A new independent project from Bulgaria is aiming to reshape how players experience history in video games. Binded Souls, the debut title from Oreshak-based studio Cyrillic Digital, is a Hardcore Quest RPG that combines real historical events, Bulgarian folklore, and futuristic storytelling into a single, interconnected experience.
Behind the project are art director Kalcho Mareshki and lead programmer Svilen Dimitrov, joined by mentor Atanas Neychev, who brings experience from data analysis and creative industries. The game is currently in development, with a demo planned for release soon. It will be available on major platforms including Steam and Epic Games Store. Even in its early stage, the project stands out for its ambition: to turn history itself into an interactive system shaped by player choice.
Binded Souls begins in a futuristic setting before sending players back into the past, where their decisions influence the future they came from. This time-loop structure is central to the game’s identity, turning cause and effect into a core gameplay mechanic. Players will encounter historical figures such as Vasil Levski, as well as major events like the battles of Shipka and Doiran. These moments are not presented as passive storytelling, but as interactive experiences where player actions can subtly shift outcomes and interpretations.
Alongside historical accuracy, Binded Souls integrates Bulgarian folklore and mythology into its world design. Rather than presenting myths as direct fantasy elements, the game uses environmental storytelling; embedding folklore into landscapes, objects, and subtle visual cues. Mythological beings inspired by regional legends appear throughout the game, often in ambiguous or atmospheric ways. Encounters with creatures like samodivas and other regional entities are designed to blur the line between reality and myth, reinforcing the game’s mysterious tone. The developers emphasize that folklore is not simply added as decoration, but woven into the world’s identity, making it feel alive and culturally grounded.
The creators describe Binded Souls as a “Hardcore Quest RPG”, a genre focused on challenge, exploration, and player responsibility. Unlike traditional RPGs, the game avoids heavy guidance systems. There are no obvious quest markers or constant hints, meaning players must rely on observation, logic, and knowledge to progress. Puzzles and quests are designed to reflect both the internal logic of the world and real historical context. In some cases, understanding Bulgarian history may directly help players solve challenges, making external knowledge part of the gameplay itself. The protagonist is not portrayed as a traditional hero, but as an individual trying to understand their place in a larger historical and emotional system. The focus is less on power and more on meaning, identity, and consequence.
The game is built in third-person, a choice aimed at increasing immersion and emotional connection to the character and world. Exploration plays a key role, especially as players uncover hidden layers of history and mythology across different regions. The developers describe their approach as “narration through environment”, where storytelling happens through spaces rather than exposition. This allows the world to communicate its history organically, without interrupting gameplay flow.
The upcoming demo is expected to give players their first real opportunity to experience the game’s philosophy in action — one where exploration replaces guidance, history becomes interactive, and every choice carries weight.
If Binded Souls succeeds in delivering on its vision, it may not only introduce a new Bulgarian studio to the global gaming scene, but also demonstrate how regional history and mythology can be transformed into compelling modern interactive experiences.