Catalepsy is set in a Hell inspired by Christian tradition, reinterpreted and twisted into a hostile and strange world. After being drawn into the Underworld, you awaken in a place you do not understand. You are neither alive nor dead, but suspended between both worlds.

Before you stands a colossal gate. You must find a way through it. Beyond the Gate lies the Abyss, a place where spaces, creatures, and the environment itself are part of an experience that will put everything you thought you knew to the test.

A colossal structure covered in inscriptions written in a forgotten language. Carved into its stones are the names of those who have descended into the Abyss and left their mark on it.

Time may erase their stories, but their names remain.

Some inscriptions can reveal names for a moment: yours, a companion's, or someone who hasn't fallen yet.

The Abyssal Record is linked to the Wandering Souls, echoes of those who have been part of Catalepsy's history.

Wandering Souls

The Wandering Souls are apparitions that roam the island. They represent those who have been part of Catalepsy's history and have left their mark on the project.

Some are faint. Others carry a stronger presence. Each one represents a different way of having taken part in the birth and development of the game.

Wandering Souls will be available as special rewards tied to the community and to different forms of participation in Catalepsy.

Special rewards

The first Wandering Souls will be available as rewards for those who support Catalepsy's development and take part in its earliest stages.

Soul Skeleton

A ghostly, sky-blue skeleton, ethereal and silent.

How to get it: Reward for those who take part in the Catalepsy prototype.

Represents those who were present during the project's earliest stages.

Soul Skeleton with Aura

A variant of the Soul Skeleton that radiates a distinctive purple aura.

How to get it: Reward for those who play the prototype and help grow the community by inviting at least 5 people to the official Discord server.

Represents those who helped grow the community during the project's earliest stages.

Ambassador Soul Skeleton

A ghostly orange figure surrounded by a glowing aura.

How to get it: Reward for those who lead a community and reach the TOP 50 of the ambassador ranking.

Represents those who actively contribute to growing Catalepsy's community.

Note: The rewards, conditions, and features of the Wandering Souls may change during development and funding campaigns.

Deep within the Infernal Abyss stretch 20 procedurally generated levels, divided into 4 themed sections. Every descent combines combat, mobility, and a hostile environment, testing your ability to adapt to situations that change with every run.

How to play

Before starting a run, plan your strategy: which Skills to bring, which Modifiers to prioritize, and how to prepare your character. Knowledge of the game matters as much as your skill in facing its challenges.

The rules are simple:

• Within the Infernal Abyss, you cannot ascend.
• Death is permanent.
• On death, you lose all rewards earned during the run.
• You can retreat or keep advancing, taking on the risks of each decision.

Once you descend, you can only keep moving forward. Every level brings you closer to the end, but also increases what you stand to lose.

Sections

The 20 levels are divided into 4 themed sections, each with its own atmosphere and challenges.

At the end of each section, a boss guards the entrance to the next stretch of the Abyss. Defeating it lets you earn new rewards and decide whether to keep descending or retreat with what you've gained.

Levels

Each level is made up of 6 to 8 procedurally generated rooms, combining different challenges and situations.

Clear every room to advance to the next level. Procedural generation means every run presents a different combination of rooms and challenges.

Controls

You embody an undead entity known as the Dweller, a creature trapped between life and death.

The Dweller can absorb Blood and Plasma from the environment to recover its resources. It can also expel blood at high speed to move around and dodge the dangers of the Abyss.

On its back is an eye whose function lets it perceive elements of its surroundings, such as enemies and points of interest.

Its wrists are pierced by the Stigmata, gill-like openings that let it manipulate blood and use it to create different weapons.

Health System

The health system is built around three resources: Platelets, Blood, and Plasma.

• Platelets: Your shield. When you take damage, the Platelets form a temporary barrier that absorbs the impact. When the bar reaches zero, incoming damage passes directly to your Blood.

• Blood: Your health. Every hit that gets past your Platelets reduces your Blood bar. If it reaches zero, you die.

• Plasma: Your dodge energy. Every dodge consumes Plasma.

Blood and Plasma can be recovered by absorbing them from the environment. Blood can also be used to perform certain actions, such as dodging or creating weapons through the Stigmata.

The Gate is one of the central elements of progression in Catalepsy. Through it, the Dweller can advance into the depths of the Abyss and develop new capabilities to face the challenges that await.

The Gate feeds on Blood Shards, obtained during runs. These allow you to increase its Fortification and unlock new progression possibilities.

