This series features interviews with the developers of intriguing new indie games. In this installment, we bring you a mini-interview with the developers of *FIRE AND ASHES*, a psychological horror game developed by ASDstudio and released for PC on October 14.
Set in a mental hospital, this psychological horror game follows protagonist Henry Gray as he encounters ghosts from his past, deranged patients, and otherworldly monsters within a nightmare come to life. A key feature is that the player’s voice is heard by enemies via voice recognition. The game also supports Japanese.
“FIRE AND ASHES” is available for 1,700 yen.
――First, please introduce yourself. What is your favorite game?
I’m Davit Galoyan, CEO and co-founder of DavitASD Studio. I’m responsible for the studio’s overall game development and implementation. I typically work closely with Arshak Khachatryan, our game designer and narrative designer, who handles the game’s concepts, systems, story, and characters.
Arshak and I met in 2003, and we’ve shared a passion for games and horror ever since. Over time, that shared passion evolved into a creative partnership, which ultimately led us to launch our own indie game studio.
The games that hold a special place in both of our hearts are *Outlast*, *Condemned: Criminal Origins* (known as *Condemned: Psycho Crime* in Japan), and *Layers of Fear*.Each of these games left a strong impression on us—whether through their overwhelming atmosphere, psychological tension, or approach to gameplay. The shared inspiration we drew from these titles forms the creative foundation of *FIRE AND ASHES*. Of course, we aimed to reinterpret the ideas that captivated us and fuse them with our own unique elements during development.
――Please tell us about the game’s key features. Also, how did you come up with those ideas?
Davit: *FIRE AND ASHES* is a first-person psychological horror game set in a mental hospital in 1977. One of the game’s major features is its “reaction to sound.”Certain enemies react to sounds made by the player, such as breathing, whispers, and screams. Since the player’s own “voice” becomes not just a tool for communication with others but an integral part of the gameplay itself, it creates a unique sense of tension unlike anything we’ve experienced before.
The idea for this game was born while we were discussing our favorite horror games. We loved the sense of helplessness and unique atmosphere in *Outlast*, but Arshak wanted to give players a “means to fight back” as well.We also learned from *Condemned: Criminal Origins* just how intense and immersive melee combat can be, and from *Layers of Fear*, we realized how deeply the combination of environment and narrative can affect the player’s psyche.
We weren’t interested in simply combining existing elements. We wanted to create a game where the systems, atmosphere, and story complemented one another. While Arshak focused on the story and the protagonist, Henry Gray, I devoted myself to bringing our ideas to life technically.We aimed to create an experience that makes players feel powerless—yet never completely so—and gradually causes them to question their understanding of the events unfolding before their eyes.
For us, the most terrifying kind of horror is the kind that lingers in the player’s mind long after the game is over. We hope that *FIRE AND ASHES* will be more than just a “tense encounter”—that it will become a story that encourages players to reflect on what they’ve experienced and draw their own interpretations and conclusions.
――Were there any works that influenced the development of this game?
Davit: We were influenced by both games and movies. Among the films that left a particularly strong impression on us were *Shutter Island*, *Secret Window*,“1408,” “K-PAX,” as well as the 2003 “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and the 2006 “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning.”We were strongly drawn to the diverse aspects of these films—the ambiguity of reality, the relationship between the characters’ inner worlds and the world the audience sees, and the technique of building tension through atmosphere rather than relying solely on jump scares.
In particular, *Room 1408*, based on the novel by Stephen King, left a strong impression on me.The title of our first game, *Burn Me Alive*, which leads into the story of the protagonist Henry Gray, was inspired by a memorable scene from *Room 1408*. Sometimes a single moment can stay with you for years, and eventually find its way into your own creative work.
In terms of games, *Outlast*, *Condemned: Criminal Origins*, and *Layers of Fear* served as particularly important references for us.We absolutely love the overwhelming atmosphere and sense of helplessness in *Outlast*, the nail-biting close-quarters combat in *Condemned: Criminal Origins*, and the psychological storytelling and environmental design in *Layers of Fear*.At one point, Arshak suggested, “What if we took our favorite elements from these three titles and reinterpreted them in our own unique way?” That became one of the starting points for our discussions.
There are also some interesting parallels with *The Darkness II* that Arshak noticed later on. While we weren’t directly or consciously influenced by it during development, there were clear thematic similarities—such as the portrayal of the protagonist becoming convinced that “the reality he perceives is the only truth.” Looking back, discovering these connections after the project had taken shape was a fascinating experience.Creative influences don’t always manifest in intentional or obvious ways.
――Please tell us about one of the most memorable moments during the development of this game.
Davit: One of the most important decisions we made was to split what we had originally envisioned as a single massive project into separate titles.*Burn Me Alive* and *FIRE AND ASHES* were originally planned as a single, large game. However, as a small indie team, we realized that bringing the entire experience to life in a single release would require an enormous amount of time and resources.
So we decided to tell the story in two parts. While the two games are closely connected through the protagonist, Henry Gray, and a series of shared events, we also wanted to ensure that even players who haven’t played *Burn Me Alive* could enjoy *FIRE AND ASHES* without any issues.New players will be able to follow the story’s flow seamlessly, while those who have played the previous game will discover and enjoy detailed descriptions and connections that give specific scenes new meaning.
This decision was extremely important not only from a development standpoint but also from a narrative perspective. It prompted us to carefully and thoroughly consider questions such as “How much information should we reveal?”, “What should each game convey on its own?”, and “How should the overall story unfold as players experience both titles?”
