itch.io

Playtest update · 2026-10-26

The updated Lightward browser build is live: https://embertrail-studio.itch.io/lightward

This round focuses on central melee engagement, rear-view walking for Guard, Spear, and Slime, and health bars and rank markers that follow the units. Battle sound effects now have their own mute and volume controls, separate from music. A browser persistence error when withdrawing optional statistics consent was also corrected. Optional statistics remain off; this build has no online analytics collection configured.

Focused checks covered the first battle, rewards → inspect party → back → select → confirm, saved-result restoration, and consent withdrawal after reload. This is not a full-campaign or all-device pass, and I am not claiming every earlier freeze report is resolved.

If you can try the opening fights, these details would help:

- Is it clear who is engaging whom, and can you follow each unit’s health and rank?

- After a win, can you inspect information, return, and make the next choice without getting stuck?

- Where does the pacing feel slow or unclear? If a fight reaches the time limit, please include your party and stage/wave.

Loading time and sound feedback are welcome too. Please include browser/OS, what you clicked or dragged, and whether this is a fresh or returning prototype save. Do not clear browser site data just to test: that can remove local progress.

Desktop/laptop + mouse; English or Chinese feedback is welcome. Still a work-in-progress prototype, with AI assistance in code, graphics, sound, and text. Thanks for trying it!

Combat playtest update · 2026-10-24

A new Lightward browser build is available:

https://embertrail-studio.itch.io/lightward

This round reworks the flow of combat: melee units move into contact and stay engaged, attacks have preparation and impact timing, ranged shots travel to their targets, and healing is shown arriving at its recipient. Spear penetration and crowded health bars have also been revised.

I'm looking for new and returning players to try the opening stages for 10–15 minutes on a desktop/laptop with a mouse. You don't need to finish the campaign. A short reply on any of these would help:

- Can you tell who is attacking whom, when a hit lands, and who receives healing? Which effect is still weak or confusing?

- Do Guards, Spears, Rangers, Mages, and Healers feel distinct? Tell me which party you tried.

- Are recruiting, moving units, and merging clear? Does opening a panel or merging cause a noticeable pause?

- After a win, can you open other information, return, and select your next party normally? An earlier report described getting stuck in that sequence; I'd like to know whether you still encounter it.

For a bug, please include your browser/OS, stage, what you clicked or dragged just before it happened, and whether you're using a fresh or returning save. Loading or save problems are useful to report too. Don't clear your browser's site data just to test the update, as that can remove local progress.

This is still a work-in-progress playtest, with AI assistance in development and asset creation. English or Chinese feedback is welcome. Thanks for trying it!

谢谢你继续玩到第八关，也谢谢卫士＋牧师的阵容信息！“标记连锁”和“合成指挥”的说明还不够直观，我会把触发条件、影响对象和战斗中的实际反馈做得更清楚。

胜利后无法切换出征职业的问题正在核查，目前还不能确认已修复。你还记得是第几关胜利后遇到的吗？当时职业按钮是灰的，还是能点但没有反应？如果方便，补张卡住界面的截图会很有帮助。

R5b playtest update · 2026-10-17

The current Lightward browser build is ready for another round of feedback:

https://embertrail-studio.itch.io/lightward

This update supports both clicking and dragging to recruit, adds visible unit stars and merge feedback, and makes drop targets clearer.

New and returning players are welcome. If you have 10–15 minutes, try the first few stages on a desktop/laptop with a mouse and leave a short reply here:

- Are recruiting, moving units, and merging easy to understand? Where did you hesitate?

- Did any party or build choice feel useful or fun? Which one?

- Could you follow what was happening in combat and tell what your choices changed?

- When, if at all, did the stages start to feel repetitive? Where did you stop, and why?

You don't need to finish the campaign. English or Chinese feedback is welcome. This is still a work-in-progress playtest, with AI assistance in development and asset creation. Thanks for trying it!

Playtest update · 2026-10-12

A new Lightward buildcraft playtest is ready to try: https://embertrail-studio.itch.io/lightward

It has 20 stages with three encounters per stage, core build choices, an explicit entry to enemy information, and revised camp choices. This prototype uses a separate save; progress from the earlier campaign does not transfer into it.

I'd like feedback on the decisions between and during fights:

- Can you find enemy traits and understand targeting without reading this thread?

- Is it clear when you can recruit or merge, and whether combat is still running while you decide?

