CaTHaRSiS ~The Last of Atelier~ Turns Famous Paintings Into 3D Worlds

Kodansha Creators' Lab and solo developer Mana revealed CaTHaRSiS ~The Last of Atelier~, an immersive art adventure that turns famous paintings into explorable 3D worlds, coming to PC via Steam in 2026. Players control a nameless being who awakens in an empty white void with no knowledge of humanity, guided by a mysterious voice toward ten iconic paintings that each serve as a doorway into a fully realized world. Vincent van Gogh's section spans three connected pieces: The Starry Night, Café Terrace at Night, and Sunflowers, moving between a star-filled sky, a nighttime cafe, and fields of blooming sunflowers. Claude Monet's Woman with a Parasol becomes an open, green meadow players can run through freely, while Gustav Klimt's The Kiss forms a gold-covered environment centered on the protagonist beginning to understand emotion and love for the first time. Each painting-world uses its own distinct playstyle rather than a single unified format, shifting between full 3D exploration, side-scrolling sections, and quieter boat rides depending on the piece. Two companions join the journey throughout: a wolf representing instinct and wildness, and an owl representing wisdom and reason, each offering different traversal abilities, speed from the wolf and flight from the owl, to help uncover hidden depths within every painting. Mana said one of the guiding principles behind CaTHaRSiS was giving players a way to 'experience famous works in brilliant new ways,' framing the reimagined interpretations as something a traditional museum visit can't replicate. Inspired by time spent living abroad, Mana began developing games in Unreal Engine and won Epic Games' Unreal Contest 5 before joining Kodansha Creators' Lab in February 2024, with CaTHaRSiS serving as their debut title. CaTHaRSiS ~The Last of Atelier~ will support English and Japanese text at launch. The game is available to wishlist now on Steam ahead of its 2026 release. Copyright The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved This story was originally published September 8, 2026 at 12:48 PM.