Early access code was provided; many thanks to Pianogo Studio.
A Piano Tale is a rhythm visual novel game developed and released by Pianogo Studio in Early Access on April 30th 2026.
The Premise of A Piano Tale
In A Piano Tale, we get to know the musician Alexandra Aaronovitch and her father, Boris. Alexandra is an elderly woman with Alzheimer’s disease, and discovers that her father, Boris Aaronovitch, who was a composer during the Stalinist era in the USSR, composed a secret, subversive concerto at a time and place when artists were not allowed to create what they wanted. While piecing together this concerto, we will go on a journey through time and to some of Europe’s cultural capitals, such as Vienna and St. Petersburg.
The Gameplay of A Piano Tale
A Piano Tale is a narrative game that combines a visual novel with a rhythm game. It allows us to immerse ourselves in a slow, calm, and contemplative game, giving us a break from our busy daily lives.
As per the developer’s notes, we will have point-and-click passages in the later chapters of the story. The prologue features two musical skill mini-games that can be replayed or skipped. For the musical portion of the game, we need to press specific keyboard buttons at specific points, as they represent musical notes in a concerto. The game tells us which notes to hit. If we do it too quickly, too slowly, or incorrectly, we lose points. I think it would be good if the game had options to slow down the music and make the musical mini-game a bit easier, but at this point, that’s not an option.
The State of the Early Access
A Piano Tale was released in Early Access, and as of now, a prologue chapter has been released, out of 11 planned chapters. According to the developers, the Early Access period will last about 2.5 years. The game is priced at € 6/$6/£5.29, but its price will increase as additional chapters are released. In its current state, the game takes about 20 minutes to complete the prologue chapter, which makes it a bit steeply priced.
Some Other Things
A Piano Tale has basic audio and video settings. The controls are remappable. The game is available for Windows and MacOS. The Steam Deck compatibility is Unknown. A Piano Tale has Steam achievements, but no Trading cards for now.
Final Thoughts
A Piano Tale is a small game for now that could become something great. The story and musical elements are not often seen in games, and it could be very educational, as well as entertaining. It’s still early to say how the game will develop, but it will be interesting.
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