A Dream Taking Shape

There’s a sense of awe when standing before something that feels larger than the usual scope of local indie development — and Andalas: Realms of Eternal Lights is precisely that. Showcased at IGDX 2025 by Busy Beaver Studio, this upcoming fantasy action-adventure embodies a level of ambition rarely seen in Indonesia’s young but growing scene.

The team describes Andalas as an open-world adventure with four distinct regions, each with its own culture, climate, and story threads. Players take on the role of a young boy journeying through a land filled with mystery, danger, and quiet melancholy.

Between Familiarity and Discovery

It’s tempting to call Andalas Indonesia’s answer to the Zelda series, though that shorthand only tells part of the story. Structurally, the comparison makes sense — exploration, dungeons, and environmental puzzles all recall classic entries rather than modern Breath of the Wild-style design. Yet Andalas maintains its own rhythm, with a focus on emotional storytelling and cultural texture.

The IGDX demo, built on a still-rough early version, hinted at its scope: a wide overworld filled with enemies and dungeons, cleanly animated cutscenes, and a striking art style that feels both familiar and distinctly regional. Its job system — letting players swap between combat roles like Knight and Rogue— adds flexibility to its battles, with abilities governed by cooldowns and quick shortcuts.

A playable boss encounter saw the protagonist face off against a massive flower creature hidden behind a living hedge, a sequence that demanded both timing and resource management. Defeating it involved striking its roots to expose vulnerabilities — a small but impressive showcase of Andalas’ mix of strategy and action.

The Heart Beneath the Adventure

What sets Andalas apart isn’t just its open-world ambition, but its emotional grounding. Busy Beaver Studio has woven a dual narrative — one following the boy’s fantastical quest, and another reflecting the quiet struggles of a sickly child in the real world. The connection between the two stories remains under wraps, but the team hints that it will explore themes of health, hope, and perseverance.

Backing this emotional ambition is a soundtrack that seeks to heighten the game’s atmosphere, lending weight to its reflective moments. Busy Beaver’s attention to tone and music shows a clear understanding that emotional storytelling requires more than words — it needs texture, silence, and sound.

Balancing Ambition and Reality

There’s no denying that Andalas is a daring project — especially for a studio of around a dozen developers. Yet the decision to launch in Early Access in 2026 suggests a measured approach. By rolling out content gradually, Busy Beaver hopes to maintain quality while keeping the dream sustainable.

For now, Andalas: Realms of Eternal Lights stands as a testament to how far Indonesian game development has come. It’s bold, heartfelt, and unafraid to blend fantasy and humanity — proof that even small studios can dream on a grand scale.