Michael Sinadjan Games
A young babaylan-in-training must decide how much of himself he is willing to lose to save the people he loves.
In the game
Try the free demo and walk the first steps of Isko's journey.
Play the free demo on itch.io
The story
You are Isko, a babaylan-in-training in the forest village of Liwanag. You and your master fail to save a dying child in your care. That failure follows you out of the village and down the road to the next one, and the next — hoping to stop whatever is spreading before someone else dies in front of you.
Then a thought arrives that does not feel like yours. If the old rites are not enough, something else is willing to be enough. The stories name it the Bakunawa. It tells you it is not here to destroy. It tells you it can give you the power to keep people alive — if you are willing to use it. And yet the villages have already seen what that power does. It has changed people they trusted. It has stained the land they walk. They call it corruption, and they are afraid of what it will make of you.
Diwa ng Bakunawa is about good intentions that are not enough — and whether saving others is still mercy if it unmakes the one who does the saving.
If saving them slowly destroys you, do you stay in the light? Or do you take what the dark is willing to give?
Characters
A young babaylan-in-training guided by a quiet resolve to heal and protect. Though often burdened by failure, he presses forward, determined to become the hero others believe him to be. He carries hope even when it feels out of reach.
A loyal aspin companion with sharp instincts and an unwavering heart. Ever watchful, Bantay fights on his own, sensing danger before it strikes and guiding his allies with a howl that stirs fate itself. His bond with Isko runs deeper than words.
A seasoned warrior and steadfast protector, Raphael stands as an unyielding shield for his allies. Beneath his hardened exterior lies a deep sense of duty—and a past tied to battles long thought buried. He watches over the group with quiet vigilance.
A gentle spirit medium and archer who channels the blessing of the moon and benevolent spirits. Soft-spoken and pure-hearted, she sees the world with quiet wonder and unwavering kindness. Though young and emotionally fragile, her spiritual gift runs deep, allowing her to call upon light and elemental forces with graceful precision.
Choice in play
If someone is dying in front of you, and the way you were taught cannot save them - do you keep those teachings, or do you use the power that can? You pick that answer while you play: stay with your master's light, or walk with Bakunawa.
You follow the teachings of your master. You rely on the light and the guidance of your companions. You accept that not everyone can be saved, but you remain true to your principles and your own heart.
You embrace the power of Bakunawa. You prioritize saving lives over adhering to traditional teachings. The power works, and more people survive, but it comes at a cost. Your companions may be weakened, and your own nature begins to change. The village may benefit from your actions, but it may also fear or reject the one who wields such dark power.
Battles
Immerse yourself in side-view, turn-based battles as you match each enemy's Diwa and decide whether to chain one affinity until it owns the fight. Every skill you pick carries a Diwa - the spiritual affinity behind the attack or the heal.
Diwa is the living current that flows through all things. Every person, every creature, and every skill carries a resonating Diwa - a natural affinity that shapes how their power moves through the world.
Each Diwa exists in duality. What one strengthens, its counterpart resists. What one nurtures, the other weakens. This balance is an old law of the land, written into the nature of all living force.
Each battle tracks how many times you have used each Diwa.
Every 3 uses of the same Diwa:
Example: Use Siklab 3 times. Siklab becomes stronger. Alon becomes weaker. Use Siklab 3 more times. Siklab rises again. Alon falls again.
Counts are per Diwa. Mixing skills does not reset a count. Resonance can trigger more than once in the same battle.
What this means in play: pick the Diwa that matches the enemy, then keep using it if you want that side of the pair to keep growing. Using the opposite Diwa later will hit a lower multiplier.
The soft light that reveals what is hidden. It drives back Anino, yet fades in deep shadow.
The quiet dark that drains and conceals. It swallows Tala, yet thins before true radiance.
The sudden flash that breaks the quiet. It shatters Tibay, yet is grounded by its weight.
The unyielding strength of stone and root. It endures Igkas, yet cracks under its strike.
The restless spark of heat and hunger. It burns strongly against Alon, yet is stilled by its cold.
The binding force of deep water and frost. It restrains Siklab, yet yields to fierce heat.
Story outcomes
The story adapts to your choices, and Isko's journey unfolds based on the paths you take.
