Stardust: Wish of Witch Interview

Tactical RPGs rarely go full Anime in style when it comes to the worlds they entice players to inhabit. In Kniv Studio’s Stardust: Wish of Witch there is a heavy dose of Anime styling mixed in with an intriguing combat system and whimsical world that they explore with the excitable Star and her childhood friend, the laid-back Yu.  Joining RPGamer today is Hong Jong Hyun, Producer and Studio Head at Kniv Studio to answer a few questions about the game and the reception since its May 28, 2026 release on Steam.

Ryan Costa (RPGamer): Stardust: Wish of Witch has been released for a few weeks now.  What has surprised you the most with public sentiment to the game?

Hong Jong Hyun: What surprised us the most was how closely players noticed the smaller details we had spent so much time on. We expected people to talk about the pixel art or the card-based combat system, but many players pointed out very specific moments: a small character reaction in a story scene, the timing of a counterattack, or how a particular combo made them feel clever in battle.

We were also grateful for how honest the feedback has been. As a small indie team, releasing the game was both exciting and nerve-racking. Seeing players enjoy the characters, the animation, and the tactical battles has been incredibly encouraging, while the criticism around balance, usability, and interface clarity has helped us understand what we need to improve next.

RPGamer: There is a lot of care added into every animation on the character sprites, was it difficult to get their varied reactions exactly how the team wanted them to look?  Were there any enemies deemed too difficult to animate that ended up being cut from the game?

HJH: Yes, it was very difficult, but it was also one of the most important parts of the project for us. We wanted the sprites to feel like they were acting, not just moving. A character’s personality had to come through in their posture, timing, facial expression, and even in very short reaction animations.

For enemies, we tried to avoid adding designs only for the sake of variety. Each enemy needed a clear combat role and a memorable visual identity. There were ideas that had to be simplified or postponed because of production limits, but we did not want to include something unless we could animate it at a quality level that matched the rest of the game.

RPGamer: Every scene feels like how it would play out as a television program.  How much work went into making sure each story scene had movements that flowed with the situations they were depicting?

HJH: A lot of work went into that. From early in development, we did not want story scenes to feel like static dialogue boxes. We wanted them to feel staged, almost like small animated scenes. That meant we had to think not only about the dialogue itself, but also about where each character was standing, when they should move, when they should pause, and how the camera should support the emotion of the moment.

Many scenes went through several passes. We would adjust a small gesture, change the timing of a reaction, or add a brief movement to make the conversation feel more natural. It is time-consuming, but it is also where the characters become alive. For a story-driven RPG, we felt that was worth the effort.

RPGamer: Chaining cards make attacks feel as though the party could defeat armies.  How difficult was it to avoid making players feel too powerful in combat situations?

HJH: It was one of the hardest balance challenges. We wanted players to feel powerful when they successfully connected cards, positioned their characters well, and planned around counters or combos. That feeling of turning the battle around is very important to Stardust.

At the same time, if that power is too easy to access, the tactical tension disappears. So we tried to make powerful turns depending on several conditions: mana, positioning, cooldowns, enemy behavior, and the order in which cards are played. Ideally, when a player creates a huge combo, they should feel that it happened because they understood the system, not because the game simply handed it to them.

RPGamer: Was it difficult to find ways to make each playable character feel unique in presentation and abilities?

HJH: Yes, but it was also very fun. We did not want the characters to feel like units with different stats only. Their personality, role in the story, voice, animations, and combat abilities all needed to point in the same direction.

When we designed a character, we asked questions like: How would this character move? Would they rush forward, support from behind, build up power over time, or create opportunities for others? Their skills were designed around those answers. We wanted players to recognize a character not only by their portrait or dialogue, but also by the rhythm of how they fight.

RPGamer: As Stardust: Wish of Witch progresses how many skills will each playable character be able to obtain?  Will equipping different abilities allow for greater variety in character builds?

HJH: Each playable character is designed with a pool of around fifteen skill cards. Players do not bring every skill into battle at once, so choosing which cards to equip before a stage is an important part of preparation.

This creates room for different builds, even within the same character. A character can be set up to focus more on combos, counterattacks, high-cost burst damage, utility, or support depending on the cards selected and the party composition. Since only a limited number of characters and cards can be brought into battle, we wanted preparation to feel like part of the strategy, not just something players do between fights.