Fortification Rank

The Gate can evolve through four Fortification Ranks: Fortification I, II, III, and IV.

Each Rank contains 10 progression levels.

At certain levels, new possibilities unlock for the Dweller:

• Level 5: Unlocks Secondary Skills.
• Level 10: Unlocks a Primary Skill, a new Sin, and a relic slot.
• Level 10: Grants access to the next Fortification Rank.

When advancing to a new Rank, progression resets to Level 1 of the new Fortification.

Exploring the Abyss

The Gate's Fortification determines how far the Dweller can advance into the Abyss.

Every five levels you'll find a boss. After defeating it, you'll need to reach the corresponding Fortification Rank to keep descending.

The Abyss is where the Dweller's descent takes place. Its levels are procedurally generated and combine combat, mobility, and a hostile environment that forces constant adaptation.

The creatures and elements of the environment are part of the challenges you'll encounter during every run. As you descend, the dangers increase and the situations you face change.

The Abyss is made up of 20 levels, divided into 4 sections. Every five levels, a boss blocks the way to the next section.

Level structure

Resources

The resources needed to survive can be found within the Abyss itself.

Blood Pools

Blood Pools let you recover Blood through absorption.

Organic Brains

Organic Brains let you recover Plasma through absorption.

Both resources require the Dweller to remain exposed during the process, making resource recovery part of the risk of every run too.

In Catalepsy, Skills are a fundamental part of how the Dweller faces the Abyss. Each Skill offers different combat possibilities and can be combined with other systems to create different strategies and playstyles.

Note: Skills are still in development and may be adjusted as the project evolves.

Skill Classification

Each Dweller can carry Skills classified into one of the following four categories:

Each category determines how Skills interact with Amulets and Modifiers, adding an extra layer of strategy.

Skill Levels

Skills can be upgraded during each run using Blood Shards at altars.

Primary and Secondary Skills can level up during a run. When a new run begins, their levels reset.

This system lets you adapt your Skills during every run based on the situations and resources available.

Skill Types

Primary Skills

The Dweller's main offensive tools.

They allow attacking at close and long range and use the Dweller's blood to manifest as weapons.

Secondary Skills

Provide tactical and support tools that complement the Primary Skills.

They have no direct offensive role and let you adapt your playstyle to different situations.

Special Skills

High-impact powers that require careful resource management.

While exploring the levels of the Underworld, you'll find different resources and items that can prove decisive during a run.

Note: The resources and items described in this section belong to the design planned for the final version. Some may change, be replaced, or be removed during development.

Blood Shard

A sharp gem, translucent and vibrant, its edges reflecting a crimson glow.

Blood Shards are one of the game's main resources and can be used to:

• Upgrade Skills.
• Craft Amulets.
• Access different resources and progression possibilities.
• Unlock content.

Infernal Essences

Infernal Essences are fragments of energy scattered across the Underworld and the Abyss.

Collecting them is tied to progression and to discovering elements of the story. Some are protected by enemies or obstacles.

On death, you can lose part of the Essences collected during the run.

Abyss Items

Abyssal Key

A key used to open the Abyssal Chests that can be found during exploration.

Abyssal Chest

Abyssal Chests contain different rewards and can be found hidden during the descent.

Their contents can include:

• Artifacts.
• Story fragments.
• Rewards tied to the Dweller's progression.

Note: Modifiers are part of the design planned for the final version and are not available in the current prototype. This system may change during development.

Modifiers are mutations that alter and amplify the Dweller's Skills, appearing during the descent through the Abyss. Their purpose is to deepen the strategy, force decisions, and make every run different.

Each Primary and Secondary Skill can receive up to three unique Modifiers, able to:

• Increase damage dealt.
• Reduce the Plasma cost to activate the Skill.
• Extend the range or duration of its effects.
• Change the Skill's behavior and open up new tactical approaches.

You won't always find Modifiers for the Skills you have equipped. This forces you to improvise, change strategy mid-run, and adapt to the situations you encounter.

An enigmatic figure, a merchant from the depths, runs the Shop, where you can:

• Swap Skills if the Modifiers you've found open up new synergies.
• Sell or transmute Modifiers you no longer need to keep your build focused.

The Modifier system rewards adaptation and lets you build different combinations during every run.

Note: Amulets are part of the design planned for the final version and are not available in the current prototype. This system may change during development.

