Alpha V2 was the second pre-alpha version of a project titled simply Stele. It was developed by a now-defunct studio called Hollow Hearth Interactive (based in Ljubljana, Slovenia). The team disbanded in late 2024 after a failed Kickstarter. Alpha V2 was leaked in March 2025.
Unlike Alpha V1 (a technical demo of the stele-rendering engine), V2 includes: The Demon--39-s Stele The Dog Princess -Alpha V2....
The transition from the original alpha to Alpha V2 represents a complete thematic overhaul. Here are the key changes documented in the patch notes (if the stele were a game): Alpha V2 was the second pre-alpha version of
| Feature | Alpha V1 (Discarded) | Alpha V2 (Current) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Protagonist | Generic demon warrior | The Dog Princess (tragic antihero) | | Stele's Purpose | A prison | A hospice / prison | | Combat | Summon imps | Summon ghost hounds that feel pain (ethical dilemma) | | Endings | Destroy the Stele or rule Hell | Free the Princess (she becomes a mortal, blind dog) or merge with her (become a were-hound judge) | | Visual Tone | Red/black, spikes, fire | Wet stone, rusted iron, muddy paw prints on marble | Alpha V2 was leaked in March 2025
The most controversial addition in Alpha V2 is the Loyalty System. The Stele tracks not your alignment (good/evil), but your consistency. If you act like a tyrant but secretly free one prisoner, the Dog Princess refuses to aid you for three cycles. She remembers contradictions.
A "stele" is an ancient stone or wooden slab, usually upright, bearing inscriptions. In this universe, the Demon’s Stele is no ordinary monument. It is a one-way mirror between worlds.