Hi!
{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/43019091/e34529c4f4f82c9801c8fd26db52b37d81ab5cfa.jpg
In today's update we're releasing the 5th zone for the game, featuring four new stages filled with new enemies and traps, equipment to unlock, and three new playable characters!
As the game is nearing its 1.0 release, we've also worked hard on polishing the UI and gameplay, adding a bunch of new features in the process, such as the in-game map, as well as some balances and Quality of Life changes that we're sure you'll like!
Full changelog of the update:
New features:
- New area: Hidden Shrine, including 4 new missions with their own enemies, bosses and challenges.
- 11 New weapons (+11 evolutions) and 4 new trinkets to unlock.
- 3 New Unlockable Characters.
- New Unlockable Features: In-game Map (check nearby pickups, chests, etc) and Favorites (increase chances of getting specific equipment in a stage).
- Added Steam Achievements for all the new unlockable content.
- Added Italian / Russian languages.
Improvements:
- Revised visibility of all weapon attacks.
In an earlier update, we changed many things to make sure visibility remained within acceptable levels in heavily crowded situations. However, we went a bit overboard with specific weapons, making their effects barely visible. We've done an extensive update on all weapons' visuals to make sure they can be noticed while keeping them from obstructing view in the later stages.
- Trinkets that would enable evolution of one or more equipped weapons will be shown as recommended in the level up screen.
- The "Evolve N weapons" challenge now recommends eligible weapons in the level up screen.
- Boss name will now be shown on its health bar.
- Added a setting to change character voices volume.
- Controller face buttons settings are now saved per system, not per user.
- Challenges requiring a weapon evolution will show the required elements on their description.
- Adjusted lighting of specific stages to increase visibility.
- Added a way to check current stats from the level up / Charm selection screens.
- Added a new section with a list of recent plays for all stages.
Recent plays could be shown for a specific stage, but there was no way to check the full list from a single point.
- Recent plays will now save and show how much money you did spend in upgrades.
Useful to compare performance between different players. WIll also be used in future challenges.
- Message for challenges that can't be attempted yet: Now it will show the stage where the item you need is unlocked (if you have that stage already unlocked).
- A panel is shown at the beginning of the stage showing the recommended challenges for the current stage.
- Some direct damage trinkets (such as Fire Mirror or Explosive Flask) will now show icons telling if other trinket upgrades affect them, just like weapons do.
Gameplay changes:
- Reworked Bow evolution, now it will keep shooting right like its base version, but shots will bounce on the screen borders.
While a controversial weapon since its inception, the Bow is useful as a reliable source of damage in a specific direction. Its evolution, however, lost that identity and made it a bit more impredictable. Now it will be a more obvious upgrade from the base weapon.
- You can now unlock the 2nd or 3rd stage challenges at the same time you beat a stage for the first time.
Our reason for not showing the challenge conditions from the beginning is to avoid "forcing" people to pick specific characters/builds the first time they play a stage. However, this could cause players being "forced" to repeat the stage with the same build, specially on the first stages where there aren't that many items unlocked yet.
- Slightly increased star requirements to unlock Stages III and Endless.
With the newly added area, it just felt natural to increase the requirements to unlock for later stages a bit.
- Petrified enemies now have increased mass, making them harder to be pushed by enemies behind.
Petrification effect was "worse" than freeze as enemies received less damage from attacks, with no clear advantage. Now petrified enemies can act as a barricade slowing enemies behind them.
- Immune enemies are no longer immune to knockback effects from attacks.
Another controversial mechanic, Immune enemies offer a way to counter pure damage builds and force players to maneuver around them. However, specially on Turbo/Ruin stages, they could become obnoxious and too annoying to deal with. With this change, they will be knocked back a bit when hit, giving more breathing space.
- You can now downgrade specific skills in the Upgrades section without the need to do a full Respec.
- Slightly increased the amount of health pickups found in boxes or dropped by elites.
This leads to less money drops. Check the next point!
- Increased amount of money obtained from Chalices/Crowns from 10/50 to 25/100.
Overall the amount of money obtained will be higher than before. However Challenges and Chests remain being a more important source of coins.
- Enemies are now pushed outwards when filling the Charm box meter.
- Voodoo Doll now benefits from Skill Cooldown.
It's the only trinket directly affected by Skill Cooldown, but it can lead to interesting synergies.
Bugfixes:
- It's no longer possible to walk slowly when using a controller. This was never intended to happen, and for example mouse controls wouldn't allow it.
- Fixed Render Size setting sometimes not being applied properly unless you applied the changes twice.
- Fixed UI disappearing when closing the pause menu on specific situations.
- Fixed Enhancements obtained in chests not working.
- Fixed Buckler not petrifying enemies as intended.
- Fixed "Controller disconnected" text not being localized.
- Fixed incorrect message when trying to do a reroll if you don't have enough money to pay for it.
- Fixed "Health Recovery" skill not working at all. An embarassing bug that has been there since the beginning!
Following this update, we'll be doing the final touches before the 1.0 release, as well as starting work on the console ports, and one of the things we'll do is to increase the game's price soon. So if you don't have the game yet, it's the perfect time to get it at a reduced price!
