Another step towards 1.0! This update fixes several issues I've been wanting to solve for a long time.
After finishing the achievement system, most of the major planned features are done. But since the game's been in development for over two years now (!!), some of the early designs don't quite fit anymore as things have evolved. So this update, besides adding more new stuff, also focuses on reworking those parts to better suit the current state of the game. I've finished the last normal character, made some pretty big changes to how flame works, and added a bunch of new relics!
By the way, a lot of players have been asking lately why more languages haven't been added yet. There are still a ton of adjustments happening (as you can see from this update…) each patch. If I add new languages now, every small tweak would mean re-translating, re-importing, adjusting the layout, and proofreading again...which eats up a LOT of time. So to keep development moving as fast as possible, I want to finish all these adjustments first before adding new languages. Probably after two or three smaller updates, once things are mostly finished, I'll start adding more languages in batches!
The next update will be similar to this one. Wrapping up planned content and reworking some older systems. Right now, I'm planning to adjust the quest system, rework the altar, and make some tweaks to certain characters.
That's all for now! Let me know what you think after trying out the new character. I'm also really curious to see how many achievements you've all unlocked too, so feel free to brag in the comments 😆
- Refi
Estelle the Astromancer
Unlock requirement: Collect 40 types of towers in the Compendium.
Two new achievements exclusive to this character are also available.
10 new relics have been added!
Echo Crystal: When you apply a buff card to a tower, it also applies the same effect to another tower within 5 tiles that does not already have a buff card.
Cursed Tarot: For each card in your hand, monsters have an extra 2% chance to be critically hit (1% for Bosses).
Enchanted Quill: At the start of each round, up to three Block Cards in your hand are transformed into Blocks with one additional tile, up to a maximum of 5 tiles.
Rapid Cooling System: When a tower kills an enemy, there is a 20% chance to reset its firing cooldown, allowing it to shoot again immediately.
Smithing Mask: The last tower you upgraded gains +30% damage, +30% attack speed, and +30% critical rate.
Ancient War Flag: Killing a large monster grants towers within 5 tiles +50% attack speed for 5 seconds.
Gigantic Roasted Ham: Monsters that enter the fire source's attack range are drawn by its irresistible aroma. Their movement speed increases by 15%, but their chance of receiving critical hits is increased by 50%. Does not affect bosses.
Antique Golden Bell: Once every 10 seconds during battle, the bell's chime stuns all enemies on the field for 1.5 seconds. (Does not affect bosses.)
Stargazer's Journal: At the end of each turn, gain 3 extra gold for every type of tower on the field.
Key of Wicked Fortune: When you open the chest, three covered choices will appear, each containing 1, 30, or 120 coins. Choose one and see if luck is on your side! (Yes, gamba!)
New type of elite level: Darkness
The ability of Candle Flame has been moved to this new elite level, which appears only on Heroic difficulty.
In Darkness levels, your towers cannot attack enemies concealed in the dark. You must build towers to extend your vision.
Flames were originally meant to give players some optional extra challenge, like saying "You can clear the game with the basic flame, so why not try this more difficult one?" As the game grew and the Infernal Shards system was added, the difficulty from flames became somewhat redundant. The goal for these changes is to remove most of the negative effects so players can choose flames based on the level and effects they like. The visuals have also been adjusted to better fit the game.
Sacred Flame
In addition to attacking enemies, it now prioritizes clearing corrupted tiles within its attack range.
At the end of each round its attack range increases by 2 tiles, up to +20 tiles.
The effect "corrupted tiles randomly move at the end of each round" has been removed.
Demon Flame
Demon flame is now Soul Flame. Its abilities are unchanged.
Now unlocked after clearing the Frost Ruins.
Frost Flame
Removed.
Arkflare Flame
A lightning‑themed flame obtained from the train engine after defeating the Steelrail Overlord.
It randomly stuns 3 to 10 enemies on the field for 1 to 2 seconds and increases Charge by 15%.
Its attack rate is slightly slower, but it can attack three targets at once.
Unlocked after clearing the Bone Desert.
Ancient Flame
Removing the corrupted seal no longer costs coins.
Buff effects slightly reduced (+25% crit & +10 % attack speed per round → +15% crit & +10 % attack speed per round).
It still generates corrupted tiles at the end of a round, but both the area and the number are greatly reduced.
Candle Flame
Removed
Initially, Candle Flame was created for players who wanted to do 1 HP challenge runs, and later it was turned into a flame with a fog of war mechanic. It was meant to be a weak and fragile flame, so it really does not fit the direction of this update.
The original mechanic has been moved to the Darkness levels.
The Candle Flame achievement "Through The Darkness" has been changed into "Complete 30 Darkness levels". (If you have already unlocked the previous version, don't worry, it will not be reset!)
Superior Efficiency and Fast Learner have been removed. Their effects are now included in base values.
The countdown timer is now fixed at 180 seconds, increasing to 210 seconds in the Sealed Citadel.
All experience gain has been increased by 5%.
Ember Spark is now in the center of the talent tree and is a 3 tier talent.
New talents:
Lost and Found: Treasure chests have a small chance to contain a tower card you've built before.
Resilient Forging: The duration of malfunction effects is reduced.
Blackhole Tower
No longer affected by attack‑speed increases. Any effect that would increase its attack speed instead increases its damage.
The blue upgrade's stun duration has been reduced from 1.5 seconds to 1 second.
I know many of you might be upset about this change, but…after testing many different approaches, this really is the best way I can find to keep the Blackhole Tower's power balanced. The tower's effect becomes way too strong when it gains attack speed (especially when used with Tana) to the point where enemies can barely move at all. After a lot of testing, the best way to keep it from becoming completely overpowered (without having to weaken its core ability too much) was to make it unaffected by attack speed buffs.
Drill Tower
Added a button that costs coins to trigger the effect immediately (the old red upgrade).
New red upgrade: Causes the effect to destroy blocks in a 3 × 3 area when it activates.
Scorch Tower
Now has an additional 5% chance to Burn enemies for 3 seconds.
Added rewards between waves. You can now sometimes get a treasure chest, a Gambler's Token, or HP regen.
Added a new UI to show the rewards for the upcoming waves.
It's now easier to see the cards when you have many cards in hand.
New feature in the options: If your save file is lost or corrupted, you can restore your progress using the data from Steam achievements.
Added a new option for damage numbers: Dynamic.
When FPS drops, less important damage numbers are ignored.
Fixed some translation errors.
Fixed an issue that broke the endless mode leaderboards.
Fixed a bug that caused Belloc’s armor to disappear in Endless Mode.
Added a display for Gambler's Tokens in endless mode.,
You can now see your HP, Coins and Gambler's Tokens when opening a treasure chest.
Fixed a bug that made the fire source attack slower while havine level 3 Ember Spark talent.
Added a 1600×900 resolution option in the settings menu.