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Haunted Lands news & patch notes

Full Steam announcements and update articles for this title.

Amber Jamsteam_community_announcementspatchnotes

50d ago

We’ve released a small update for Haunted Lands focused on fixing an issue reported by players. Please make sure you have the latest version of the game. List of Changes:

Fixed a crash that could occur during an encounter with the Conductor in 'Ghost Town' and 'Station Unknown'

Thanks for playing Haunted Lands and for reporting issues you encounter along the way.

Update 1.0.9 - Checkpoints

addvanssteam_community_announcementsmod_reviewedModAct_1510227092_1779181142_0mod_require_rereview

71d ago

Update 1.0.9 for Haunted Lands is now available. Along with bug fixes, this update introduces a checkpoint system.

Checkpoints

New statues have appeared on levels: one for saving and one for restoring health. Near each statue, you can spend score - earned by defeating monsters and collecting gems - to set a respawn point or restore health and shield. The activation price varies per level, and interacting with statues affects statues behavior during boss fights: Statues of Wrath and Health will not be available at bosses checkpoints since Wrath and Health statues appear only if player has enough score. Specific aritfacts can force both statues to appear anyway.

Changelog:

Added save points and statues for restoring health and shield. Collected gems can now be spent.
Changes made to the Meiosis boss fight. It is now more dynamic: some phases can be skipped by lowering the boss's health enough.
Fixed an issue where the monster kill counter could work incorrectly.
Fixed an issue where the Sorceress and Warlock could take damage after teleporting when creating an exploding decoy.
Fixed an issue where the player character could stop moving after being attacked by a Zombie.
Fixed an issue on the Forlorn Hall level where the camera could work incorrectly.
Fixed an issue where the Revolver Barrel artifact could fail to restore ammo after a dodge roll.
Minor localization fixes.

Haunted Lands News & Patch Notes | SteamScope

Steam news

Haunted Lands news & patch notes

Full Steam announcements and update articles for this title.

Small Patch v.1.0.10

Amber Jamsteam_community_announcementspatchnotes

50d ago

We’ve released a small update for Haunted Lands focused on fixing an issue reported by players. Please make sure you have the latest version of the game. List of Changes:

Fixed a crash that could occur during an encounter with the Conductor in 'Ghost Town' and 'Station Unknown'

Thanks for playing Haunted Lands and for reporting issues you encounter along the way.

Update 1.0.9 - Checkpoints

addvanssteam_community_announcementsmod_reviewedModAct_1510227092_1779181142_0mod_require_rereview

71d ago

Update 1.0.9 for Haunted Lands is now available. Along with bug fixes, this update introduces a checkpoint system.

Checkpoints

Changelog:

Added save points and statues for restoring health and shield. Collected gems can now be spent.
Changes made to the Meiosis boss fight. It is now more dynamic: some phases can be skipped by lowering the boss's health enough.
Fixed an issue where the monster kill counter could work incorrectly.
Fixed an issue where the Sorceress and Warlock could take damage after teleporting when creating an exploding decoy.
Fixed an issue where the player character could stop moving after being attacked by a Zombie.
Fixed an issue on the Forlorn Hall level where the camera could work incorrectly.
Fixed an issue where the Revolver Barrel artifact could fail to restore ammo after a dodge roll.
Minor localization fixes.

DevLog #2: The world, artifacts & monsters

Amber Jamsteam_community_announcements

419d ago

Hello, hunters! Today we’re taking a closer look at the world of Haunted Lands. Let’s talk about the Order, why silver matters, what artifacts actually do, and, of course, the ones trying to kill you. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/1a8c3e29288fdcc67648d6bb0fd810d38e65de8d.gif

A World Where Not Everyone Survives

The Citadel still stands. But every day it gets harder. Order envoys bring relics and talismans – tools to fight back the Darkness. In return, they collect silver. Every gram is tracked. That silver goes right back into battle: melted into bullets, crafted into new artifacts and protective charms. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/97fb310e542454fd0b9662a414705a6a90ba796a.gif (Trading NPC) After the trade, the envoy hands over a sealed envelope – your next mission. News from the front hasn’t changed: the Citadel is holding. The Cult attacked again, backed, as always, by the Hellspawn. But this time, something was different. Among the demons were beings no one had seen before. Stronger. Smarter. They were pushed back. Probably. No word on the casualties. What does this mean for you? Constant danger. Limited resources. Enemies that don’t forgive mistakes.

