Thunder Lotus, the studio behind Spiritfarer, is back with At Fate's End, a hybrid visual novel and 2D action game due sometime in 2027. A demo is live now and PC Gamer has already dug in. The hook: protagonist Shan Hemlock has been named Princess of Swords and must gather her family's blades, either through diplomacy or combat.
What the demo shows off
The art is the headline. Stopping mid-demo to stare at Shan's run-stop animation—her hair catching the momentum, the cinematic gust—signals the care poured into every frame. The hand-drawn storybook styling extends to tarot cards and menu screens so polished they could hang on a wall. Even the overworld screen is described as wallpaper-worthy.
Combat is the other half. It's basic 2D action at first, built on positioning and an omnidirectional attack, but it scales once Arcana energy builds up and you can start activating card abilities. Each sibling card has a reverse—a dash ability might become a double-jump depending on how you read the card. Loadouts shift based on interpretation.
Between fights, you explore the ruins of the Hemlock family demesne, talk to people who grant new cards, and combine cards in an "insight" tree to draw conclusions about each relative. Sometimes the right outcome is a fight. Sometimes it's talking someone down.
Our analysis
Why this matters: most 2D action games treat narrative as filler between combat setpieces. At Fate's End flips that. The conversation and exploration half isn't a break from the "real" game—it's the engine. Combat becomes punctuation, not prose. That's a deliberate bet that could pay off as a cult hit or leave action-first players cold.
Who benefits: players wanting a story-led 2D action experience, tarot and deckbuilding enthusiasts, and Spiritfarer fans following the studio into new territory. Who loses: players who want locked-in combo systems and long campaigns. This isn't that.
The trade-off to watch is the combat. Described as basic early on with depth unlocking later, the question is whether late-game systems justify the setup. If they don't, the visual novel half carries the entire experience—a tall order for any game.
A 2027 release window gives Thunder Lotus roughly two years of polish time. More sibling cards, more enemy types, and a clearer combat hook are likely before launch.
Who should care
- Spiritfarer fans:** same developer, same narrative instinct, different genre.
- Deckbuilder fans:** tarot-card-inspired ability system with reversed variants.
- 2D action players who want story:** shorter campaigns with strong art direction.
- Visual novel fans:** roughly half the runtime is conversation and exploration.
- Animation obsessives:** Shan's movement alone is worth the download.
What to watch next
Watch for combat footage showing late-game systems in motion. Also watch how Thunder Lotus handles the tarot-reversal mechanic at launch—if reverses are genuinely distinct instead of stat swaps, that's where buildcraft depth lives.
Bottom line: At Fate's End is one of the more interesting hand-drawn action games ahead of its 2027 window. The demo is worth downloading to see what Thunder Lotus thinks a storybook action game can look like.
Key takeaways
- At Fate's End is a 2D action visual novel hybrid from Thunder Lotus.
- Slated for release in 2027, demo available now.
- Tarot-card-inspired abilities with reversed variants drive the buildcraft.
- The art style is being called out as a major strength.
- Watch for combat depth updates before the 2027 launch.
Frequently asked questions
Who is making At Fate's End?
Thunder Lotus, the studio behind Spiritfarer.
When does the game release?
A planned 2027 release window.
Is there a demo?
Yes, currently available.
How does the combat work?
It's a 2D action system with an omnidirectional attack, abilities tied to tarot cards that have reversed variants, and Arcana energy as the activation resource.
How much of the game is combat vs story?
Roughly half. The demo shows a clear split between exploration and conversation, and action sequences.