It often takes longer than expected to properly shuffle a deck.

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“Inscryption-inspired card battler The Killing Stone gets a rad new trailer showing off voice talent from Critical Role and Baldur’s Gate 3, and it’s out next month,” we noted in January. All of that remains correct, but on February 18, The Killing Stone will now head into early access instead of celebrating a full version 1.0 launch.

In an announcement on Steam, writer/director Jordan Thomas, known for Bioshock and The Blackout Club, stated that, “Over the course of development, The Killing Stone has transformed into a narrative-focused experience more robust than initially planned. It now offers an engaging mystery-driven story and interactive conversations with a choice between modern English and a 17th-century script.”

“The feedback received from playtesters indicates that players are particularly engaged with this narrative layer. They desire more story elements, more voice acting, and a challenge in unraveling the plot without being overly guided, all of which will require extensive iterations based on player insights.”

The early access version will feature all optional quests and three primary story arcs, along with three demon lord adversaries in both critical paths and optional content. However, it will forgo the significant endgame arc, titled The Reckoning, which will be introduced in the final release later this year.

While it’s disappointing to postpone experiencing The Killing Stone in its complete form, it is excellent to know that there will be a more considerable emphasis on storytelling and additional contributions from voice actors Liam O’Brien (Critical Role) and Emma Gregory (Baldur’s Gate 3). Despite frequent comparisons to Inscryption, the latter’s follow-up parts seemed to dilute its powerful initial impact—let’s hope that The Killing Stone maintains its momentum.

It is set to be released on February 18 through Steam, where a demo is also available.