Penumbra
A paladin in a red cape watches a medieval city at dusk from the top of a candlelit wall. Above, the title Penumbra and the phrase 'Entre a luz e o que se esconde' (Between the light and what lies hidden).

Penumbra — Between the light and what lies hidden

In development for PC (Steam)

Between the light and what lies hidden

Be the sword of a faith, and discover for yourself what no one is going to tell you.

A 2D medieval fantasy RPG where you are a Paladin, faithful to your belief, serving a Church that may not deserve your faith. Explore freely, talk to people, shape your own opinions and view of the world, and fight in turn-based battles where your timing matters.

Follow the developmentSee the progress
What guides Penumbra

Five pillars

  1. Curiosity is rewarded

    The story doesn't chase you. You chase the story.

  2. Faith is not the institution

    The Paladin's personal faith, their spiritual integrity and the Church are different things. Believing in God is not the same as obeying the Church.

  3. Hands on the controls

    Turn-based combat where timing, weaknesses and reactive defense make you part of every blow.

  4. People, not menus

    Anyone may or may not know things, be mistaken, lie, or hide something in exchange for something else.

  5. Consequence without markers

    Discovering something doesn't spawn a quest, an arrow or a cutscene. The world reacts, but it doesn't point.

The loop:exploretalkdiscoverfightgrownew cluescuriosity

The Paladin in full figure, with armor, a shield bearing a golden cross, a longsword and a red cape.
The protagonist

The Paladin

Paladin is a religious and social identity, not a combat class. Your fighting style depends on the weapon you wield.

Planned weapons

  • longsword
  • sword and shield
  • club and shield
  • bow
  • staff and spells
  • musical instrument
  • long spear
  • short spear and shield
  • fists

Devotion

The Paladin's personal faith is visible. It rises — and it can fall.

Growth without XP

Defeating enemies doesn't grant experience. The Paladin grows through story milestones, training and discovery, and learns abilities from people, books and exploration.

How it plays

Current direction of the project

Penumbra is in development. What you read below describes the current direction of the game and may still change.

Concept illustration of a turn-based battle at night: three allies face skeletons in front of a chapel, with turn order portraits at the top.
Concept art. Concept illustration, not a gameplay screenshot. Interface, values and effects are for illustration only.

Turn-based combat, hands on the controls

Every blow asks for your attention. No tactical grid: what matters is rhythm, reading and the right moment.

  • Individual timeline: every combatant has their own pace, and the order can change.
  • Visible d20 rolls against the target's Armor Class.
  • Active Actions: press at the moment of impact to improve the roll.
  • Hidden weaknesses, discovered by landing hits. Exploiting one knocks the enemy down and grants an extra turn.
  • Reactive defense: dodge or parry.
Concept illustration: a character kneeling before a statue under golden light, with illustrative interface panels.
Concept art. Concept illustration, not a gameplay screenshot. It does not describe how the mechanic will finally work; the interface and text in the image are illustrative.

Divine Intention

A gift of the Paladin: sensing what someone is about to do.

It reveals what. Never why.

A medieval village at sunset, with a lit tavern, a stone bridge, a windmill and waterfalls; in the distance, a castle on a cliff.

A world to roam

Explore freely, at your own pace.

  • Movement in 8 directions, and running.
  • A day and night cycle, with people who change their routines.
  • Map and minimap.
  • A journal that records what the Paladin has heard and read — without drawing conclusions for you.
Concept illustration of four travelers gathered around a campfire near a chapel, with a lit city in the background.
Concept art. Concept illustration. Characters, names and descriptions are illustrative and not final.

People, not menus

People know things, get things wrong, and sometimes hide what they know.

Conversations happen through dialogue with choices. Discovering something lights up no marker: it's up to you to connect the dots.

The interior of a candlelit cathedral, with stained glass windows, red banners and old books on a table.

Faith is not obedience

You serve the Church. But believing in God is not the same as obeying it.

The Paladin's personal faith, their spiritual integrity and the institution are different things.

Concept art

Concept illustrations of Penumbra's mood. They do not represent the game's final visuals.

  • Concept art sheet of the Paladin: armor with a golden cross, shield, longsword and red cape, with face and equipment details.
  • Concept illustration: a column of golden light surrounds an ally in the middle of a battle against skeletons.
    Concept art. Concept illustration, not a gameplay screenshot. Interface, values and effects are for illustration only.
  • Four travelers at the edge of a cliff look at a lit city at night, under the title Penumbra.
  • Portrait of the Paladin in profile, with a red cape fastened by a cross brooch.
Where we are

In development

Penumbra is made by an independent developer, under the studio Straw Hat Company. There is no release date, price or public demo yet.

Current phase

  • F0 Asset curation
See the full progress
Platform
PC (Steam)
Controls
Gamepad and Steam Deck support (planned)
Languages
Portuguese and English (planned)
Accessibility
Options for combat timing (planned)
Business model
Premium game. No microtransactions, no loot boxes, no pay-to-win.
Intended age rating
14+