Blood Amulets are sacred relics, fragments of corrupted faith that you can embed into your Gate to manipulate luck within the Abyss.

They offer no direct power or healing. Their function is to alter the odds of the environment, tilting chance toward certain types of resources and opportunities.

Each Amulet is inspired by decaying Christian symbols, such as blackened rosaries, rusted medals, bloodied reliquaries, and forgotten prayers.

Influence on Luck

Luck determines the probability of finding certain resources, Modifiers, and structures within the Abyss.

There is no global luck. Each Amulet lets you specialize and choose which kind of possibilities you want to increase.

Equipping different combinations of Amulets lets you tailor the Abyss's odds to your strategy.

Equip Capacity

You can equip up to 4 Amulets simultaneously, one for each activated Gate Fortification level.

Amulet Types

Amulet Rarity

Amulets are classified into four levels of religious rarity, each with a higher level of power:

Crafting System

Amulets can be crafted by combining fragments through a ritual progression.

Ways to Obtain Them

Complete Amulets can be found in extremely rare chests or appear with a low probability in the Abyss Shop.

Fragments can be obtained through:

• Battle Pass rewards.
• Daily quests.
• Special events or secret rooms.
• Limited purchases in the shop at a high cost.

Catalepsy is currently in the prototype phase.

The project is being developed by a team of 9 people in their free time. Our current goal is to complete and polish the core mechanics before expanding the scope of the game.

Current status

The prototype includes:

• A functional playable environment.
• Basic character movement.
• Basic enemies.
• Procedurally generated levels.
• Menus and lobby.
• A playable minigame.
• Original soundtrack.

Next goals

Our next goal is to bring the prototype to a state solid enough to present publicly and gather real data on player response.

The process will include:

• Polishing the core mechanics.
• Improving the gameplay experience.
• Preparing a communication and content campaign.
• Gradual publication of information about Catalepsy.
• Collecting metrics and feedback from the community.
• Evaluating different funding paths to continue development.

The timeline and scope of the following phases will depend on the results obtained during this process.

The project

Is the title final?

No. Catalepsy is the working name while we register the final one. When it's ready, we'll announce it.

Why a roguelike?

Because the genre fits the structure we want to build around runs, death, adaptation, and the knowledge gained during each descent.

How is it different from other roguelikes?

Catalepsy combines the roguelike structure with a third-person perspective, a fully three-dimensional world, and an environment that's also part of the challenge. Combat, mobility, and reading the space all play a fundamental role during every descent.

What languages will it be available in?

Spanish and English from launch. We'll expand to more languages as development progresses and resources allow.

Why PC only?

Because we're a small team and want to focus on one platform initially. Catalepsy is planned for PC and will be published on Steam.

How much will it cost?

Catalepsy will be a paid game. The price will be announced as development and launch get closer.

Gameplay

What's the goal?

Descend through the 20 levels of the Infernal Abyss. Each section presents new challenges, and every five levels you'll find a boss blocking the way forward.

How are the levels structured?

The 20 levels are publicly divided into four sections:

• Levels 1 to 5.
• Levels 6 to 10.
• Levels 11 to 15.
• Levels 16 to 20.

Each section culminates in a boss you must defeat to keep descending.

What happens when I kill a boss?

You get rewards and can keep descending into more dangerous zones or retreat with what you've earned.

What are the rooms like?

Each level is made up of between 6 and 8 procedurally generated rooms. The combination of rooms and challenges changes between runs.

How does progression work?

Through the Gate. Blood Shards let you increase its Fortification, unlocking new progression possibilities and access to different levels of the Abyss.

The Dweller

What is the Dweller?

Your character. An undead entity trapped between life and death.

How does its health system work?

The system is built around three resources: Platelets, Blood, and Plasma.

Platelets act as a shield. When they reach zero, damage passes to Blood. If Blood reaches zero, the Dweller dies.

Plasma is used to perform dodges.

Can I recover health during combat?

Yes. Blood can be recovered by absorbing it from the environment. Some recovery sources require the Dweller to remain exposed during the process, so recovering resources also carries a risk.

If I die, do I lose everything?

You lose the progress earned during the run. The Gate's permanent progression is kept.

Can I customize the Dweller?

Yes. Everyone starts with the same base look, but cosmetics will be available to customize it.

The Gate

What is the Gate?

The Gate is one of the central elements of permanent progression. Its Fortification determines how far the Dweller can advance into the Abyss and what progression possibilities are available.

