What's in the KUTO Demo: One Era, Two Bosses, Free
The KUTO: The Lock of Time demo is free on Steam. Here is exactly what is in it: one era, a dozen locations, the core mechanics, two bosses, and what your PC needs.
The Blog
Field notes from a breaking timeline
Guides to rewind mechanics, Jokoan Kuto's story, and where KUTO: The Lock of Time sits among time-bending action-platformers.
KUTO Free Demo Is Out, and We're in Steam Next Fest
The KUTO: The Lock of Time demo is out. It's free, anyone with a Steam account can play it today, and on October 19 the game joins Steam Next Fest.
KUTO Playtest Week One: 153 Deaths, 30 Hours
285 people got access, 52 launched the game, and four of them told us the same thing about the combat. Here is the first week of the playtest in numbers.
KUTO Closed Playtest — Request Access on Steam
We're looking for people to play an early build and tell us what's wrong with it. Requesting access is one button on the Steam page, and we let people in in waves.
KUTO Playtest — Sign Up for the September Build
The first playable slice — one level, the Minotaur, Athena, and time rewind — goes to testers in early September. Here's what you'd be playing, what isn't in yet, and how to sign up.
KUTO at the Ukrainian Games Festival 2026
The fifth Ukrainian Games Festival runs on Steam from August 17 to 24, 2026, and KUTO: The Lock of Time is one of the games in it.
KUTO on the GameDev DOU Podcast
An hour with GameDev DOU on the studio's first game, why KUTO came next, and what development looks like from a front-line city. Ukrainian, with a translated chapter list.
The Anatomy of a Corpse Run: From Dark Souls to KUTO
A good corpse run gives the player one more decision after death. KUTO makes that decision personal by letting your own loadout stand between you and the loot.
Designing Enemies That Can Handle Time Travelers
A player who can bend time changes the rules of every encounter. Good enemy AI has to stay dangerous after the rewind as well as before it.
Art Direction for a Shattered Timeline
A timeline can jump eras if the game keeps one set of shapes, materials, and colors alive across every age.
Designing Bullet Time for 2D Action
Bullet time is easy to add and easy to ruin. The only interesting version is the one that still has to fight for its place in the loop.
Is Ascend to ZERO Worth It? An Honest Verdict
Ascend to ZERO turns time into a resource you spend, freeze, and steal back mid-run. It reviews Very Positive on Steam — here's the honest case for and against.
Games Like Ocarina of Time: Okami, Tunic & More
The Switch 2 remake has everyone thinking about Ocarina of Time again. Here are the 3D action-adventures that chase the same dungeon-and-discovery feeling, plus one upcoming game built on time.
How Long to Beat Saros: 20–25 Hours (Early Data)
Saros launched April 30, 2026, and completion data is still settling — but early reports put a first clear at 20–25 hours, with the secret ending totaling 22–27.
Is Saros Worth It? Honest Verdict After the Hype
Saros earned some of the best review scores of 2026, but that doesn't mean it's for everyone. Here's the honest case for and against.
Saros Story Explained
Saros hides a story about guilt and denial under its bullet-hell death loop. Here's Carcosa, the Yellow Shore, and what both endings are saying.