Pokémon Diamond and Pearl remake developer ILCA’s latest indie experiment turns a Kafka novel into a surrealist Sokoban game

Japanese developer ILCA has released Forgery: Before the Law (Study) on Steam as a free-to-play title on October 6. Developed by younger members of the studio, the title is described as an “art game in the shape of a puzzle,” heavily drawing inspiration from Franz Kafka’s 1915 short story Before the Law.

ILCA is best known for working on projects such as Pokémon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl, SAND LAND, 404: GAME RE:SET, and The Idolmaster Tours arcade games. The company has also gone on to co-found Bandai Namco Aces alongside Bandai Namco Studio,  which recently developed Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. The company’s previous indie ventures include 2025’s No Life Baby of the End, a walking simulator taking place in a Japanese school overrun with zombies, which adopts a surreal tone similar to Forgery: Before the Law (Study).

Forgery: Before the Law (Study) draws on Kafka’s work and combines its themes with mechanics reminiscent of the classic box-pushing puzzle game, Sokoban. Players control a mysterious flower-faced character and push boxes to create paths to gates in surreal environments.

According to ILCA, the title intentionally eschews complex puzzle-solving. Instead, it is designed as an experimental experience where players are shown fragments of text that hint at the meaning of the world and its themes. Rather than spelling out a story directly, the game encourages players to interpret its symbolism on their own, much like viewing a piece of modern art in a gallery.

The game’s director reportedly created the project to express their uncertainty about the future and career concerns. The game was significantly inspired by the themes of Kafka’s short story and the myth of Sisyphus, who was condemned to push a boulder uphill for all of eternity.

However, the director says the development process itself became transformative. As the game gradually took shape and even led to new work opportunities, the project evolved into what the director describes as a story with a “hopeful ending.” They hope players can sense both that change in perspective and the encouragement they received from their team.

Forgery: Before the Law (Study) is out now for free on PC via Steam with English, Japanese, and Chinese (Simplified/Traditional) language support. The developers estimate the game’s total playtime at 30 minutes to one hour.

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