Baldur's Gate 3 director wishes indie dev behind "impossible" RPG reminiscent of The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall the "best of luck" as it hits 58k wishlists on Steam

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"Love the way it looks"

Project Shadowglass
(Image credit: Starhelm Studios)

Project Shadowglass, a stunning pixel-style indie title that looks just like those "impossible" RPGs in viral AI-generated posts, has not only caught the eye of potential players – but big developers, too.

Baldur's Gate 3 director and Larian Studios lead Swen Vincke has caught wind of the game himself, and it's safe to say he's impressed. Responding to an update on Patreon about the project reaching over 58,000 fans' wishlists, Vincke shares his thoughts in an online post: "Didn't see this one coming, but love the way it looks! Best of luck!" Dominick John, the mastermind dev behind Project Shadowglass' Starhelm Studios, also replies.

"Thank you so much, friend," says John. "Was quite the curveball lol, the hard work begins!" It's a wholesome interaction between two talented creators – and I mean talented. If you're not aware of Project Shadowglass or John's goals for his game, which "features revolutionary 3D pixel art graphics" as per its Steam description, the Patreon announcement highlighted by Vincke initially explores it more in-depth.

"Not many people know this about me," it reads, as written by John, "but for two decades I've been a hobbyist indie game dev. I've quietly developed mobile games, completed game jams, and built countless experimental prototypes on the side. My other main obsession, though, is modernizing retro art styles." Then, he asks if people "remember those AI pixel art 'games' that popped up and went viral" – like this one, that made rounds on the web.

"The fantasy ones that almost every developer said was impossible to replicate? Well... those visuals are basically what I've been working towards all these years, so seeing it everywhere suddenly was beyond surreal." John explains he's "finally accomplished the 'impossible'" – and "after years of attempts, I got true perspective 3D pixel art working." That's exactly what Project Shadowglass proves, and I, for one, cannot wait to play it.

It seems I'm not alone in that regard, judging by Vincke's own reaction to the game – one that I can't help but be reminded of The Elder Scrolls' Daggerfall days by – and other folks' online as well. Here's hoping it plays as beautifully as it looks.

Searching for something else to wishlist? Here are some of the biggest new games this year and beyond to keep an eye on.

Anna Koselke
Anna Koselke
Staff Writer

After spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.

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