Kernel Hearts is an action RPG about magical girls fighting angels to save the world, but it's far more than that. The game and its characters are a love letter to two cultures that have shaped the lives of the developers. Japanese culture inspired the art, story, and language itself, while Argentine culture—the home of developer Ephemera Games—permeates everything, down to protagonist Fernet drinking yerba mate during her idle animations.

The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic Patagonia, telling the story of a world that has collapsed and is rebuilding. While post-apocalyptic settings aren't uncommon in games, the Argentine team is uniquely positioned to tell this familiar story in a new way by combining elements of their favorite games into something entirely new.

Kernel Hearts was born from a game jam in 2020 as a rough concept for the world of Babel, with the game's style developed over years. Game Director Akira says that long action RPGs and JRPGs have always held a special place in his heart, but like many players, his ability to get engrossed in those games has changed—not because of the games themselves, but because the time available to play shifts with age.

The team asked: What if they could combine the epic stories they love with the bite-sized runtimes of a roguelike? This combination of story-driven gameplay in short chunks captured the attention of Whitethorn Games, representing a style yet unseen in their catalog.

The Four Characters of the M.A.H.O.U Unit

The four characters of the M.A.H.O.U unit are vital to both story and gameplay. Akira defined a guiding principle for their design: “A character shouldn't just have a different weapon. You should be able to watch a few seconds of gameplay and immediately understand something about their personality. Their animations, silhouettes, magic, movement, and even the rhythm of their attacks all have to tell you who that person is.”

A character shouldn't just have a different weapon. You should be able to watch a few seconds of gameplay and immediately understand something about their personality. Their animations, silhouettes, magic, movement, and even the rhythm of their attacks all have to tell you who that person is.

This philosophy shaped each character distinctly. Fernet fights with swords and spirits, making her the most versatile team member. Spika uses a katana with clean, disciplined attacks reflecting her personality. Laika is the most physically imposing, with a massive sword and heavy attacks to match. Dolce incorporates performance and dance into her fighting style—a nod to familiar magical girl tropes in pop culture.

Kernel Hearts can be completed solo, but the developers created a story about a squad teaming up against the insurmountable, believing multiplayer feels integral to the experience. The game is fully playable in both single-player and co-op modes, though the developers encourage multiplayer where possible.

Kernel Hearts is filled with action-packed fights, beautiful scenery, and fields of enemies. This project, nearly six years in the making, represents the combined effort of Ephemera Games and Whitethorn Games.