Tales of Domovoi

As part of the Tranzfuser programme, our team, Cat Paw Studio, successfully produced a demo prototype of our concept game, Tales of Domovoi, within a three-month development period.

CatPawStudio’s Tales of Domovoi Tralier edited by RaiHaus

About Tales of Domovoi

Tales of Domovoi is a story-rich adventure RPG set in a beautifully crafted 3D pixel-art world inspired by the magic and mystery of Slavic folklore.

Players step into the role of Domovoi, a quirky house spirit with a kind heart, as he embarks on a heartfelt quest to seal away the ancient darkness of Chernobog. Along the journey, players forge unlikely friendships with mythical gods, face whimsical yet fearsome foes in dynamic deck-building, turn-based combat, and uncover the forgotten secrets that bind this world together.

Venture through enchanted landscapes brimming with wonder, danger, and centuries of lore. Discover the interactive bestiary, where every creature is rooted in real Slavic mythology; each entry breathing life into the legends that inspired it.

In Tales of Domovoi, every choice matters. Through non-linear dialogue and meaningful decisions, players shape their own path and bring a cast of eccentric, heartfelt characters to life.

At its core, Tales of Domovoi is a love letter to Slavic folklore; a celebration of myth, memory, and tradition. It was created with the aim of preserving and sharing the rich cultural heritage of Eastern Europe through the universal language of storytelling and play.


About Tranzfuser

In early 2025, I co-founded an indie game development team called Cat Paw Studio alongside Elina Bodnar and Mohammed Makda. As close university friends who shared a deep passion for storytelling and world-building through games, we decided to create something of our own; a project that reflected our creativity, our cultures, and our love for the medium. Together, we applied to take part in the UK Games Fund’s Tranzfuser programme, eager to take our first steps into the games industry.

We were a team of recently graduated game development students from the University of Bradford, based in Yorkshire and proudly multicultural, with members from Ukraine, Nepal, Bosnia, and India. What united us was more than just our majors, it was our shared belief that games have the power to connect people through emotion and storytelling. Our goal was to craft experiences that feel personal, meaningful, and heartwarming.

With our debut project, Tales of Domovoi, we set out to celebrate Slavic folklore; a cultural heritage rich in magic, mystery, and humanity. While it occasionally appears in Western games, it remains largely underexplored. We wanted to change that: to introduce players not just to the familiar legends, but to the lesser-known spirits, creatures, and tales that have shaped the storytelling traditions of Eastern Europe.

According to the programme, “Tranzfuser supports UK graduates to build successful video game development studios, giving them the freedom and space to develop the games they want to make and see others play.” It seeks “confident graduate teams that can turn a prototype idea into a commercial business,” while helping participants strengthen skills in “business development, taking a game to market, community building, industry networking, and pitching.”

Through Tranzfuser, we not only grew as developers but also gained invaluable insight into the realities of running an indie studio from managing production pipelines to adapting creatively when faced with technical or design challenges. As a young team taking our first steps into professional development, the programme provided an incredible platform to bring our vision to life, expand our skills, and better understand the challenges game development teams encounter. It was a huge leap for us, but within just three months, we transformed our idea from a simple concept into a fully playable demo, supported by sustainable development and business plans for the future.

Protoplay

For the final showcase of the Tranzfuser programme, our team travelled to Dundee, Scotland, to present Tales of Domovoi at the ProtoPlay Festival which was a public event celebrating indie games and new talent. It was our first time showing the game outside of a university setting, and it became one of the most rewarding experiences of our journey.

The event was a huge success for us. We had players of all ages and backgrounds stop by our booth: from children and families to fellow developers and industry professionals. The response was overwhelmingly positive. Many non-Slavic players told us they were intrigued and inspired to learn more about the folklore behind our creatures and stories, while Slavic visitors expressed heartfelt appreciation for seeing parts of their culture represented in a game. Some shared childhood memories and stories, which was deeply moving for us; it reminded us why we wanted to make Tales of Domovoi in the first place.

Our core design of blending deck-building combat with a narrative-driven RPG structure, proved to be particularly engaging. It attracted a wide audience, from strategic players who enjoyed experimenting with different card combinations to story-focused players who were drawn in by the world and characters. The 2.5D pixel-art aesthetic also stood out as one of the game’s highlights, praised for its balance of modern visual design and nostalgic charm.

Beyond the positive reception, ProtoPlay offered us invaluable insight into how players experience and interpret our work. Seeing genuine reactions in real time helped us identify what resonated most (both emotionally and mechanically) and gave us a stronger sense of confidence as developers.

Showcase at ProtoPlay Dundee 2025

  • Tales of Domovoi Stall

  • Tranzfuser 2025 Teams

  • Cat Paw Studio — (from left to right: Mohammed Makda, Elina Bodnar, Raihaus)

  • Visitors experiencing our game demo

  • Visitors experiencing our game demo

  • Cat Paw Studio — (from left to right: Mohammed Makda, Raihaus, Elina Bodnar)

  • Visitors experiencing our game demo

  • Visitors experiencing our game demo

  • Visitors experiencing our game demo

  • Visitors experiencing our game demo

  • Visitors experiencing our game demo

  • Visitors experiencing our game demo

  • Cat Paw Studio with fellow tranzfuser team Nostalgicat

Post Tranzfuser

Although Tales of Domovoi was a great success during the live showcase, after the conclusion of Tranzfuser, we made the decision to go our separate ways to explore new creative directions and professional opportunities. It was a choic that allowed each of us to take what we had learned and continue growing in our respective paths.

Looking back, the Tranzfuser experience and our time at ProtoPlay marked a defining milestone in our journey. We began as students with a shared dream and, within a few months, transformed that dream into a playable, heartfelt experience that connected with real players.

Awards & Recognitions