Éalú
Release date: Oct 2, 2025
Developers: Beyond the Bark
Publishers: Beyond the Bark
Genres: Adventure, Casual, Indie
Categories: Single-player, Steam Achievements, Color Alternatives, Mouse Only Option, Playable without Timed Input, Family Sharing
Supported languages: English, Irish

In a cozy, quiet nest at the heart of a stone-and-wood labyrinth, a clockwork mouse sleeps — and dreams of the outside world. When it awakens, the only way forward is through. To escape, the mouse must rely on clever thinking, keen senses, and hope — despite past failures. The maze is filled with locked doors, cryptic puzzles, and lurking dangers. But maybe, this time, freedom is possible. Rock Paper Shotgun 's Edwin Evans-Thirwell wrote 'It's a lovely-looking thing - a 'true stop-motion game' ' PC Gamer 's Ted Litchfield wrote, on previewing Éalú, that it's  '...Somewhat unsettling, like a cross between Myst and Wallace and Gromit⁠—cozy, but also lonely, with flashes of something sinister here and there.' '...I think Beyond the Bark is cooking with a really special, singular atmosphere.' Heybox / 不羁猫探索队 scored Éalú 4/4 and remarked  'The strongest thematic unity of any indie I played this season… its handcrafted stop-motion quality simply cannot be replicated in 3D.' Éalú is a Point & Click Puzzle/Adventure Game Where You: Guide a wooden, clockwork mouse from the maze’s center to its outer edges. Solve environmental puzzles, uncover clues, and have dangerous encounters. Eat cheese! Discover the secrets of the maze — and the story hidden beneath it. Background This game is a spiritual sequel to 'Tomcat Disposables' by Will Wood. If you're keen to know more, said short film can be seen by searching for Tomcat Disposables on YouTube, & gives backstory for our beloved mouse. The themes which inspired our game & its mechanics center on the confusing, sometimes destructive nature of algorithm driven behavioral loops, & the potential to be drawn in by or escape them. An Artistic Experience Lovingly Made by a Tiny Team Based on playtests we anticipate that, for most players, Éalú will be a focused 2 to 5 hour long experience. We put a lot of thought & care into our wordless story & it's themes which are expressed in tandem with phenomenal music, all with a goal of creating a game that feels like controlling a character in a gorgeous silent film. Éalú is a true stop-motion game. Every animation was captured via photography frame-by-frame using real sets, hand-crafted props, and a physical wooden mouse. Over 512 video clips were painstakingly made by a single animator — mostly in a garden shed — and brought to life in Unity by one developer carefully ensuring that each movement flowed into the next. All of the music was composed and recorded specifically for the game by a single composer, and every illustration was drawn by hand. Éalú was made with no budget & no crowdfunding. Just 4 people passionate about the project: Ivan Owen of Beyond the Bark- Game concept, design, animation & writing Benjamin Orr- Game design, Unity development & writing Will Wood- Musical composition, performance & recording JT Paton- Original illustrations & promotional art We hope you enjoy playing Éalú as much as we loved making it. Want to get in touch with us? Feel free to reach out to us at EaluGame@gmail.com 

Press reviews: “a compact, heartfelt experience—a few hours of quiet immersion in a world where every texture was touched by human hands. For lovers of stop motion, this is a must-see milestone: proof that the art form can transcend the screen and become truly interactive.” Stop Motion Magazine “It's a lovely-looking thing... Guiding Éalú's mouse makes me feel at once protective and a bit exposed.” Rock Paper Shotgun “Equal parts beautiful and haunting, it will leave a lasting impression on you long after your quest ends, and your screen turns off.” RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann)