Custodian: Beginning of the End (v2022.01.29)

High above a ruined world, the last remnants of humanity cling to the vast branches of the World Tree while an unnatural fog turns everything below into monsters. Custodian: Beginning of the End is a dark indie RPG built around isolation, mystery, and the feeling that safety is only temporary. You play a wandering member of the Custodians, an order sworn to defend this elevated refuge and uncover the truth behind both the fog and the survivors’ strange new existence. Its atmosphere leans bleak and contemplative rather than heroic, with every discovery suggesting that the end of the world has left more questions than answers.

Exploration drives the experience as the Custodian searches through a world governed by unfamiliar rules, following clues and pushing into areas where the answers are rarely obvious. The game frames progress as an act of persistence: secrets, hidden paths, and pieces of lore reward players who examine their surroundings instead of rushing toward the next objective. As an RPG, it places the protagonist at the center of a larger mystery, using the role of protector and investigator to give exploration narrative weight. The hostile fog and the creatures it creates establish a constant sense of danger, while the refuge in the branches offers a compelling contrast between fragile civilization and the nightmare beneath it.

What stands out most is the setting itself: a post-war apocalypse suspended above the clouds, where the supposed sanctuary may be as enigmatic as the disaster it escaped. Rather than relying on a standard medieval fantasy map or a familiar zombie outbreak, it uses the World Tree and its fog-corrupted lower world to create a more surreal, almost dreamlike backdrop. Players who enjoy cryptic environmental storytelling, somber RPG worlds, and uncovering optional secrets should find plenty to investigate. It is best suited to patient explorers who like the uncertain mood of dark fantasy adventures and prefer gradually piecing together a world’s history over being handed every answer upfront.