Your decisions shape the narrative, influencing the relationships you build, the challenges you face, and the ultimate fate of Isko and those around him.
The demo provides a glimpse into the beginning of Isko's journey, but the full story and its multiple endings are only available in the complete game.
If you enjoyed the demo, consider supporting the project to help bring the full story to life. Your backing ensures that Isko's journey continues and that the world of Diwa ng Bakunawa can be fully realized.
Demo
If you want to try the game yourself, the demo is free to download on itch.io.
You get the opening of Isko's story:
In this demo, you will meet Isko, explore Liwanag, walk the Forest Path, and encounter your first boss fight. You will see how the world and the battles feel.
Here is what we are still building for the full game:
If you're excited to play the game, grab the demo on itch.io and support the page. We are excited to share the full adventure with you soon.
Play the free demo on itch.ioTogether
Your support helps us continue developing the full game and bring Isko's journey to life.
If you want to support the development of the full game, here are some ways you can help:
Your support, no matter the size, helps us bring the full game to life. Thank you for being part of Isko's journey.
FAQ
As a small studio, we are highly limited with our resources. As we are not able to hire professional artists, most of our art and music are created with AI-assisted tools. However, it is the studio's principle that all AI-assisted work are supervised by actual humans, making sure that only the highest quality of work is shipped to you.
If you would like to support us in moving away from generative AI, we would be grateful if you back our studio. The demo on itch.io is pay-what-you-want and you may support us through that channel. When we get enough funding, we will be collaborating with human artists more and more.
Playing the demo, giving us feedback, and supporting our funding is the best way to help us get this game developed as soon as possible. Support the project on itch.io with pay-what-you-want. The download is free. Whatever you choose to pay is the funding that allows us to progress with the development. Share the page if you know someone who would care.
Our studio is open to collaboration. Art, music, writing, design, and testing are the areas that we would appreciate help in. If you are interested, you may send us something specific about your interest: what you do, a sample, and why this project matters to you. We will review submissions and get back to you if there is a fit.
You are taken to the first 30 minutes of the game, which includes meeting Isko, exploring the village of Liwanag, walking through the Forest Path, and facing the first boss.
We cannot guarantee that your demo save will carry into the full game. Please treat the demo as a separate experience.
At this point, the demo can only be played on Windows through the itch.io download.
We recommend this game for older teens and adults as the theme is mature. The theme of Diwa ng Bakunawa deals with grief, sickness, spiritual corruption, and the cost of trying to save people.
The game is in English with a mix of Filipino names, places, and spiritual terms used throughout.
You may support the project by downloading the demo, leaving feedback, and contributing financially on itch.io if you wish to help fund the full game.
When funding allows, we target to release the game in late 2026 or early 2027.
Journal
We started this game around March or April. We started with our first village we knew we would name Liwanag, and a protagonist that should bear a Filipino-sounding name. We decided that we would like to create a young babaylan named Isko who was supposed to save people, but will be met with resistance from circumstances he could not control, eventually being tempted to embrace the darkness calling to him. We liked the idea of exploring the tension between light and darkness, both in the world and within the characters themselves.
Being children of the 1990s, we wanted the game to have the same retro feel as the JRPGs we grew up with. Inspired by titles like Final Fantasy, Chrono Cross, Valkyrie Profile, Suikoden II, and other classics, we aimed to capture that nostalgic charm while infusing it with our own cultural and narrative sensibilities.
With no game development experience, but Software Engineers ourselves, we decided to explore an engine that we have known years ago when we first experienced it in the original Playstation: RPG Maker. And so we settled to develop this game using RPG Maker MZ, making it possible for us to bring our vision to life with a tool that balanced accessibility and creative freedom.
Michael Sinadjan, the founder of this studio, then resigned from his previous position to fully dedicate himself to the development of this game, bringing his vision and passion to life through the creation of Diwa ng Bakunawa. Together with his old colleagues, he formed a small but dedicated team to bring the project to fruition, combining their skills and creativity to craft a unique gaming experience.
And so here we are now with our first demo ready for players to experience, marking the beginning of our journey in sharing the world of Diwa ng Bakunawa with the gaming community.