How is it upgraded?

The Gate feeds on Blood Shards obtained during runs. These let you increase its Fortification.

What are Fortification Ranks?

There are four Fortification Ranks: Fortification I, II, III, and IV.

Each Rank contains 10 progression levels.

At level 5, Secondary Skills unlock.

At level 10, a Primary Skill, a new Sin, and a relic slot unlock. It also grants access to the next Fortification Rank.

When you reach a new Rank, progression resets to level 1 of that Rank.

How does the Gate affect what I can do in the Abyss?

The Fortification Rank determines which levels of the Abyss you can access.

• Fortification I: levels 1 to 5.
• Fortification II: levels 6 to 10.
• Fortification III: levels 11 to 15.
• Fortification IV: levels 16 to 20.

It also determines the maximum level your Skills can reach during a run.

Skills

How many Skills can I equip?

One Primary Skill, two Secondary Skills, and one Special Skill.

What types of Skills are there?

Primary Skills are offensive tools used for combat.

Secondary Skills have tactical and support functions.

Special Skills are high-impact powers tied to the seven deadly sins.

Can I change them during a run?

The main choice is made before starting a run. However, there is a place within the Abyss that lets you swap Skills.

How are they upgraded?

Skills can be upgraded during a run using Blood Shards at altars.

Skill levels reset when a new run begins.

Modifiers

What are Modifiers?

Alterations that appear within the Abyss and modify how your Skills work.

They can increase damage, reduce Plasma cost, extend a Skill's range or duration, and change its behavior.

How many can each Skill have?

Each Primary and Secondary Skill can receive up to three unique Modifiers.

Are they kept between runs?

No. Modifiers obtained during a run are lost when you leave it or die.

What do I do if I find Modifiers I don't need?

At the Merchant of the Depths' Shop, you can sell or transmute Modifiers. You can also swap Skills to take advantage of new synergies.

Amulets

What are Amulets?

Blood Amulets are relics embedded into the Gate before a run.

They provide no direct power. Their function is to modify the Abyss's odds, increasing the chances of finding certain resources, structures, or Modifiers.

How many can I carry?

You can equip up to 4 Amulets simultaneously.

Can I change them during a run?

No. Amulets are equipped before starting the run.

How are they obtained?

Complete Amulets can be found in extremely rare chests or appear with a low probability in the Abyss Shop.

Fragments can be obtained through different community activities and rewards.

Can they be crafted?

Yes. Amulets can be crafted by combining fragments through a four-level progression:

Profane → Blessed → Consecrated → Sacred

Resources

What's the main resource?

Blood Shards. They're used to upgrade the Gate, upgrade Skills, and take part in different progression systems.

What are Infernal Essences?

Fragments of energy tied to lost souls. Collecting them is linked to progression and to discovering elements of the story.

What are Abyssal Keys?

Items used to open the Abyssal Chests that can be found during exploration.

What's inside an Abyssal Chest?

Abyssal Chests can contain different rewards, including artifacts, story fragments, and items tied to progression.

Abyssal Descent

What is the Abyssal Descent?

A competitive mode in which a player's performance during the descent is recorded to compare against other players.

How do you take part?

By activating competition mode before starting the descent. The game records progress and performance to build a ranking.

How do seasons work?

Seasons have a set duration and can include activities, challenges, and special events.

What are Mutations and Curses?

Mutations alter the behavior of certain enemies.

Curses modify the game's rules and can introduce additional restrictions during the descent.

Difficulty

How hard is it?

Catalepsy is designed around adaptation and learning. Deaths are part of the process of mastering combat, mobility, and the Abyss's systems.

Are there different difficulty levels?

The game is initially designed around a single difficulty standard.

Multiplayer

Is there PvP?

Not within the Abyss. Competition between players is asynchronous, through the Abyssal Descent rankings.

Can it be played co-op?

The game is initially designed as a single-player experience.

Content at launch

How much content will the game have at launch?

The current design includes 20 levels, 5 bosses, 6 Primary Skills, and more than 20 Secondary Skills.

The content and these numbers may change during development.

Community and development

Where can I follow development?

Through our social media, where we post updates, previews, and project news.

Can I give feedback or talk to the team?

Yes. The official Discord server is the main place to share feedback, report bugs, suggest ideas, and follow development alongside the team.

Will there be Early Access?

It's not currently planned. The intention is to release Catalepsy when the game is ready for a full launch. If this changes during development, we'll let you know.