We’re incredibly excited to welcome you into the world of Empyreal, thanks to our Steam Next Fest demo. There’s so much for you to explore as you step into the boots of a talented mercenary sent to uncover the secrets of a long-forgotten civilisation. Within an otherworldly monolith, you’ll face lethal automatons left behind to protect the mysteries within.
If you didn’t check out our “5 Things to Know Before You Play” blog, we covered tips and tricks on how to survive the dangers within Empyreal and make the most of your abilities, as well as a breakdown of key features and playstyles. This time, we’re looking specifically at the demo and the five things you should try now that you’ve begun your adventure.
1. Meet the NPCs
Be sure to explore the hub between Cartogram runs and talk to the NPCs found there. Each one provides a new perspective on the world of Empyreal and your place within the current plight of the expedition. In the full release of the game, each of the NPCs has a dedicated questline with multiple endings dependent on your actions.
- Morys Lovell - The head of the ill-fated expedition. He can provide you with additional background on the hub’s inhabitants and the expedition’s goals. He can be found in the office above the command centre.
- Edmund Reyne - The commander of the original expedition’s armed forces detachment… or rather, what’s left of them. He can be found in the command centre opposite the forge.
- Linet Radclyffe - A civilian archaeologist, keen to unearth the secrets of the past. She can be found behind the mess hall to the right of Hanwyn’s tent.
- Dr Maria Thornton - An expert physicist who has been invaluable at reverse-engineering the ancient technology recovered in and around the monolith. She can be found in the lab next to the portal.
- Porhan - A small lizard keeping an eye on Isolda’s stall. Reclaim loot left behind in previous Cartogram runs for a fee. They can be found on the merchant’s stall opposite the forge.
- Hanwyn Dryden - An emissary of The Crown, sent to represent the King’s interests and keep a close eye on The Company expedition. He can be found in the tent to the left of the mess hall.
- John Kent - An expert craftsman who can reveal the properties of recovered loot and make it usable to the player. He can be found at the forge.
- The Quartermaster - Raulin Yates - Provides the player with a place to buy and sell consumables, items, and other loot. He can be found in the mess hall.
- Rohini Varma - The sole survivor and all that is left of the expedition’s once sizeable military force. She can be found in the command centre with Edmund.
2. Make the Most of Finishing Moves
Once an enemy has sustained enough damage or collided with the environment after charging, they will enter a brief stun state. Make the most of this temporary effect and deal a high-damage attack against them. To initiate it, you will see a prompt appear over them. By pressing either “F,” or clicking in the right stick if you’re using a controller, you will perform a powerful finishing move.
Finishing moves can make light work of even the toughest enemies, so acting on them quickly can make all the difference when you’re up against it! To know how long an enemy has left in their stun state, pay attention to the remaining status bar above their head.
3. Get Familiar with Loot
When exploring the monolith, you’ll come across lots of different types of loot. Whether dropped by defeated enemies, scavenged from the environment, or unlocked from hidden chests, it’s essential for you to become familiar with the loot that’ll be on offer in Empyreal.
Although not a focus of the demo, and touched on in our prior five things blog, the full game will feature the ability for you to craft and modify equipment. The Cartogram you choose prior to heading into the monolith will determine the loot on offer for that run, so always check before heading out on your next adventure if you’re looking for something specific. In the full version of the game, you’ll even be able to trade Cartograms with friends to help in each other’s quest to unlock the best items and evolve the best build.
To learn more about the loot you acquire, and how best to use it, be sure to check out the item description in the menu. Some loot only has value in selling it to a vendor, while others are used in crafting recipes or require an appraisal by a professional (like The Company blacksmith) to fully unlock its potential.
4. Explore the Environment
While raiding the depths of the monolith, you’ll find secrets and hidden items to scavenge if you go a little off the beaten path. From chests and treasures just a little out of reach to vital consumables and mods, it’s always worth scouting the environment once you’ve cleared out the enemy automatons to see if you can reach that seemingly inaccessible ledge. You might even uncover hidden, rare Cartograms.
Not only are there hidden items scattered around the environment, but there are entirely divergent paths in some Cartograms that can take you to vault rooms with waves of powerful enemies to overcome for even higher rewards.
5. Use the High-Level Armour Sets
Once you have completed the first level and are returned to the hub area, you’ll find that additional gear has been granted to you from the armoury, offering a sneak peek at some endgame equipment. This includes a complete set of high-level gear for each of the three combat playstyles (Glaive, Mace & Shield, and Cannon). Each of these sets provide various bonuses to the player and also modify a specific ability to make it more potent with additional effects. The more items you wear from the full set, the more bonuses you’ll accrue. Tackling higher-level Cartograms without these stacked bonuses will greatly increase the challenge you’ll face. The demo sets are…
- Glaive - Immortal Storm of the Empire - This set modifies the Riposte ability which can be triggered when you do a perfect block/parry, allowing the ability to be infinitely chained. This will require additional inputs and requires perfect timing, but executing a long chain is definitely satisfying!
- Mace & Shield - Depth & Silence - This set modifies the Vanish and Drain Essence abilities. Vanish will now create a delayed explosion after perfectly avoiding an enemy attack. Drain Essence will reduce both enemy HP and their resistances. Combining both together can allow you to fell bosses quickly.
- Cannon - Weapons of the Kyrios Front - This set modifies both the Orbital Laser and Elemental Shot abilities and causes them to build up ALL status effects. Elemental Shot will also detonate ALL statuses.
These three high level demo sets are just a taste of what’s to offer in the full release of the game. All told, Empyreal will offer 18 different sets, with 30 modifiable abilities.
Stay up to date with the latest Empyreal news and see some behind the scenes content by joining our discord and follow us on X, BlueSky and TikTok for more.
Be sure to wishlist the game on Steam and try the game for yourself via the Steam Next Fest demo, available now.