Maple Blade Sends You Into a Twilit Forest to Save a Cat
Maple Blade is a tiny, tender roguelite about exploring a haunted autumn forest and tracking down the neighbor's missing cat. You move on a grid, swing a sword that can cut through nearly anything, and face restless spirits, little puzzles, and the odd tourist who needs directions. The whole thing leans into a relaxed, hand-drawn pixel aesthetic and a meditative soundtrack by Tim Myers (@timbyt_music).
Chop Your Own Path
The core loop is satisfyingly physical. Trees, undergrowth, lily pads, pumpkins, and even tombstones stand between you and the things you want to reach. Your sword will slice most obstacles - including graves. Cut too freely and you might pick up a curse, so there is a fun, low-stakes tension between clearing a direct route and respecting the forest's quiet rules.
Maple Blade encourages experimentation. You can start or stop small fires, hop across ponds, chunk pumpkins, and discover tucked-away treasure. Missions are flexible, so you often choose whether to tackle a spooky shrine, help a local, or simply poke around until you find a clue about the missing cat.
Time Only Moves When You Move
Combat and encounters are paced around movement. Time advances only when you do, which turns hectic moments into something you can actually savor. It gives the game a tactical, turn-based feel without the pressure of real-time action. You can plan each step, reposition, and react with a calm head - perfect for players who want strategy without stress.
This system also supports the game's chill vibe. Even when ghosts swirl around you, there is room to breathe and think, which fits the autumnal, contemplative tone.
Visitor Center and Curios
Between forays through the Sage Grounds, you can relax at the cozy Visitor Center. Chat with wise locals and confused tourists, browse a gift shop, and buy items that shape your playstyle - charms, keychains, useful trinkets, and yes, hats for the cat. The hats are purely cosmetic and delightfully silly; they do not affect gameplay, but they do give the cat personality.
The Center acts as a hub where progress and story beats land, and it reinforces the game's lighter, community-minded moments. Helping townsfolk is often as rewarding as beating a minor boss.
A Roguelite with Cozy Vibes
Maple Blade is built as a small roguelite. The forest layout changes nightly, so each run offers new routes and surprises. You can choose missions in any order, use items to balance risk and reward, and experiment with different approaches to purifying spirits and solving the Sage Grounds' short, spooky mysteries.
This was made as a passion project, without the use of generative AI, and it ships without ads, in-app purchases, or loot boxes. It’s a compact mix of chunky pixel art, modern design, and a calm, loop-friendly structure meant for relaxed exploration.
The soundtrack by Tim Myers helps sell the mood. If you want a game that blends light tactical thinking with a warm autumn atmosphere and a hint of haunted charm, Maple Blade might be worth your next peaceful evening stroll in a haunted woods.
Where did that cat run off to?
