Korean developer Cherry Picker has recently shared an update on the development of D1AL-ogue+, the follow-up to their cyberpunk puzzle game D1AL-ogue. The team revealed that the sequel will tackle the soundtrack and localization problems encountered in the original title. However, due to financial constraints and personal monetary challenges, the studio is now seeking crowdfunding to fund the project.
D1AL-ogue is a free indie game that launched on February 5 for Steam. Set in the cyberpunk city of Chroma City, the narrative follows protagonist Chris, who becomes the manager of a dimly lit repair clinic. His clients are female androids known as Electronic Vital Entities (E.V.E), and Chris must use an old-fashioned diagnostic console (D1AL) to solve a series of circular three-match puzzles, repairing both their bodies and minds. The game has earned an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam with over 2,942 reviews since its release, which prompted the developers to announce the sequel, D1AL-ogue+, on March 10.
The original game has faced some criticism over localization issues. Beyond general translation errors in the Japanese version, reviews noted the unnatural use of gendered language, along with second-person pronouns and sentence-ending particles that seemed impolite. To resolve this, Cherry Picker has actively recruited translation support, and corrections are reportedly in progress.
Regarding the soundtrack, the demo initially featured AI-generated music, which raised concerns among players. As a result, the developers replaced these tracks with open-source music and songs from Unity’s Asset Store.
In response to the studio’s announcement, some players suggested that Cherry Picker could fund the sequel by selling physical copies or DLC. However, since D1AL-ogue was a student project created through Krafton’s Jungle Game Lab program, the studio was contractually required to release it for free. The inability to monetize the game is also one of the reasons the studio is now developing a sequel.
Additionally, because Kickstarter is not accessible in South Korea, Cherry Picker is urgently searching for alternative funding options or any assistance to keep the project going. While the team’s chosen platform or funding method remains uncertain, those interested in supporting the developers should watch Cherry Picker’s official X account for updates.
D1AL-ogue is available on Steam.
Mido