Saraab: Beyond the Veil

Rose: For someone who has never heard of your game, how would you describe it without using the usual genre labels?

Saraab follows Elham, a young girl trying to save her brother while facing things she has spent a long time avoiding within herself. Her everyday world gradually becomes unfamiliar, and she encounters supernatural beings inspired by Arab and Gulf folklore. But the journey isn’t only about what’s haunting her. It’s also about family, fear, and the beliefs we carry about ourselves. As Elham confronts painful truths, she begins to discover strengths she didn’t know she had. I wanted it to be unsettling, but also
hopeful, a story where facing the darkness can change reality.

Rose: Where did the idea for this game come from?

It started with a question I asked myself: what story do I genuinely want to tell, and what kind of game do I wish there were more of? I kept coming back to healing, not as something that happens neatly at the end of a story, but as the journey itself. I wanted to follow someone who begins afraid and uncertain, and gradually learns to face what she has buried. The folklore and setting grew around that emotional foundation. I live in Dubai, and drawing on Gulf environments and the stories surrounding djinn gave the game a world I felt close to. It brought together my love of emotional storytelling, supernatural mysteries, and music.

Rose: What makes your game different from other games in the same space?

I think it’s the relationship between fear and healing. In Saraab, healing isn’t just a theme in the dialogue. It moves the story forward and allows Elham to unlock new powers. Her growth comes from confronting things rather than simply becoming better
at fighting them. The Gulf and Arab folklore influences also give the game its own identity. The djinn encounters draw inspiration from existing tales and beliefs, while details in the environments reflect the region in quieter ways. Some of the backgrounds were inspired by a city called Khorfakkan, with its mountains, residential areas, and coastal surroundings.
The horror, setting, and emotional journey are meant to support each other, rather than feel like separate layers.

Rose: Was there anything you had to cut that you still secretly wish you could put back?

There wasn’t anything major that we cut thankfully.

Rose: What is something players probably won’t realize took an absurd amount of work?

Getting the character art right. My artist and I spent months refining the style, looking for a balance between anime influences and a more realistic look. We had a clear sense of who Elham was, but translating that into a design that felt right wasn’t straightforward. Her expressions were especially important because so much of the story depends on what she is feeling, including things she doesn’t say directly. When players see the finished characters, I hope they feel natural within the world. They probably won’t see all the revisions behind that, but finally seeing them come to life in the game was incredibly rewarding.

Rose: What is the weirdest bug you’ve encountered that you almost wanted to keep?

Coding wise thankfully was mostly straightforward so we didn’t have major bugs. We love Ren’py over here!

Rose: Is there a particular emotion you wanted players to walk away with from your game?

More than anything, I want them to feel that they’re not alone.
Elham’s circumstances include supernatural things, but the feelings underneath them, the fear, isolation, family expectations, and struggling to understand yourself are very human. I hope players recognize something of themselves in her without needing to
have lived through the same experiences. I also want there to be hope. Not the kind that pretends everything is easy, but the
feeling that change is possible, even when facing yourself is uncomfortable. The unsettling parts matter, but they aren’t the final thing I want to leave people with.

Rose: What’s one piece of advice you wish you’d had before starting?

Honestly, it would be to give myself more time. I set myself a target of launching the game within a year and held myself to it. I knew development would take time away from other parts of my life, so I thought keeping it within a shorter timeframe would help
limit that. Instead, I put myself under pressure I could have avoided. I understand why I made that decision, but I wouldn’t do that to myself again. Next time, I’d give the project more room without making the deadline quite so rigid.

Rose: Five years from now, what do you hope people remember about this game?

I hope they remember how it made them feel, and that Elham’s journey stayed with them in some way. Maybe it helped them look at a fear differently, recognize an old belief they were carrying, or feel a little less alone. I’d also love for them to remember the music. Composing it has been the most meaningful and enjoyable part of development for me. I used recurring melodies that
change with the story, so a familiar musical idea can feel lonely in one moment and very different in another.
If someone hears a theme years later and remembers what they felt during the game, that would mean a lot to me.

Rose: Why should someone reading/watching this go play your game today?

If you enjoy stories where the supernatural mystery and the character’s inner journey are closely connected, I’d love for you to try Saraab. You’ll meet Elham, step into a world inspired by Gulf environments and folklore, and get a sense of the story through its atmosphere, art, and original music. The horror isn’t only about encountering something frightening it’s also about what happens when you can no longer avoid the things you’re afraid to face.
The demo is available now, so you can experience the beginning for yourself. I hope it leaves you curious about both the world and the person Elham might become.

Rose: After everything you’ve told us, can you officially confirm that your game is, in fact, probably a game? Why should we believe you?

It has choices, achievements, and ways to get the protagonist killed, so I think the evidence is fairly strong.
Although it’s called Saraab, which means “mirage,” so perhaps I’m not the most reliable person to ask. You should probably play it and investigate for yourself.