Working on a project of this scale with a small team is always a series of difficult choices. We must constantly strike a balance between what we want to do and the time and resources available to us. This process, spanning many years, has taught us a great deal—not only about game development itself, but also about the kind of experiences we want to create.
――What kind of user feedback did you receive after release? Please share any particularly memorable examples.
Davit: For us, one of the most exciting moments in releasing a game is seeing how players experience the work we’ve spent so much time creating.As developers, we know every detail of the story, the intent behind each scene, and the inner workings of the systems. However, since players encounter the game without any prior knowledge, their reactions can sometimes differ greatly from what we anticipated.
We’re particularly interested in players’ reactions to the game’s atmosphere, the voice acting, and the story itself. Seeing people discuss the story, develop their own theories, and try to unravel the meaning behind events that aren’t explicitly explained makes all our hard work feel worthwhile.This means a great deal to us, as Arshak intentionally designed the story to leave room for multiple interpretations of the ending.
Of course, we understand that not every element of the game resonates with everyone in the same way. What players look for in horror varies from person to person, and constructive criticism is a great help in re-examining the gaming experience from perspectives we couldn’t replicate on our own.It helps us understand what resonates deeply with players and where there is room for improvement, so as an indie team, we consider such feedback to be truly valuable.
Above all, we hope that *FIRE AND ASHES* is not just a horror experience, but a work that continues to leave players with questions and unique emotions long after the credits have rolled.
――Taking user feedback into account, could you tell us about your plans for future updates?
Even after the release of “Davit,” we continue to closely monitor feedback from players and reports of technical issues.Our immediate priorities are improving stability, fixing bugs, and ensuring the game runs as stably as possible across a wide range of PC configurations. No matter how extensive our playtesting is, players may encounter situations during actual gameplay that are difficult to anticipate in advance.
We also take the community’s opinions and suggestions seriously, paying particular attention when multiple players point out the same issue. However, not every suggestion we receive constitutes a “reason to change the game.”While maintaining our original creative vision, we must carefully evaluate whether a change will truly enhance the overall gaming experience.
Regarding major changes or additional content, we prefer to refrain from making any promises until our plans are finalized. Future decisions will be based on the game’s needs, feedback from our players, and the resources available to our development team. Rather than making promises just to build anticipation, we want to focus on improvements that truly make a difference.
――Could you tell us about the Japanese language support for this game? What was implemented, what challenges did you face, and what has the reaction been like from Japan?
Davit: *FIRE AND ASHES* supports Japanese display for both the UI and subtitles, allowing Japanese players to fully enjoy the story in their own language.Localization is extremely important in a story-driven horror game where dialogue and text are the keys to unraveling the mystery. If such subtle details are difficult to convey, the gaming experience we intended would be compromised.
While we haven’t recorded Japanese voice acting at this time, we’ve taken care to ensure that players in Japan can immerse themselves in the game stress-free through the localized text. This isn’t just a matter of convenience—we believe that understanding the story is the most crucial element for experiencing the “psychological horror” that lies at the heart of this title.
We are very interested in seeing how Japanese players will react to the game’s story, atmosphere, and voice-based systems. We do not want to make assumptions about “Japanese gamers’ preferences” on our own without sufficient feedback, so your honest feedback is an invaluable asset to us.
We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who takes the time to play this game in their own language and share their impressions.
――Is it okay to stream or monetize this game?
We are deeply grateful to all the players who share their *FIRE AND ASHES* gaming experiences through Davit videos and livestreams.For an indie game studio like ours, these activities are invaluable opportunities to introduce the game to a wider audience. It’s also a fascinating experience for us as developers to see how players react to in-game events in real time.
Psychological horror is a genre that’s incredibly compelling to watch because people react completely differently to the same scene. While some focus on survival and combat, others pay close attention to the story and develop their own theories long before reaching the ending.
We’re absolutely thrilled that players are talking about this game, sharing their reactions, and introducing *FIRE AND ASHES* to their own audiences.
――Finally, please share a message for our Japanese readers.
Davit: First and foremost, I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone in Japan who has shown interest in *FIRE AND ASHES* and in a small indie game studio like ours.Successfully releasing a game we’ve spent so many years developing is an incredibly important milestone for us. We’ve poured an enormous amount of time, effort, and our very souls into this project. We’d be thrilled if players could sense that as they play the game.
*FIRE AND ASHES* is not merely a technical project for us. It is also a story crafted with meticulous attention to detail by our game and narrative designer, Arshak Khachatryan.His approach lies in providing players with enough information to allow them to deeply reflect on their own experiences, rather than imposing a single interpretation on every event. While the story has a meticulously crafted narrative arc, we love that even after completing the game, each player can reach their own unique conclusions and continue to discuss the ending with others.
Japan has a rich gaming culture and a wonderful tradition of horror titles that capture a unique atmosphere and psychological terror. That’s precisely why we’re so excited to introduce this game to players in Japan.If you, the reader, enjoy works that make you reflect deeply on “your own perception of reality” or “the meaning behind what you see,” we would be delighted if you gave *FIRE AND ASHES* a try.
Thank you so much for supporting indie game creators and for taking the time to learn about our work. We would be overjoyed if the game we’ve created becomes an unforgettable experience for you and leaves you with a few “questions” lingering in your mind even after the credits roll.
――Thank you very much.
◆ About “Spotlight on Indie Mini-Q&A”
This series features email interviews with indie developers shortly after their games are released. To ensure regular publication, we’ve standardized the questions with the goal of sharing the perspectives of as many developers as possible. Please also enjoy our archive of over 1,000 other interview articles.
