CHARON and STUDIO CHARON have officially released a free SANASANA demo on Steam as of September 2, 2026. The trial lets players begin with the tutorial and continue through the boss battle against Lindsey, offering an early look at both the game's bullet hell mechanics and its dark-fantasy atmosphere.
The full version of SANASANA is still planned for PC in October 2026. Its story follows Sana, a girl searching for three Golden Apples held by witches after learning that gathering them can supposedly grant any wish—including bringing her deceased sister back to life.
Quick Summary
- Title: SANASANA
- Format: video game
- Developer: CHARON and STUDIO CHARON
- Full-game publisher: CHARON and STUDIO CHARON
- Demo publisher: CHARON
- Official Steam genres: Action, Adventure, Indie
- Official gameplay description: vertical-scrolling bullet hell shooter
- Themes: dark fantasy, wishes, sacrifice and madness
- Announced platform: PC via Steam
- Operating system: Windows
- Demo: available free
- Demo release date: September 2, 2026
- Demo scope: tutorial through the Lindsey boss battle
- Playable demo boss: Lindsey
- Full version: unreleased
- Current Steam release window: October 2026
- Earlier target: late October 2026
- Specific release date: unannounced
- Full-game price: unannounced
- Protagonist: Sana
- Sana's goal: revive her deceased sister
- Objects she seeks: three Golden Apples
- Golden Apple legend: collecting all three can grant one wish
- Apple holders: three witches
- Witches' location: the Lost Forest
- Core gameplay: dodge bullet patterns while attacking enemies
- Attack patterns: differ between witches
- Visual attack motifs: petals, light and blade-like projectiles
- Story progression: conversations with witches appear between stages
- Narrative focus: every witch has her own wish, motives and convictions
- Mode: single-player
- Interface/subtitle languages: Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese
- Full audio: not marked as supported in Steam's language table
- Controls: keyboard supported
- Controller: supported
- Recommended controller: Xbox Controller
- Minimum RAM: 4 GB
- Minimum storage: 1 GB
- Minimum OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Current status: demo available, full game awaiting its October release
SANASANA Demo and Gameplay
The Demo Runs Through the Lindsey Boss Fight
The SANASANA demo goes beyond a brief mechanical tutorial. Steam explicitly states that the trial includes content from the tutorial through the boss battle against Lindsey.
That gives players a chance to see how the basic controls develop into a more demanding boss encounter built around dense bullet patterns. The gameplay clip shared by CHARON's official account also shows the vertical play field filling with large groups of projectiles.
The trial is listed as a Free Demo, so players can install it directly through Steam without waiting for the full release.
Sana Is Searching for Three Golden Apples
SANASANA begins after Sana loses someone deeply important to her in an accident. Her journey becomes tied to the legend of three Golden Apples, which are said to grant any wish once all three are gathered.
The apples are held by three witches living deep inside the Lost Forest. Sana sets out to take them in the hope of bringing her sister back from the dead.
The witches are not presented merely as gameplay obstacles. Each carries her own desire, distorted beliefs and reasons for standing in Sana's way.
Beautiful Bullet Patterns Are Still Deadly
SANASANA is built as a vertical-scrolling bullet hell shooter, requiring players to find openings between enemy projectiles while continuing to attack.
Steam describes the game's patterns through imagery such as falling light, scattered petals and blade-like bullets. Individual witches use distinct patterns, giving each major encounter its own visual and mechanical identity.
The developers also describe the controls as accessible enough for newcomers while retaining the density and challenge expected by experienced bullet hell players.
The Story Continues Between Battles
Narrative scenes remain an important part of SANASANA despite its shooter format. Between stages, Sana encounters and speaks with the witches blocking her path.
Those conversations are intended to reveal the motives and personal stories behind her opponents, rather than treating every boss as an isolated target.
The recurring question is the cost of a wish. Sana is prepared to sacrifice almost anything to bring her sister back, while the witches she confronts carry desires and forms of obsession of their own.
The Full Game Is Still Planned for October 2026
Steam currently lists October 2026 as the planned release window for the full version of SANASANA.
When the game was formally introduced in July, STUDIO CHARON was targeting late October 2026. No exact calendar date has been announced, making October the safest current release information.
Pricing also remains unannounced. The full Steam page is open for wishlisting, while players interested in trying its mechanics now have the newly released free demo.
Why This Matters
1) The demo reaches a proper boss encounter
Players are not limited to learning the controls; they can see how the bullet hell systems operate during the Lindsey battle.
2) Shooter mechanics and storytelling share the spotlight
Between-stage conversations give the witches motives and stories rather than separating the narrative entirely from combat.
3) Bullet patterns help define each opponent
Petals, blades and light are used as distinctive projectile motifs, giving encounters different visual identities.
4) The trial arrives before the October launch
Players can now test the controls, PC performance and overall game feel ahead of the full version.
Game Information
For now, the additional important information currently known includes:
- SANASANA Demo officially released on Steam on September 2, 2026
- the demo is free to play
- the demo uses Steam App ID 5039560
- the full game uses Steam App ID 4383840
- the demo contains the tutorial through the Lindsey boss battle
- the demo is a single-player game demo
- the full game is also designed as a single-player experience
- SANASANA is developed by CHARON and STUDIO CHARON
- the full game is published by CHARON and STUDIO CHARON
- Steam currently lists the planned release as October 2026
- an earlier developer announcement targeted late October
- no specific October release date has been announced
- the full-game price remains unannounced
- the protagonist is Sana
- Sana's central goal is collecting three Golden Apples
- the story's legend says the three apples can grant one wish
- three witches living in the Lost Forest hold the Golden Apples
- gameplay uses a vertical-scrolling perspective
- players dodge bullet patterns while attacking enemies
- each witch uses different projectile patterns
- character conversations take place between stages
- the developer presents the game as a dark-fantasy shooter about wishes and sacrifice
- Japanese, English, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese interfaces and subtitles are supported
- full audio is not marked as supported in the Steam language table
- keyboard controls are available
- controllers are supported, with Xbox Controller recommended
- the minimum OS is Windows 10 64-bit
- the minimum processor is Intel Core i3-6100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- minimum memory is 4 GB RAM
- minimum graphics are a DirectX 10-compatible GPU, with Intel HD Graphics 4000 or higher given as the reference
- DirectX 10 is required
- the listed storage requirement is 1 GB of available space
- a DirectX-compatible sound card is listed in the requirements
- the currently listed recommended specifications are essentially the same as the minimum requirements
- the demo is available through SANASANA Demo on Steam
- the full game and wishlist are available through SANASANA on Steam
- developer updates are available through CHARON Official X
- developer information is available through the CHARON Official Website
Closing
The SANASANA demo provides the first direct opportunity to try the vertical bullet hell, dark fantasy and story-driven structure CHARON and STUDIO CHARON are building. Its scope through Lindsey also allows the trial to demonstrate how the game's larger projectile patterns and boss encounters actually feel.
The full version remains planned for October 2026, although an exact date and price have not yet been announced. Until those details arrive, the free Steam demo is the most direct way to experience Sana's search for the three Golden Apples.
- CHARON Official X — Official account that published the September 2 SANASANA demo announcement and gameplay clip
- Steam — Official SANASANA Demo page, September 2 release date, free demo status, and playable scope through Lindsey
- Steam — Official SANASANA full game page, October 2026 release window, story, features, languages, and system requirements
- 4Gamer — Initial SANASANA announcement, late-October target, gameplay format, and story overview
