- Cavernreach has a release date! - 12 June 2026
Cavernreach has finally reached a point where I can safely set the release date and make it public. After a long journey developing this game, and putting many MANY hours into it, I'm happy to say that it will be released on August 3rd, 2026!I know I don't have a huge following, but thanks for everyone who commented, played the demo, gave suggestions, etc etc... -Also, I want to take a second to say that I also have another game already in the works, built from the ground up just like Cavernreach was. I am in the asset modeling stage of the next game, so I'm not even going to entertain what it is, or what it's going to be about :)But thanks again to everyone who wishlisted and played the demo. It means the world to me as a solo developer who takes it seriously.
- Demo v1.9 Release Notes - 11 June 2026
The QOL features have been released for the demo v1.9 including:Objective hints by pressing tab in gameAbility to deactivate Depth of Field in settingsFixed music sliderUpdated crawl speed / swim speedA release date for the full game will be announced soon!
- QOL Features Added and Being Tested For Release - 10 June 2026
Hello everyone. New features have been added based on some feedback (you know who you are) and my own thoughts on it as well. Probably the biggest addition is the "Hint System" that was put in place to help guide players when they need help or get lost on what to do next. I realized it can get confusing listening to the dialouge, exploring the cave, real life things that take your attention away, or just quitting the game and coming back to it the next day. It's easy to forget what to do, or where to go. Because of that issue, players can press TAB on the keyboard and a text popup will appear and slowly fade out to help guide you when you need help. You will still have to rely on some memory of how the cave system is laid out, as intended, but hopefully this will cut down on becoming totally lost in what to do next in the story. -Also, it's been noted that some of the character speeds n…
- Voice Acting Dialogue Added in Demo v1.5 Update - 19 May 2026
I'm excited to share that voice acting for the dialogue is added back to the game! While it was in the game before, it was removed as it was incomplete and the voice acting that was there, didn't allow for a long enough demo. At that time, there were other, more pressing matters, to attend to such as major game breaking bugs and gameplay content. So the voice acting was put on the backburner. BUT, the gameplay all the way to the end is now complete! So the voice acting is now being implemented back into the game, with new voice clips to add immersion back into the narrative gameplay experience.I'm also happy to say that the voice acting in the game is NOT AI generated. I care about the people who choose to play my game, and support me, and want to give a well rounded, human made experience.All that being said, I hope everyone enjoys having the voice acting back in the game! Keep an eye…
- Demo v1.1 Patch Notes - 1 May 2026
Patch Notes - Cavernreach Demo v1.1Fixed UI bugsFixed support for ultra widescreen monitors (i.e. 3440x1440 resolution etc...)Fixed cursor (remove debugging cursor reticle, added cursor texture for menus)Fixed scuba mask UI texture not filling screen on ultra wide screen monitorsFixed issue where if player died before the first save point, respawn and load last save would not reload the player correctlyFixed minor audio bug where audio would not trigger during certain situations exiting and entering water on the first try after exitng and re-entering waterMore love was given to the game by fixing these annoying bugs, and fixing that loading issue before the first save point. Thanks to everyone trying the demo, and let me know if you come across any more bugs! Release date coming soon!!!
- New Demo Release - 28 April 2026
The game has had a complete overhaul done to it to get rid of bloat, a useless system for buying and selling to progress (that ended up being very tedious and useless), and has had quite a few bugs worked out. The game is now nearing the final phase, getting very near to completion. The very end is being done right now, and then some polish passes will be done to make sure everything works smoothly.All that being said, the new demo has been released, and you get to play a decent portion of the game in the state it will be released in, more or less, while some minor tweaks might be done to make sure the game is as bug free as possible upon release. Go play the new demo, and you will see this is not the same game using the old systems and game loop as before, and I think it is a MAJOR improvement. There are a few games that were a big inspiration for Cavernreach, and I think I have achiev…
- Changes made to Cavernreach - 22 December 2025
Cavernreach is still deep in development, and after extensive gameplay testing, some significant design changes have been made to better align the game with its narrative-focused vision.One of the biggest changes is the removal of rock and mineral collecting for money. While this system was part of the game early on, testing showed that it didn’t meaningfully contribute to the experience. It often felt tedious, slowed progression, and acted more as filler than engaging gameplay—especially for a story-driven exploration game. As a result, the mechanic has been fully removed.With this change, equipment upgrades are no longer tied to currency or purchasing systems. Instead, progression is now driven by the story itself. New equipment is unlocked naturally through gameplay and discovery, allowing the experience to feel more streamlined, focused, and purposeful.Because mineral collection was…
- Cavernreach Demo Patch 0.9.3 Update - 5 June 2025
The demo has been updated to Demo v.0.9.3. This patch has fixed some bugs and a few improvements overall to the game/demo. -Fix: Menu issues where escape would not exit the menu under certain circumstances -Fix: Lighting issues / Light baking artifacts on geometry -Fix: Game crashes due to certain users experiencing spikes in GPU workload due to texture memory consumption. Mostly due to the lighting/lightmap issues noted above. -Fix: The UI now hides properly during dialogue ------------- Update: UI improvements Update: Added the ability to adjust the brightness/exposure in the Options menu Update: Added some ground critters for game immersion Update: Added some wildlife ambiant sounds for game immersion
- Dev Log #2 - 8 May 2025
As a solo dev, I'm doing my very best to make sure the game is worth it. I work daily on new things for the game, to make it the very best I can at release! Today, I thought I would share with all of you following the games development, the newest portion that is being worked on. The lava tubes! Basically, this is a portion of the cave system that is old lava tubes, when the area was volcanically active. The tubes are an old reminder of the power of nature. You will be going into the old lava tubes, but make sure you have plenty of light (and a way to mark your path), because you could get lost and just end up going in circles, then your light will die, and so will you... Make your way through the lava tubes, and see what lies on the other end! There is always something new around every corner, every squeeze, and every sump! While the games premise is basic, if you love to explore and s…
- Dev Log #1 - Building the Cathedral Dome Cavern - 6 May 2025
Hello explorers! I'm thrilled to share a major milestone in the creation of my cave exploration game — the completion of one of the most breathtaking locations: The Cathedral Dome Cavern. This vast, high-ceilinged chamber is one of the largest spaces in the cave system. As you step into it, you’ll feel the awe of standing in nature’s version of a cathedral — complete with a still, underground lake and massive stone formations that echo with ancient silence. Building this space was a joy, and it quickly became one of my favorite areas in the game. It’s not just big — it’s majestic. Light plays off the rock in subtle ways, and as you look up into the dome, you’ll catch your breath at the scale and quiet beauty of it all. The ambient soundtrack here features soft, droning tones and haunting vocal harmonies to emphasize the emotional weight of the space. It’s meant to make you stop, listen,…
