Inside Shadows of the Afterland with Rubén López

2025-08-18

This week on the Classic Gamers Guild Podcast, we step into the afterlife, but not the peaceful kind. Anna, one half of the CGG Podcast, sits down with Rubén López, one half of Aruma Studios, to talk about their upcoming point-and-click adventure Shadows of the Afterland. If their debut Intruder in Antiquonia was about memory and resisting modernity, this one’s about being dead before you’re even born, and trying to change your destiny. Rubén pulls back the curtain on designing a supernatural murder mystery set in 196...

This week on the Classic Gamers Guild Podcast, we step into the afterlife, but not the peaceful kind. Anna, one half of the CGG Podcast, sits down with Rubén López, one half of Aruma Studios, to talk about their upcoming point-and-click adventure Shadows of the Afterland. If their debut Intruder in Antiquonia was about memory and resisting modernity, this one’s about being dead before you’re even born, and trying to change your destiny.

Rubén pulls back the curtain on designing a supernatural murder mystery set in 1960s Madrid, building an afterlife where bureaucracy still reigns, and giving players control of so many unique characters through a tactical possession mechanic. We dig into how Galician folklore seeps into the game’s design, what it takes to rebuild an entire custom engine from scratch, and why full voice acting is now part of the plan.

From puzzle design philosophy to the realities of running a two-person studio, this conversation is a deep dive into ambitious indie development, ghostly storytelling, and the fine art of making possession both strategic and fun. Plus, hear about the game’s brand-new demo update, massive performance boosts, and plans for release on PC and Nintendo Switch.

Play our adventure game! The Phantom Fellows is out now!

GOG

Steam

itch.io

Fireflower

Mac App Store

The Phantom Fellows Pin/Magnet by CanvasQuest!

The Phantom Fellows Players Companion (Guide to Must-See Moments!)

Shek out our friends in the Adventure Game Hotspot Network:

Space Quest Historian's I played 4 more games that devs sent to me for free

Adventure Game Geek's Carol Reed Mystery Tour - Part 1 - Carol's Apartment

-Carol Reed Mystery Tour - Part 2 - Location Hunting