- Can you tell what triggered a core effect and who it affected?

- At camp, are the cost, selection, and next step clear?

The opening stages are enough. Please tell me where you stopped and why, plus your browser/OS and whether it was a fresh run or returning prototype save. Loading problems are useful to report too.

Desktop/laptop + mouse; English and Simplified Chinese. This is still a work-in-progress prototype, with AI assistance in development and asset creation. Prototype saves stay in your browser.

谢谢你认真试玩，也谢谢加载时间和 Chrome 的信息！

第四关抽到弓箭手后明显好打，这个反馈很有帮助。不过合成要看别人的回帖才发现，说明游戏内提示还不够清楚；敌人特性也应该让玩家更容易看懂，而不是靠猜。

枪兵不如守卫＋弓箭手顺手，我会结合不同关卡和阵容继续测试，看看是角色定位没表现出来，还是实际强度、适用场景不足。更多招募选择和上场角色的建议也记下了。

新一轮网页测试版正在收尾，上线后会在这个帖里更新。如果你继续玩，欢迎告诉我从哪一关开始觉得重复，或者哪种阵容让你觉得特别有意思。这些对调整后续内容很有用！

Thanks for giving B29 a try, wburd, and for the detailed feedback! It's helpful to know that it started in about 20 seconds on desktop Chrome without loading failures.

A short merge hint sounds useful, especially since the other actions already have prompts.

The Stage 4 healer fight is the main concern in your report. With the party you described, being stuck attacking the front slimes without a clear way to deal with the healer sounds frustrating. The exact party composition is useful for checking the encounter balance and how targeting is explained.

Do you remember whether your two Mages were in the front or back slots when you got stuck? That would help reproduce the situation.

Thanks again—I'm glad you'd be interested in playing more! You're welcome to share the link to your playtest too.

Current playtest · 26 October 2026

Play the current free browser prototype. Desktop/laptop + mouse · English / 简体中文.

The current build is a separate 20-stage prototype. Recruit, merge, and position heroes during preparation; combat then runs automatically. If all deployed heroes fall while living reserves remain, combat pauses for rescue deployment and team management until you field a hero.

Completed-run progress and result summaries are stored locally when browser storage is available. Interrupted battles do not resume, old campaign progress does not transfer, and saves do not sync across devices. Please do not clear site data just to try the update.

Optional in-game telemetry is off and unconfigured; itch.io's own page and play counters are separate. Development and asset creation include AI assistance in code, graphics, sound, and text. Tell me where you first get stuck; you do not need to finish the opening stage.

Original post · 8 October 2026 (historical)

The original pitch and native Copper City capture below describe the earlier build. They are kept for context alongside the existing feedback; the old control description and package-size estimate are not specifications for the current prototype. The cover remains a promotional illustration. Please use the game page for current details.

Keep the lantern lit. Build your party as the battle unfolds.

When enemies push toward your line, do you recruit another hero, merge two into a stronger unit, or move your defender? In Lightward: The Lantern Road, those choices happen while the battle keeps moving.

▶ PLAY FREE IN YOUR BROWSER — embertrail-studio.itch.io/lightward
Desktop/laptop + mouse · English / 简体中文

Cover illustration.

Follow a chain of lanterns north, from a frontier waystation to the copper city and the capital. Choose from five hero classes, recruit from three offers, and combine matching heroes up to three stars. Reinforce the front, protect your healer, or save a matching hero for the next merge.

Gameplay capture from the native development build: Copper City.

Want to help shape the opening? I'm looking for 5–10 volunteer players to try it for 15–30 minutes. Strategy/merge fans and complete newcomers are both welcome. You don't need to finish the campaign; the first three stages are enough.

Play Lightward free → https://embertrail-studio.itch.io/lightward

Try the first five minutes without a walkthrough, then play freely. A short reply here or a comment on the game page is all I need:

• How long did loading take? Which browser/OS did you use?
• Where did you first feel unsure what to do?
• Did recruiting and merging make sense?
• What felt fun, boring, or frustrating in the first three stages?
• Would you keep playing? If you stopped, what made you stop?

This is a playable work in progress. The uploaded package is about 110 MB, so the first load may take a while. Saves stay in your current browser. Gameplay reporting is optional; you can play either way. The game uses AI assistance in development and asset creation.

Honest first impressions are welcome, in English or Chinese. Thanks for giving the lantern road a try!