As the Kickstarter pledge drive to increase the scope of Spicy Horses' hopeful Action RPG passes the quarter-way mark toward its US$250,000 goal, American McGee and team have kicked off an open beta, allowing all comers to check the game out for at least the next week.

Based on the Little Red Riding Hood story combined with Japanese folklore and myth, and illustrated in Spicy Horse's unique dark fantasy style, "Akaneiro: Demon Hunters" is an action-RPG that lets players hunt legendary monsters in Edo-era Japan.

The open beta will include new developments such as advanced character training, weapon improvements, and the still-under-development Shivering Pines, which brings a new environment style to the game along with a new tribe of imps wielding frost magic.

The open beta test will reportedly consist of various stress tests, and run until January 16th. Head over to spicyhorse.com to sign up for near instant access.

The developer has also freshly announced a deal with Dark Horse comics for a three-issue series of graphic novels to debut on May 22.

From the brilliant minds behind video game auteur American McGee’s Spicy Horse Studios, Akaneiro mixes a foundation of Japanese folklore with an original mythology inspired by Red Riding Hood, yielding a fantastic and exciting setting for players to explore and perfectly setting the stage for the visual storytelling of comics. Written by Justin Aclin (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and illustrated by Vasilis Lolos (Conan the Barbarian), the comics follow Kania young woman torn between two cultures on an epic adventure hunting devious Yokai and pursuing a destiny far greater than even she can perceive as a member of the fabled Order of Akane.

Linux support for the game has now been offered up if the crowdfunding total makes it to US$233,000, which you can contribute to here, and OUYA Android support is also being investigated with a developer kit of the open console reportedly en-route to Spicy Horse.