The Kickstarter for Starfinder: Afterlight has officially launched, and it is already shaping up to be an exciting project. Developed by Epictellers Entertainment as their debut title, this CRPG is the first proper video game adaptation of the Starfinder 2e ruleset, which itself is built upon the celebrated framework of Pathfinder 2e. While the developer has been somewhat reserved, showing mostly gorgeous artwork with voiceovers in trailers and a few stills on its official Steam page, a closer look reveals a promising game in the making that Digital Tech Explorer is keen to detail.
The early visuals are quite impressive. The environment, showcased as a space cantina with flickering neon signs, is detailed and atmospheric. Character art and voice-acting are both solid, and while combat animations are described as a little rough, the overall presentation is promising. The user interface even incorporates stylish, comic-book-style cutouts reminiscent of the Persona series. The game boasts a strong art direction, with cel-shaded textures and particle effects that give it a vibrant and colorful feel, drawing players into its expansive universe.
Space: The First Frontier (Building the Development Team and Creative Talent)
Despite being a new studio, Epictellers has assembled a strong 30-person team. Co-founder Ricard Pillosu noted that finding the right talent was not a burden, partly due to the current state of the video game industry. “It has never been a burden to find the right people,” Pillosu said. “The state of industry, sadly, makes it easy to recruit nowadays.” The studio’s pitch of creating a CRPG based on Starfinder with a small, fully remote team has been an “easy sell.” The team is a healthy mix of young talent and seasoned veterans, blending fresh perspectives with extensive experience.
The project also has significant support, including backing from Paizo itself. Furthermore, Epictellers has enlisted the immense talent of Neil Newbon, celebrated for his role as Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, to serve as the voice acting director. Co-founder Albert Jane praised Newbon’s contribution, stating he has been a genuine boon to the script. “He’s just very approachable and very easy going,” Jane explained. “He’s not only directing the voices, but he’s also looking into the script and [asking] ‘how do you guys feel about changing this or that?’ We only have kind words for his work.” This collaboration highlights the meticulous attention to detail in bringing the Starfinder universe to life.
The primary purpose of the Kickstarter campaign is to secure extra funds to expand the voice-acting cast and incorporate more ancestries and feats from the vast library of Starfinder 2e character options. Yet, Epictellers isn’t seeking success blindly; the developers are keenly aware of the potential pitfalls of runaway crowdfunding. Co-founder Ricard Pillosu admitted, “Actually, I’m more scared about huge success than a bit of failure,” explaining that excessive funding can lead to inflated expectations and potentially trap a game in a “very long loop of early access.”
Co-founder Albert Jane echoed this sentiment, expressing concern over the “scope creep” that often plagues highly successful crowdfunding campaigns. “Something that we’ve seen many times in other projects is that you get a ton of money, and suddenly your release date goes—because you promised so much—to two years from the day that you promised that your game was going to ship,” he said. “That’s something that we want to avoid at all costs.” To prevent this, the team is setting a firm line in the sand regarding the game’s scope, even if the Kickstarter vastly exceeds its goals.
I think that whatever we do, we have our stretch goals that we don’t think we are going to be adding more even if things take off.”
This commitment to a defined vision is paramount. As Jane further elaborated, “This is the scope that we wanted to make the game, our first game. We won’t promise co-op—multiplayer, that’s out of the scope. That’s not going to happen, even if we get like, $5 million that’s not going to happen.” This careful and deliberate approach to project management gives hope that Starfinder: Afterlight will deliver a focused and polished experience. Pillosu summed up their philosophy regarding player agency in the CRPG: “We try to get that game that never says ‘no’ to you. We have a reduced scope, we’re a small team, but within our boundaries? … We will give you an option.” The team plans to use internal playtests and early access to watch players and add options based on how they want to interact with the narrative. With the Kickstarter campaign already off to a strong start, Starfinder: Afterlight is targeting an early access release in 2026, promising an engaging journey for tech enthusiasts and gamers on Digital Tech Explorer.