Lysward Open Beta Testing Has Started
A Single-Player Survival Adventure
Oslo, Norway–October 29, 2025– Independent development studio Snowcastle Games has announced that Lysward, a single-player survival adventure on Steam, is now live in open beta testing.
Lysward is a survival adventure set on Umbra, a tidally locked world divided between eternal day and endless night. You play as Kiran, a fugitive experiment who awakens in Umbra, the desert side where the sun never sets. With no memory beyond a single name—Orren—you must endure scorching heat, manage hunger and thirst, and unravel the mysteries buried beneath the unrelenting sun.
Survival in Lysward demands ingenuity and control over Amri, a potent magical energy born from sunlight. Your Amri device is both weapon and lifeline, granting abilities like Tremor to shatter obstacles or fend off foes, and powers that nurture life by growing trees and purifying water. Scavenging resources, crafting tools, and managing a detailed inventory are vital, as every choice shapes your fate in this unforgiving environment.
You are not alone in this journey. Alongside your mentor Gjorna, you’ll research materials, develop new crafting recipes, and uncover the truth behind Umbra’s strange world. The desert teems with mysterious creatures—some helpful, others hostile—demanding observation, strategy, and adaptability. Together, you and Gjorna must survive, explore, and uncover the hidden secrets of Lysward’s eternal desert.
Features
- Survival Adventure: Play as Kiran, a fugitive stranded in a sunlit desert world.
- Harsh Environment: Endure constant heat, hunger, and thirst on the planet Umbra.
- Resource Management: Scavenge, craft tools, and manage a realistic inventory system.
- Amri Magic System: Use sunlight-powered energy to survive and unlock abilities.
- Abilities: Harness Amri’s power to shatter obstacles, gather resources, combat threats, grow trees, and purify water for survival.
- Companion Gameplay: Partner with Gjorna to research items and develop new upgrades.
- Living World: Encounter friendly and hostile desert creatures with unique behaviors.
- Mystery and Discovery: Uncover the secrets of your past and the power of Amri.
About Snowcastle Games
Snowcastle Games is an independent game developer founded in 2009 and based in Oslo, Norway. We launched our first feature title, Hogworld©, in 2011, which made the Apple App Store Best of 2011 List.
After five years in development, including a successful Kickstarter campaign, our highly anticipated RPG; Earthlock©, the first in the Earthlock Trilogy, is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. Earthlock has sold more than 2.5 million copies.
In 2023, Snowcastle released an award-winning cozy multiplayer adventure, Ikonei Island: An Earthlock Adventure. It is available now on Steam, Epic Games Store, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S!
Snowcastle is currently working on Lysward and Earthlock 2.
Disclaimer: This press release was sent directly to gameneum.