Chronos Gate: A Time-Bending Puzzle RPG

Seoul, South Korea

Timeline Games

91 Backers

  • 37%

    Raised

  • 91

    Backers

  • 25

    Day Left

raised
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Goal: $59,354

Funding

Short description

Manipulate time to solve intricate puzzles and battle monsters in a retro-inspired RPG. Your choices rewrite history.

Introduction

In a world where time itself is both the puzzle and the weapon, you are an initiate of a forgotten order, learning to master the ebb and flow of causality. Chronos Gate is a deeply innovative puzzle RPG that seamlessly blends the strategic depth of classic turn-based combat with mind-bending time manipulation mechanics that fundamentally reshape how you interact with every encounter and environment. You’ll wield the power to rewind time seconds or even minutes to undo a fatal mistake, fast-forward through repetitive actions to see the immediate outcome of a strategic choice, or stop time entirely to analyze the battlefield, plan a complex sequence of actions, and position yourself perfectly before the flow of causality resumes. The game features a rich, morally complex narrative that explores profound themes of destiny, free will, and the immense, often unintended consequences of altering the past, asking whether some histories are meant to remain unchanged.

We've meticulously designed over 100 unique puzzles and combat scenarios that will challenge your logic, creativity, and temporal reasoning, each with multiple solutions that encourage experimentation and reward players who think outside the conventional flow of time. The combat system is a fresh tactical blend of beloved RPG mechanics—such as character classes, skill trees, and elemental weaknesses—and entirely new time-based abilities that allow you to age enemies into dust, rejuvenate allies, create temporal echoes of yourself, or lay traps in the past that trigger in the present. The art style is a loving and detailed homage to the 16-bit RPG golden era, but reimagined with modern techniques, featuring vibrant, expressive pixel art, beautifully detailed character designs that convey deep emotion, and environments that visually distort and shimmer as you manipulate the timestream around them.

We believe in creating games that respect the player's intelligence and reward thoughtful, patient play above reflexive action, and Chronos Gate is our most ambitious attempt to forge that philosophy into a compelling and unforgettable experience. We've poured our hearts and countless hours into this project, crafting a world that feels both nostalgically familiar and thrillingly new, and we are incredibly excited to finally share this journey through time with you.

The Problem

The biggest challenge we face is the sheer complexity of our time manipulation mechanics. Ensuring that every puzzle is solvable and every interaction works as intended requires a tremendous amount of testing and debugging. We need additional resources to hire more quality assurance testers and a dedicated programmer to refine the core systems. Without this support, we risk delaying the game's release or having to compromise on the scope of our vision. This campaign is our chance to secure the funding we need to polish the game to perfection and deliver a bug-free experience for our players. This is a critical moment for our project and we need your help to ensure we can finish this right.

Our Mission

Our mission is to create a game that is both nostalgic and innovative. We want to take the best elements of classic RPGs and combine them with a truly unique gameplay mechanic. We are committed to creating a game with a deep and engaging narrative that players will want to explore from beginning to end. Our goal is to create a game that feels fresh and new, one that will stand out in a crowded market. We believe that a small team with a big idea can create something truly special and memorable. We are passionate about creating a game that will be talked about for years to come. This project is a labor of love and we are so excited to share that passion with the world.

How Your Contribution Will Be Used

Your contributions will be allocated to key areas of development that will directly impact the game's quality. A significant portion will go towards hiring additional programmers to refine the core time mechanics and ensure a smooth experience. We also plan to use funds for a professional composer to create a truly memorable soundtrack and for voice acting to bring our characters to life. The rest will cover marketing and operational costs to ensure the game gets the visibility it deserves. Your funding will go directly into the game, helping us make it bigger, better, and more polished than we ever could on our own. It will allow us to do things we never thought possible.

Stretch Goals

While our initial goal will fund the core game, we have ambitious plans for the future. If we exceed our goal, we can implement stretch goals like a New Game+ mode with new puzzles and challenges. We could also add a new character with their own unique time-bending abilities, adding more replayability to the game. Further funding would allow for a full-fledged modding kit, empowering our community to create their own puzzles and stories. Each stretch goal will add meaningful content, expanding the world of Chronos Gate and giving players even more to discover. Our stretch goals are designed to add replayability and depth to the game for all players.

Why This Matters

In a world of rehashed ideas and sequels, we believe there is a need for a truly innovative gaming experience. This project matters because it's a testament to the power of a unique idea and the joy of a handcrafted world. It's for the players who are looking for something new and different. By supporting us, you're not just funding a game; you're helping to bring a unique and original idea to life. You're helping us create something truly special and meaningful for ourselves and our future audience. This is a chance to make a real impact on the gaming industry and show that innovation is more important than ever. We are so grateful for your belief in our project.

Rewards for Donors

  • $10 – A digital thank-you note and a high-resolution wallpaper pack.
  • $20 – A digital copy of the game upon release.
  • $30 – A digital copy of the game and the official soundtrack.
  • $50 – A digital copy of the game, the artbook, and a beta key.
  • $100 – Everything from the previous tier, plus your name in the credits and access to a special backer-only Discord channel.
  • $250 – All of the above, plus a unique in-game item of your design and a private Q&A session with the development team.

Support Us

Every contribution, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to making Chronos Gate a reality. Join our community and become part of this grand adventure. Your support is the magic we need to bring this world to life. We've dedicated years of our lives to this project, and we are so excited to see it come to fruition. Thank you for your consideration and for believing in our vision for this project. With your help, we can create something truly unforgettable.

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