Artifacts: Power in Your Hands

Artifacts in Haunted Lands aren’t just stat boosters. They’re ancient tools left behind by those who already fought the Dark. They grant strength, survivability, mobility and unlock new abilities that change how you play. For example, the Dire Bat Wing lets your character double-jump. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/8acba171dcb49c367d0eae452c996e05bdc41e72.gif (Dire Bat Wing)

Game-Changing Combos

Each artifact offers an individual benefit, but they truly shine in the right combination. For instance, equipping a Mage with Quicksilver and a Ruby Prism makes them surprisingly dangerous in melee combat. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/6d0d2e94d58b3a3ec38eae5cd7b99450f60558cc.gif (Quicksilver. Increases melee attack speed) {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/5cb40663e24d148ec6a7359731d1630f0e0060a2.gif (Ruby Prism. Boosts damage from the Mage’s magic blade) By mixing defensive and offensive artifacts, you can create unique builds - like using your health as a resource to deal more damage. The Beast has access to artifacts that enhance its ability to “gather blood” – a resource used to restore lost health during combat. The Burning Heart lets you spend health to charge powerful Wrath attacks. You can even burn through your entire health bar to unleash one massive hit – and then instantly heal with the Hungering Blade. If you’re fast enough. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/61bd776ac5da6010871bcd873bdb6ae5233ad4b2.gif (Burning Heart. Charges Wrath attacks using the character’s health) {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/a951fe133fc80cd35d407dc324df9a9913dd5e66.gif (Hungering Blade. Grants more blood when dealing damage at zero health) Tip: Don’t be afraid to experiment. Even defensive artifacts can become deadly in the right setup. Sometimes the key to victory lies in an unexpected build.

Enemies

Enemies in Haunted Lands aren’t just obstacles – they’re part of the world’s story. Each one reflects the forces tearing it apart. Cultists — Mortals who joined a dark cult allied with demons. Obsessed with forbidden power, driven mad by rituals, and fully devoted to the will of their Infernal Leader. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/a2b33f9ee2306d4629b4258721061682f425d5b0.gif Hellspawn — Demons from another world. Lesser ones are like beasts, acting on pure bloodlust. The higher-ranked are intelligent, ruthless, and command other creatures, including parasites. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/71e13b4fcaaf77edf0dc92678d4764eb7fca6c58.gif Undead — Not just ghosts and lost souls, but also reanimated corpses and fragments bound by necromancy. They take many forms: toxic shadows, possessed husks, and remnants of the past. All of them are dangerous—driven by death magic, and completely fearless. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/866a65c11868a332c60b8b398afaf9588fdbfe10.gif Parasites — Mutants warped by infernal energy. Fast, aggressive, and grotesque, they resemble low-level Hellspawn but they were born in this world. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/e0cd36ee664ff9fc8a1ba45a544be94f9cf6b4c6.gif

Ready for the Challenge?

Haunted Lands doesn’t forgive mistakes. You’re not just clearing a level - you’re surviving it. Build smart, study your enemies, and try to stay alive. Tell us in the comments what you'd like to read about in the next devlog. Follow the news, join our Discord server and don’t forget to wishlist the game. Your support brings us one step closer to pushing back the Darkness: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2980900/Haunted_Lands

