The Use of Life PC JRPG-Inspired is now bigger with the latest update release
The meaning of life, or, better yet, the use of life, is that even the right question? I certainly don’t intend to philosophize; I’m the last person for that, though I ask myself this question often.
But it’s exactly the question that developer Daraneko Games poses in its distinctive RPG, The Use of Life, which has just received a hefty update introducing Chapter 3.
I can assure you it’s a truly singular project, built on several intriguing ideas, and I’m now going to give you a few more details about both the game and its latest update.
The Use of Life began life on Steam Early Access on 21 May 2022, the work of solo Japanese developer Daraneko Games, with PLAYISM handling publishing duties.
It bills itself as a good new JRPG: a text adventure-book RPG where every decision literally depletes the protagonist Goshe’s finite life force, an elegant mechanical metaphor for its core question: what is a life well used?
Players steer Goshe through branching routes and dice‑check events in prose reminiscent of classic gamebooks, but the project wraps those nostalgic roots in modern production values and fully voiced narrative scenes.
Instead of conventional turn‑based skirmishes, battles fuse menu tactics with real‑time quick‑time events.
Each combatant queues three moves, then resolves them one by one while the player hits timing prompts to parry, evade, or land critical blows. Failure costs precious HP; success feeds a gratifying loop of risk and mastery.
Character building is equally flexible: four class trees, from Fighter to Sorcerer, unlock diverse skill sets that reshape how encounters, environmental challenges, and even dialogue tests unfold.
Early Access has unfolded in a broad story route. Two of the four planned endings are already playable to completion, and the July update delivered the most substantial expansion yet: Chapter 3 of the Kohaku & Veronika route.
This chapter springs directly from the cliff‑hanger of Chapter 2, letting existing saves dive straight in.
Where the finished arcs explored obsession with strength and survival, this new leg pivots toward the quieter hunger to simply live, as Goshe journeys beside Kohaku, the girl he once rescued, to confront that question from a different emotional angle.
The patch overhauls combat in step with that thematic shift. A fresh Counter System now lets foes punish poorly timed player attacks, flipping the familiar dodge‑QTE on its head; brand‑new status ailments and bespoke enemies demand tighter execution.
Developer diary posts in the months leading up to release teased snowy mountain backdrops, quiz-style events, and a suite of bespoke illustrations that make this route feel markedly distinct from the earlier finished ones.
PLAYISM describes the Chapter 3 patch as the “final major Early Access update,” signalling that the remaining work will focus on the concluding chapters and overall polish before full launch.
The studio has already cautioned that the price will rise at 1.0, and Daraneko recently confirmed at CEDEC that refinement, not feature creep, is now the priority.
Visually, the game balances minimalist pixel sprites during exploration with richly shaded CGs for dramatic beats, an art mix that keeps production scope manageable without sacrificing flavour.
The July build adds a raft of new backgrounds and character cuts that capture the harsher alpine setting and Kohaku’s evolving outlook.
Today, The Use of Life stands as an unusually literate indie: part interactive novel, part timing‑based RPG, and wholly invested in making the player weigh every expenditure of Goshe’s flame.
With Chapter 3 now playable and only the finale left to forge, newcomers can experience a substantial, self‑contained arc while long‑time supporters finally push deeper into Kohaku’s path.
The Use of Life is actually in early access on PC via Steam, below is the latest trailer.
