I received an email from the indie team Peacebreak Studio about their very intriguing project, which has just launched on Kickstarter in search of funding to bring something truly engaging to life.
And only now I’ve realized that I had already talked about it back in 2023 in an article, but with today’s crowdfunding campaign launch, let’s give ourselves a refresher.
The game is called Beaten Path, a turn-based tactical RPG planned for release in 2026. The project is being developed by Jarett Gross and is seeking $20,000 in funding, with the campaign running until September 18, 2025.
Beaten Path follows Panna, a young apprentice, and her mentor Shim, an elderly mage, as they travel across a world scarred by a forgotten war.
Their journey uncovers ruins, broken machines, looping memories, and the threat of the Grarl, manifestations of humanity’s darker traits. The story blends mystery with fantasy influences and is structured around a time-loop narrative that gradually reveals the truth about past conflicts and Panna’s role within them.
The game features tactical battles on grid-based hex maps that range from 20×20 to 40×40 in size. Players will face a variety of terrain, from swamps to snowfields, with interactive elements such as lifts, explosive barrels, and traps.
More than 20 characters can join the party, each with a personal skill tree, and the dual-job system allows a mix of primary and secondary classes to shape growth and abilities. With over 200 skills and more than 100 weapons, character building and combat options are extensive. Weight management also plays a role, as heavy equipment can reduce movement.
Combat emphasizes synergy and positioning, with mechanics like sync attacks and break effects enabling combinations between units.
Enemy scaling helps keep battles balanced, and while fallen characters do not die permanently in the standard mode, an optional permadeath setting is under consideration for players who want additional challenge. To support different playstyles, the game includes auto-saving and a rewind function to undo mistakes.
The campaign highlights an expected 30-hour playtime across more than 20 maps, with unique victory and loss conditions that aim to encourage varied strategies.
The visual style uses painterly art with a hand-drawn overworld that reacts to weather and events, while the soundtrack, created in collaboration with Scarlet Moon, carries Celtic-inspired themes to match the setting’s atmosphere.
Beaten Path is currently planned for PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, with additional platforms possible through stretch goals if the Kickstarter surpasses its target.
Backers can secure a copy of the game for $20, with early bird tiers starting at $18, while higher pledges offer access to beta builds and the chance to collaborate on designing content such as weapons, abilities, and recruitable characters.
I think it’s a game to support. Below is the Kickstarter Trailer.
