Hi, The demo is out and the first wave of feedback already shaped a big day one patch. Thanks to everyone who played, reported bugs and wishlisted. Here is what changed:
Readability & Visuals
The whole game now uses a new, much more readable pixel font (the one from the dialogs), plus a full pass of layout fixes to go with it.
CRT filter tuned. We measured it and the old settings were dimming visible content by 12-15%. Brightness is now compensated, so the retro look stays but the murk is gone.
Fixed overlapping and overflowing text in many places: the options menu (in every language), shop cards and buttons, the pause menu, level select, the anvil screen and the STOP button. Long enemy names no longer wrap over their health bars, and long shop item names now break cleanly onto a second line.
Run Summary
The end of run screen was redesigned. The graph now focuses on what matters: damage you took (physical and magic) plus the gold and skulls you collected, fight by fight.
Legend and axis explanations moved next to the graph, loot icons got their own clean row, and everything landed with more breathing room.
Controls
The mouse cursor hides at launch and stays hidden while you play with a controller. It only appears when you actually move the mouse.
Menus always start with an item selected, so controller navigation works from the very first press. No more clicking something with the mouse first. Thanks to Valve's review for catching this one.
The pause menu and all the small menu links (Discord, Report Bug, What's New, Wishlist) now clearly highlight the selected item.
Gameplay & Pacing
Enemy attack animations now play at fast speed by default. Less waiting, more spinning.
Starting a fresh game opens the symbol select with your 3 starter symbols already picked.
Holding to smelt is twice as fast (now 1.25 seconds).
Magic attacks got their own sound. They no longer share the physical hit sound.
The anvil now tells you clearly when you hit the demo's +5 upgrade cap instead of a silent locked button. The +6 to +10 chase is waiting in the full game.
Balance (demo levels)
Level 1 is tuned for a smoother start: early enemies have less HP and the first mage no longer stuns.
Boss shuffle: the Ogre now guards Ashen Mines, and Koxper the Bastard waits at the end of Broken Watch.
Bog Hollow got a new elite enemy, so no more slime reruns in the demo.
Localization
Dozens of text fixes across all 12 supported languages, including clearer wording for powerup costs and wishlist buttons.
If you are enjoying the demo, wishlisting the full game is the most helpful thing you can do.
See you at the anvil!
- Furkan