Hextalia · published
Hello, Wardens!
Update 0.5.1 is here, adding a new layer to how you play and a clearer rhythm to how combat flows.
This update introduces Tactical Cards, improves Combat Readability, redesigns the end level screen, refreshes card visuals, and brings a new round of balance and polish to the demo.
Let’s get into it!
Tactical Cards are a new card type focused on quick, immediate actions during a run.
They are designed to help you reach your strategy faster, react when things change and make stronger decisions between waves. The first version includes five cards: Healing, Immediate Upgrade, Discount, Gaining Runes and Gaining Shards.
This is only the first version of the system, and we’ll keep adding and tuning Tactical Cards as we see how they fit into real runs.
You'll be able to unlock these cards in level 5 and 6.
Hextalia is built around path-shaping, so we wanted the shift from planning your strategy to defending your crystal to feel clearer.
To support that, we restored the enemy path during combat, but gave it a different visual treatment so it feels separate from the planning phase and makes it clear where towers can’t be placed.
We also added a new reward screen so each wave ends with a stronger sense of payoff, making it easier to see what you earned and decide how to shape your next move.
The end level screen got a full visual redesign, with separate win and fail versions so both outcomes feel like a proper moment instead of a plain text summary.
More importantly, we changed what the screen actually shows. You’ll now get clearer stats about your run, helping you understand how you did, highlight your winning moments, and make it easier for you to compare with previous runs so you can more easily spot what you might want to improve the next time.
We made another round of balance and polish changes across the demo, including level tuning, wave adjustments, UI polish, localization fixes, and smaller gameplay details.
We also made behind-the-scenes improvements to the card system, aimed at making card choices feel more varied, exciting, and better paced throughout a run. In practice, this should mean more interesting decisions, fewer repetitive streaks, and a cleaner demo overall.
TLDR:
Tactical Cards: New quick-action cards that help you push your strategy forward.
Clearer Combat Readability: Planning, combat, and enemy paths should now read more clearly.
End Level Screen: Redesigned to show clearer run stats and help you compare attempts.
Balancing & Improved Flow: Improved balancing, better pacing, and smarter card variety during runs.
The Endless Realm: a closed playtest for our new Endless Mode launches with this update.
We’re hard at work on the next biome and new gameplay ideas for future levels.
But one more thing before we go: alongside this update, we’re launching a closed playtest for our brand new mode, The Endless Realm.
The Endless Realm has been our main focus internally for the past two months. It’s built around longer runs, escalating waves, scoring, and leaderboards where players can compete to see whose strategy lasts the longest.
Before we add it permanently to the demo, we want players to try it, push it, break it, and tell us what works.
Jump into the update, try the new cards, and have fun with everything we’ve added.
And if you’re ready for a bigger challenge, the Endless Realm is waiting.
And as always, thank you for playing, testing and helping us shape Hextalia!