Devlog #1: From Sketches to Pixels — The Birth of Haunted Lands

Amber Jamsteam_community_announcements

517d ago

Hey everyone, my name is Alexey Goryachev, and I’m the solo developer behind Haunted Lands. Today, I want to share how a childhood dream turned into a project that will soon be in your hands. It all started with simple doodles. I used to design new monsters and levels for my favorite games - creating imaginary worlds that are now coming to life in Haunted Lands. Over time, this hobby grew into something more: I studied animation, learned how to use graphic editors, and even worked as an artist in small indie teams. But when one of those projects fell apart due to lack of motivation among team members, I realized - if you want to create your dream game, you have to do it yourself. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/ad7f745af47a5275b6a02d376cd9f1c75631037f.png the very first prototype level, where I tested game objects That’s how my solo developer journey began. My experience with visuals and the amount of material I had already created helped a lot in the early stages - I simply didn’t want to let my work go to waste. Funny enough, Haunted Lands was born while I was working on a completely different game - a colorful, turn-based puzzle. I wanted to take a break and try something different for variety’s sake - a small game inspired by my childhood favorite. The plan was to finish it in just a couple of months. But once I created that small game, I kept coming back to it again and again. The first prototype of Haunted Lands was warmly received on itch.io, which motivated me even more. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/34c9e25519d0684b66f1f85ec95243a526a10256.png the first version of the Graveyard level from the public Burial Grounds build {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/ac7b7b78dbdd7353304fa24d23c1aa7429f883bc.png the current version of the Graveyard level, which has evolved both visually and structurally, featuring new enemies Many players have correctly guessed that my biggest inspiration for Haunted Lands was Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion. Initially, my project started as an unofficial sequel - a small fan game with new mechanics. But over time, it grew into something much bigger. Other key inspirations include Doom, Contra Hard Corps, and the Diablo series (mostly Diablo 1 and 2). These classics taught me how to blend a dark atmosphere with dynamic gameplay. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/5d557a4131add67a1387c7cfbbeac953c0a626f4.png {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/f69c819c85c6688f5599bfc68e5d1955ec1b43d2.png toxic biome Haunted Lands is not just another retro platformer. At first, it was a small tribute to Dangerous Dave, but the more I worked on it, the more I realized its potential. That’s how I came up with the idea of character classes - Gunners, Mages, and Beasts, each with unique abilities. Mages teleport through walls, Beasts have the 'Dash' ability, allowing them to climb higher, while Gunners use a roll to squeeze into tight spaces.. Some areas of the levels are only accessible to specific classes. To add even more depth, I introduced artifacts that enhance characters, allowing for different playstyles even within the same class. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/0aa0b0b7db5aedb53d646b856ed005d1ed91a407.png the 'construction' level The game now includes 20 levels, dozens of regular enemies, along with their elite versions, 8 bosses, 5 playable characters, each with a selection of more than 20 artifacts. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/c8853bb6106608bced8e69f83069b82d76baa5ae.gif But the journey wasn’t easy. I deliberately set strict retro-style rules: Haunted Lands is inspired by DOS-era games from the late '80s and early '90s, which means limited screen resolution, a 16-color palette, and tiny sprites. Sometimes, it drove me crazy - how do you fit complex animations into a 32x32-pixel space? But these restrictions also sparked creativity. For instance, small sprites should theoretically mean less work, but in reality, making them look good is a challenge. A limited color palette forced me to find unexpected combinations that worked. {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/afa494638f1da0bf664e3c0277ec853ec5037eb1.png the first public version of the Construction level There were also technical challenges that required some unconventional solutions. For example, GameMaker didn’t handle deaths correctly after loading a save file, so I had to create an external file that manually updated the necessary parameters. Solving these issues felt like assembling a puzzle - finding the right "corner pieces" and finally seeing the full picture come together was incredibly rewarding (even if, in some cases, I was just duct-taping the problem with a clever workaround). {STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/45254641/a8c75a20a3ec1f16021262317ccf095730449f72.jpg Right now, Haunted Lands is in its content expansion phase - I’m adding new levels and testing artifacts. Every day, the game evolves, and I can't wait to share it with you. Stay tuned for more devlogs where I'll dive even deeper into the development process. Feel free to drop a comment about what you'd like to hear more about! P.S. If you have any questions, ask away in the comments. And yes, if you’re a Dangerous Dave fan - this game is definitely for you! :) https://store.steampowered.com/app/2980900/Haunted_Lands/

Haunted Lands news & patch notes

Checkpoints

Changelog:

Haunted Lands news & patch notes

Checkpoints

Changelog:

List of changes:

Thanks to you:

A World Where Not Everyone Survives

Artifacts: Power in Your Hands

Game-Changing Combos

Enemies

Ready for the Challenge?

Steam news for Haunted Lands