RPGamer: The colourful art style lends to a more cheerful outlook as befitting the protagonist Star’s personality.  Does the story maintain this light-hearted cheerfulness throughout, or should players be wary of dealing with dark subject matter at some point?

HJH: Stardust begins with a bright and adventurous tone, and that feeling is closely tied to Star’s personality. She is energetic, sincere, and full of hope, so we wanted the early parts of the game to feel colorful and uplifting, like the beginning of a classic fantasy journey.

However, the story gradually becomes more serious as it progresses. In the latter half, as the truth behind Star’s secret begins to unfold, the tone shifts into something more emotional and dramatic. The conflict between the Guild and opposing forces grows stronger, and the story begins to focus more on the weight of destiny placed on one young girl’s shoulders.

That said, we did not want Stardust to become a purely dark or cynical story. Even when the stakes become heavier, the heart of the game remains hopeful. At its core, it is a story about a girl carrying a fate larger than herself, and about the people around her trying to reach, protect, and ultimately save her. We wanted the contrast between the cheerful beginning and the more serious later chapters to make Star’s journey feel more meaningful.

RPGamer: As a smaller indie studio, how difficult was it to collaborate with the voice actors on integrating their recorded lines into the game?  Was the animation for the sprites completed first to give a guideline to the performances?

HJH: It was a big challenge for us. Full voice acting is not a small decision for an indie team, especially when the game has so many animated story scenes. But once we saw how much personality the characters had on screen, we felt that voices would help complete them.

The animation was not fully finished before recording. In many cases, we prepared the overall scene direction, rough timing, and early animation first, then recorded the lines based on that context. After that, we adjusted the final sprite animation, facial reactions, and timing to better match the performances. The voice acting influenced the animation, and the animation also guided the voice acting, so it became a very collaborative process.

RPGamer: The score has a tendency to evoke both whimsy and nostalgia that connects so easily with the visual presentation.  How far into the design process was the music composed?

HJH: Music was not something we treated as a final layer added at the end. From fairly early in development, we discussed what kind of feeling the game should leave with players. Stardust needed to feel adventurous, warm, and nostalgic, but also energetic enough to support tactical battles.

Once the tone of a chapter, scene, or battle was clear, we worked on the music alongside the rest of the presentation. We wanted the soundtrack to support the pixel art and story without overwhelming them. The goal was to make the music feel like it belonged to the same world as the characters: playful at times, emotional at times, and familiar in a way that reminds players of classic RPGs without simply copying them.

RPGamer: There are moments in the marketing presentation that Stardust: Wish of Witch leans towards classic sensibilities and the charm of nostalgic RPGs.  How important was it to the team to pay homage to its inspirations, while balancing its own path forward?

HJH: It was very important. Stardust was definitely made by people who love classic tactical RPGs and the warmth of older fantasy adventures. We wanted to respect that feeling: the charm of a party setting out on a journey, expressive pixel characters, dramatic battles, and a world that feels inviting.

But homage alone was not enough. We did not want to simply recreate the games we loved. That is why the card system, counterattacks, combo chains, and cinematic sprite presentation became so central to Stardust. The classic SRPG foundation gave us a familiar emotional language, but the card-based decision-making gave the game its own identity. Our goal was to make something that feels nostalgic in spirit, but modern in how it plays.

RPGamer: What is something that you would love to share about the game not discussed above?

HJH: One thing we would love to share is that Stardust is a game made with a lot of sincerity. It is our first commercial title, and almost every part of it reflects something we personally love: tactical RPGs, animated pixel art, character-driven storytelling, card-based decision-making, and the feeling of going on an adventure with companions.

We know there are still things we can improve, and we want to keep listening to players after release. But we hope people can feel the heart behind the game. Stardust is not only about winning battles; it is about watching these characters move, argue, laugh, struggle, and grow together. If players finish the game feeling attached to Star, Yu, and the rest of the cast, that would mean a lot to us.

An homage to classical tactical RPGs that takes some risks with a card cooldown system and an anime visual style, Stardust: Wish of Witch is made with a lot of care in the details.  Thank you to Hong Jong Hyun, Producer and Studio Head of Kniv Studio for answering RPGamer’s questions and to Samantha Low of Neon Noroshi for making it all happen.  Those interested in Stardust: Wish of Witch can find it available now on Steam.