Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi is the upcoming debut title from MarsLit Games, published by Neon Doctrine and Game Seer Publishing. The game, still without an official release date, positions itself as a character-driven fantasy adventure deeply inspired by the animated works of Studio Ghibli and Studio Chizu. With its painterly visuals and emotionally tinged premise, Altheia follows the uneasy partnership between Lili—a reluctant Guardian—and Sadi, a mystical monk trapped in the form of a magical black fox. Together, they must traverse the corrupted land of Atarassia, solving environmental puzzles, confronting monstrous manifestations of the Void, and reclaiming the balance that once governed their world.

Between Light and Void
Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi‘s worldbuilding leans heavily into mystical and emotional tones, introducing the player to a lore-rich setting tainted by loss and ancient forces. You’re dropped into the narrative with little fanfare—Lili leaps from a boat into shadowed ruins, and within moments, you’re forced to rely on Sadi to open a sealed gate. The story’s setup is abrupt, but the foundation is there: ancestral burdens, mythical trials, and the bond between two very different heroes. Early moments feature mysterious locales like the Shrine of Death, where your trial truly begins, but the execution is shaky and leaves much of the context feeling muddled or unfinished.
Mechanically, the experience in its current state is far from smooth. From the opening moments, issues with the interface and overall clarity are immediately apparent. Interacting with Sadi unlocks new combat forms such as a colossal sword or a bow, yet the controls tied to these transformations feel inconsistent. Sometimes you can’t draw your bow. Other times, jumping inexplicably stops working. At one point, the game disables pausing while you’re swimming—an odd and frustrating choice that underscores how undercooked the systems still are. Puzzles often rely on rotating mechanisms, using bombs or environmental triggers, but they’re overly cryptic and paired with slow, unresponsive controls that drag the experience down.

When Magic Fails to Click
Combat in Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi fares no better. It begins with light attacks and eventually builds toward more powerful abilities, but the pacing feels off, and the camera actively works against you with its sluggish rotation and lack of manual options. Encounters are often plagued by unresponsive enemy behavior—many of them seem frozen or poorly scripted—and the sound design during fights is uneven, with certain battle tracks veering into tones that feel more irritating than intense. The lack of combat clarity, combined with constant camera issues, makes what should be a climactic moment feel like a confusing mess.
Visually, there’s a lot to admire. The art style channels a painterly, emotive aesthetic that succeeds in evoking a world worth saving. Unfortunately, technical polish doesn’t match the artistry. UI elements overlap, voice lines cut out too quickly when you move away, and audio transitions are often abrupt or mistimed. Even something as simple as picking up an item can feel disjointed.

Preliminary Thoughts
As it stands now, the experience is clearly early and unrefined. The Steam demo reveals a game rich in artistic intent but hindered by rough implementation. Puzzles feel overly elaborate due to a lack of clear tutorials, certain mechanics break at random, and the interface provides little guidance. Visual storytelling does a lot of heavy lifting, but that only carries so far when the gameplay loop itself remains glitchy and frustrating. The camera, in particular, is in desperate need of an overhaul.
Ultimately, Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi gives off the feeling of something still deeply in flux. While there’s merit in its themes and visual world, the current demo suggests a project that’s still searching for its rhythm. With no release date in sight, there’s time yet to tighten the screws—but for now, this fantastical journey feels more like a stalled initiation than an epic in the making.
Additional Information
Release Date: TBA
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the developer and publisher.
Developer: MarsLit Games
Publisher: Neon Doctrine, Game Seer Publishing
Relevant Links: Altheia: The Wrath of Aferi on STEAM