Game developer FuRyu, known for anime-style JRPGs like The Caligula Effect and the CRY series, recently unveiled ANOMALITH, a new liminal-space survival horror TPS set to launch in October. The announcement itself has been met with a positive response so far, garnering over 20,000 Wishlists on Steam in two days, but the developers have followed up with a somewhat unprecedented statement to fans, in which they address a stereotype that has come to be associated with FuRyu-developed games in general.
Commonly used among Japanese gamers online, the phrase “It’s a FuRyu game, though” (JP: でもフリューだしな) indicates the apprehension our doubts some consumers have towards FuRyu when it comes to core gameplay, contrasted with how appealing the company’s concepts and presentation tend to be. Rather than a purely negative sentiment, it’s more of a “this looks amazing, but you never know.” This has likely been fueled by recent big FuRyu releases like 2025’s school life RPG Varlet and 2024’s magic action RPG Reynatis garnering significant pre-launch hype but seeing lackluster performance among players and critics.
Interestingly, the new developers’ letter published to the official ANOMALITH X account starts with these very words, addressed, “To those of you who thought It’s a FuRyu game, though.” While this might sound a bit sassy in translation, the statement is written from a rather humble point of view. The developers thank fans for the positive response to ANOMALITH’s announcement, but acknowledge that “while many people feel that the world-building and atmosphere in our games are good, they have concerns about the gameplay.” FuRyu says it intends to tackle this issue seriously, especially with the new ANOMALITH being a third-person shooter, a genre the developer isn’t very experienced in.
One of the measures FuRyu has taken is holding pre-release playtesting sessions with domestic game media outlets and having them provide gameplay critique, particularly related to exploration, combat, customization, and the game’s “overall feel” as a TPS. FuRyu encourages fans who are apprehensive to give these reviews a read (linked within the X post), but also recognizes that a hands-on demo is the only true way to dispel gamers’ concerns. The company is currently working on “providing an opportunity for everyone to play the game,” although it’s not clear at this point if this refers to an in-person event or a digital demo release. “There’s still a lot to do before the release, but we will continue to work on development so that we can live up to your expectations,” the devs say.
The response to this announcement has been almost unanimously positive among Japanese gamers, with many appreciating FuRyu’s willingness to acknowledge its own weaknesses and reflect on its “hit or miss” track record. On the other hand, this has set quite high expectations for ANOMALITH, whose performance will now have a big effect on domestic gamers’ trust in FuRyu as a developer.
ANOMALITH is set to launch on October 29 for PC (Steam), PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2.
