implementing them on the NES would have required an extremely high level of technical programming.
That was one of the main reasons I decided to create this new Steam version.
Even so, I wanted to stay faithful to the original game. The world map, bosses, enemies, story, graphics, and overall structure remain the same.
Instead of changing the game itself, I focused on expanding it with new gameplay systems and quality-of-life improvements that weren't possible on the original hardware.
Rather than calling them "changes," I'd say they're additions. I've added a lot of new content to the game, so let's go through everything step by step.
In the original NES version, teleport shrines only worked as checkpoints.
In the Steam version, they still serve that purpose, but they also allow you to save your game and fast travel between any teleport shrines you've already discovered.
Activating a shrine also respawns all defeated enemies while fully restoring your health, healing bottles, and pistol ammunition.
If that sounds familiar... yes, it's very similar to the bonfire system from Dark Souls.
The NES version didn't include RPG mechanics that allowed you to become stronger.
In the Steam version, you can now level up and upgrade your weapons, so enemies and bosses now reward experience points when defeated.
This adds a greater sense of progression throughout the adventure while still keeping the classic gameplay intact.
Every major boss now has a dedicated health bar.
It's a small addition, but it makes boss battles much more readable and satisfying.
The original NES game was designed for a 4:3 display.
Since modern monitors are widescreen, I decided to take advantage of the extra space instead of leaving it empty.
The Steam version includes a completely redesigned HUD featuring:
A full minimap.
Your current weapon level.
Abilities, etc...
This information was impossible to display comfortably on the NES, but fits perfectly on modern displays.
The NES version didn't include the classic screen transition effect seen in games like The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, where the camera smoothly scrolls as you move from one area to another.
I've added this effect to the Steam version because I always loved how it made the world feel more connected and immersive.
It's a subtle improvement, but one that really enhances exploration.
Some parts of the world have been redesigned.
Why?
Because I added several new abilities that simply didn't exist in the NES version. In order for those abilities to feel meaningful, some areas of the map had to be adjusted so they could be properly integrated into the game's exploration.
The overall world remains the same, but a few locations have been reworked to take advantage of the new mechanics.
The Steam version includes an entirely new ending, along with additional dialogue throughout the adventure.
I've also introduced environmental traps.
Their purpose isn't simply to make the game harder, but to help balance the new gameplay systems, especially the addition of healing bottles and character progression.
The result is a game that remains challenging while offering players more strategic options than before.
Important NPC questlines have also been improved.
In the NES version, their stories progressed automatically as you advanced through the game, even if you never spoke to them.
In the Steam version, you'll need to interact with these characters if you want to follow their stories and see how their quests develop.
This makes the world feel more alive and encourages exploration.
Finally—and this is one of my favorite additions—Lord Gadiel returns.
Originally, he was planned to be the main protagonist of the NES version, but late in development I decided to remove him from that role.
Rather than letting the character disappear completely, I decided to bring him back in the Steam version as an NPC.
LarsGadiel Nintendo NES old version.
Yes, it does.
Several characters from Xenon Valkyrie return in LarsGadiel.
Once again, their adventure takes place on the same moon, but this time they must face a completely different threat.
LarsGadiel is not Xenon Valkyrie 2. Think of it more as a spin-off that takes place some time after the events of Xenon Valkyrie and expands its lore, answering some questions while creating new mysteries.
From a gameplay perspective, however, the two games are very different.
Xenon Valkyrie is a roguelite, while LarsGadiel is a classic Metroidvania focused on exploration, progression, and discovering secrets.
If you've already played Xenon Valkyrie, you'll discover a world that feels both familiar and completely new at the same time.
The soundtrack was composed by Takuikaninja.
From the very beginning, I wanted the music to capture the same sense of adventure, mystery, and melancholy that inspired me while creating the game.
I'm really happy with the result, and I think the soundtrack fits LarsGadiel's world perfectly.
Simply because it's a genre I truly love.
After developing several different types of games, I wanted to create the kind of Metroidvania that I personally enjoy playing—a game focused on exploration, discovering secrets, and gradually becoming stronger as you unlock new abilities.
I'm both a retro game collector and a lifelong player.
I love pixel art, physical games, and timeless classics that remain incredible no matter how many years have passed.
LarsGadiel was inspired by many games that have stayed with me over the years.
Probably the biggest influence.
The interconnected world, hidden upgrades, and progression through new abilities all left a huge impression on me.
Features such as the double jump or gaining enough speed to reach distant platforms are directly inspired by that philosophy of exploration.
One of my favorite indie games ever.
I love its melancholic atmosphere, its unique Japanese charm, and the incredible way its music tells a story without words.
When I spoke with Takuikaninja, I wanted to capture a little of that same magic.
Not by copying it, of course, but by creating moments where the music could evoke similar emotions.
