From the darkness, through the gates.
A small studio. Big ambitions. We craft dark, challenging, handcrafted games — worlds built with patience, purpose, and a deep love for the genre.
We are a small, passionate indie studio united by a love for challenging games, dark lore, and cats.
Owl Ideas was founded with one mission: to create games that respect the player's intelligence and reward perseverance. We draw inspiration from the classics of the Soulslike genre and the timeless appeal of 2D action platformers — then add our own twist.
Nine Lives is our debut — a dark, atmospheric adventure in which you play as a cat descending through the nine circles of Hell. Every mechanic, every circle, every story beat is crafted by hand, with care and intention.
We believe the best games are the ones that linger — worlds that feel lived-in, stories that ask questions, lore that rewards the curious.
Difficulty isn't punishment — it's respect. Every obstacle is designed to teach, test, and ultimately empower the player.
No procedural shortcuts. Every mechanic, every level, every story beat is crafted by hand, with care and intention.
We built our own game engine from the ground up. No off-the-shelf frameworks — every system is designed and written by us, for the exact experiences we want to deliver.
By owning the full stack, we eliminate unnecessary overhead and tailor performance to our needs. Every frame, every physics tick, every render call is intentional.
Our own engine means we are never constrained by a third party's limitations or roadmap. We push our vision as far as it needs to go — without compromise.
Our debut title. A dark, atmospheric 2D Soulslike where you descend through nine circles of Hell as a cat warrior — nine lives to spend, one soul to save. Currently in development.
Socials