Indie Puzzle Game ‘All Living Things’ Dev Delays Release—Here’s Why
- The development of All Living Things, a strikingly beautiful puzzle game inspired by medieval alchemical manuscripts, has experienced a delay with a surprisingly personal explanation.
- All Living Things draws inspiration from the Ripley Scroll, a medieval illustrated manuscript detailing alchemical processes.
- The game’s Steam demo has received “overwhelmingly positive” reviews, praised for its captivating, ever-shifting picture-book visuals and intuitive click-based gameplay.
The development of All Living Things, a strikingly beautiful puzzle game inspired by medieval alchemical manuscripts, has experienced a delay with a surprisingly personal explanation. Saint Vulture, the solo developer behind the project (also known as MOXO), initially announced on social media that progress was slowed due to “meeting a beautiful woman.” While the post garnered significant attention – exceeding 1.1 million views – a more pragmatic reality underlies the situation.
All Living Things draws inspiration from the Ripley Scroll, a medieval illustrated manuscript detailing alchemical processes. The game features a unique aesthetic built around claymation-style stop-motion animation, tasking players with solving 12 puzzles that symbolize stages of the alchemical magnum opus.
The game’s Steam demo has received “overwhelmingly positive” reviews, praised for its captivating, ever-shifting picture-book visuals and intuitive click-based gameplay. However, on , Saint Vulture’s lighthearted announcement about a romantic distraction quickly went viral. GamesRadar+ even reported on the story, playfully suggesting readers “root for the budding romance.”
But the developer followed up on , expressing gratitude for the attention while clarifying the more substantial challenges facing the project. In a post, Saint Vulture explained that as a solo developer, completing All Living Things to the desired standard requires significant animation assistance. Attempts to secure funding through grants or find a publisher have, so far, been unsuccessful.
“The harsh truth of game development is that I’m the first one off the boat if I hear a siren song,” the developer joked in a follow-up reply, a sentiment that resonated with many in the gaming community. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with supporters expressing understanding, and encouragement. One follower wrote, “Completely understandable. I hope you enjoy every moment,” while another added, “It’s a disappointment for the game, but I can’t possibly fault you for it.” This level of transparency is rare in the industry and clearly appreciated by fans, with one commenter calling it “the most legitimate excuse for a delay I’ve ever seen in gaming.”
Saint Vulture is currently supplementing income through freelance work to fund the project and is meticulously refining the game based on feedback from the demo. When asked about the possibility of launching a Kickstarter campaign, the developer explained that managing such a campaign would exceed their current capabilities while learning the ropes of game development. “I might do it with another project once I’m confident as a developer,” they stated.
The situation highlights the often-unseen struggles of independent game developers, particularly those undertaking ambitious, visually demanding projects. While the initial announcement about a new relationship captured attention, the underlying story is one of dedication, resourcefulness, and the challenges of bringing a unique artistic vision to life.
All Living Things is still slated for release on Steam, where the demo is currently available.
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