The classic screen-to-screen transitions in the Steam version were heavily inspired by one of my favorite Zelda games.
It's a small detail, but I think it makes exploration feel much smoother and more immersive.
Anyone who's played Maze of Galious will probably notice some similarities in the world design.
The staircases, the narrow passages, and the way the map connects are all a tribute to one of the great pioneers of the genre.
Although LarsGadiel has a strong classic NES identity, I also wanted to include some modern ideas that have become standard in today's Metroidvanias.
Features like checkpoints that restore your resources, character progression, and other quality-of-life improvements were inspired by more recent games, while still preserving the spirit of an old-school adventure.
There isn't a difficulty selector.
Like most classic games, the challenge naturally increases as you progress.
However, the new progression system gives players more freedom.
If you spend time leveling up and upgrading your weapons, the adventure can become significantly easier.
How challenging the game feels will largely depend on your own playstyle.
Both are fully supported.
Personally, I prefer playing with a controller, but I've completed LarsGadiel many times using only a keyboard.
So whichever control method you prefer, you'll be able to enjoy the game comfortably.
That will depend on the game's reception and how well it performs after release.
If LarsGadiel is successful and enough players enjoy it, I'd love to continue supporting it with new content and improvements.
One thing I can promise is that any future content updates will be completely free.
LarsGadiel will never have paid DLC.
I certainly hope not!
Right now, all my attention is focused on LarsGadiel. Even at this stage, I'm still testing the game until the very last minute, making sure everything works as well as possible.
If any bugs or issues appear after launch, fixing them will be my highest priority.
As for what's next... I already have several projects in development.
Once LarsGadiel has been released and things settle down, I'll choose one of those projects to finish and officially announce sometime next year.
I hope this Q&A has answered some of the most common questions about LarsGadiel and helped you better understand what kind of game it is.
I created LarsGadiel as the kind of Metroidvania that I personally love to play.
It's inspired by the great 8-bit classics, but also includes modern gameplay improvements that, in my opinion, enhance the experience without sacrificing the spirit of those old-school adventures.
I know pixel art isn't for everyone, and this isn't the biggest game you'll see this year.
But if you enjoy exploration, interconnected worlds, challenging bosses, hidden secrets, and classic gameplay, I truly believe LarsGadiel has something special to offer.
So if it sounds like your kind of game...
Please give it a chance.
Because in the end...
Great games are about much more than graphics.
Thank you all for your support.
I hope to see you in Lemure on July 17th.
The screenshots have been updated to showcase the new graphics mode introduced near the end of development, called "Original+FX". This optional mode adds transparency effects and other visual enhancements that were not possible on the original NES, while players can still choose to enjoy the authentic original graphics mode.
Several new languages have also been added, including Simplified Chinese and Japanese. If I can find more translators, Additional language support may be added before launch or in future updates as more translations become available.
Finally, a brand-new trailer has been released to celebrate the launch date announcement, featuring footage from brand-new areas that have never been shown before.
Hello everyone.
I’m delighted to announce a special demo for the highly anticipated Steam Next Fest event.
The demo will be available to everyone on June 15th and will allow players to experience the opening section of the game.
A lot has changed since I first announced LarsGadiel, and all of those improvements and updates will be reflected in this demo.
The demo will be available in three languages: English, French, and Spanish. However, the final version of the game will support many more languages, including some that have not yet been announced on the store page.
The game is fully compatible with Valve’s Steam Deck. For the best experience, I recommend going into the options menu and selecting Type 2, which adjusts the screen to fit the system properly.
The demo will have its own dedicated store page, featuring a brand-new mini trailer and updated screenshots. Any constructive feedback that can help improve the final version of the game is highly appreciated.
Please keep in mind that LarsGadiel is a classic Metroidvania featuring authentic 8-bit NES-style graphics. ^^
From now until launch day, I’ll be sharing plenty of new information about the game, so make sure to follow it to stay informed about upcoming announcements.
Finally, I hope you enjoy the LarsGadiel demo.
Kind regards,
LarsGadiel will be at INDIE Live Expo 2026, where it will have the opportunity to be showcased to a large audience in Asia.
It is very exciting to see a large number of Asian indie games with great potential.
On April 25, 2026, LarsGadiel and many other games will be presented at this special event.
Official stream link:
I will soon share more information, as well as some changes I’ve made to the game that are very interesting and will lead me to update the current images of the game.
About
This page aggregates Steam news feeds, patch notes, and developer announcements for LarsGadiel, sourced from official Steam community posts.
Major updates, balance changes, and seasonal events often correlate with player-count spikes — cross-reference announcements here with the live charts on the main LarsGadiel statistics page.
Articles link back to Steam for full changelogs. SteamScope refreshes news entries as new posts are published to the game's Steam hub.