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9 Years of Shadows News

Dev Update #9: Our Latest Showcase

Happy Pride everyone! This month we wish everyone's sparks to shine in all their colors as a way to start summer on the right foot. The gaming industry is certainly doing so by hosting several events featuring many upcoming titles. IGN’s Summer of Gaming and Guerrilla Collective are only two such examples we were honored to participate in.

If you haven’t seen our latest game trailer, take a few minutes to check it out! It features new story elements, lots of gameplay, and, of course, characters and mechanics relating to music. If you want to get a clearer idea of how 9 Years of Shadows is shaping up, don’t forget to check it out on our YouTube Channel!



As you can see, the trailer walks us through many different areas within Talos Castle, and we can also watch Europa switch between a variety of different abilities. But one you didn’t get to see, was Europa’s dive-kick, a powerful combo that can obliterate an enemy from above.



And our excitement spreads to more events happening soon! Since music plays a pivotal role in the game, we will also partake in Save and Sound, an online musical festival that focuses on gaming soundtracks. Be sure to check out the event starting July 14 at 10:00 AM PDT.



We will be sharing some examples soon, so be on the lookout and follow our socials.

Dev Update #8: Creatures of the Deep

Hello everyone, we hope you are doing well. As we begin the second quarter of the year, we have exciting news we have wanted to share with you for a while.

Summer always marks the beginning of amazing gaming events, and this year it’s no different. 9 Years of Shadows will be featured in Guerrilla Collective on June 11th, a digital game showcase with developers worldwide. Make sure you catch that on Twitch or YouTube.


Furthermore, we will also appear in IGN’s Summer of Gaming on June 10th, which our team is very excited about. You can also check it out on Twitch, YouTube, or their own website.


If you have been following our social media, you might have noticed various rooms from Talos Castle have been featured. One of the most prominent ones is our underground water ecosystem, a massive area submerged into the depths of the giant and covered in age-old vegetation. The original civilizations who inhabited Talos Castle sought to build their empire with the resources at their disposal; while some favored fire and earth, others preferred the peacefulness of water.


Now, all that remains are deep-buried vestiges of their culture, ready to be discovered by the adventurous or the curious. When Europa visits this part of the castle, she may need to fight past powerful currents to uncover their remnants.


But as you know, for every beauty inside Talos, there is danger lurking about. With a varied assortment of enemies, hidden bosses await for the unwary to stumble upon their lair and strike. Just take a look at the nightmare that is the Tantalous Roach, a massive insect whose eyes would follow you everywhere you go.


For more terrifying creatures and extraordinary characters, be sure to consult our Bestiary! We will regularly reveal new beasts through our socials, so be sure to follow and take a look whenever you can! If you missed our post from a few days ago, take a look at Limo, a powerful slime mage from one of our dear backers.


Thank you as always for your support and be ready for an amazing update coming soon!

The Halberd Team

IndieLiveExpo Showcase!

Hello everyone!

We're excited to be showcased at Indie Live Expo this weekend! Check out Indie Live Expo’s stream showing off the game at the following link:
https://indie.live-expo.games/en/

Thanks for your support and we’re super excited to show off all of our hard work!

Dev Update #7 - A Trip Down Memory Lane

Hello everyone! We hope you had a nice Easter holiday for those of you who celebrate it. As you are aware, we enjoy sharing our progress with you in terms of the building of 9 Years of Shadows through our monthly updates.
This time, we would like to introduce you to some characters that set the tone for the game’s story. Meet Bebel and Wynton, two a mystic bassist and a nostalgic trumpeter that once belonged to a famous orchestra before finding themselves inside Talos Castle. With talented hands and a penchant for rhythm, musicians merge their craft in a beautiful symphony.


As for other iconic characters, we have been talking about one in particular for the past couple of updates, the mysterious warrior Draythus. You have seen his portrait, but what do you think of his latest idle?


And last, but certainly not least, take a look at the portrait of this noble couple. Though wealthy and well-respected, deadly diseases spear no one, regardless of their station. As a result, this portrait is one of the only reminders their daughter has of her parents, along with her halberd and a beautiful dress.


Fueled by the powerful memory those heirlooms represent, Europa is ready to face anything. If you want to know more about the foes Europa will have to face, you might want to stay tuned tuned to our socials. As of this week, we will officially launch our Bestiary, a compilation of Talos’ most dangerous and intriguing creatures.


In fact, the most important creatures featured in the Bestiary are backer-enemies, interesting characters backers of a certain tier created, and we have decided to upgrade them to a boss category. When you run into NPCs such as Bebel and Wynton, they will have quests that may steer you in the direction of these terrifying foes.

Thank you for your everlasting support, as always! We will have exciting news soon, so make sure you follow us and join the conversation.
- The Halberd Team

Dev Update #6 - The Journey Continues

Hello everyone, we wish you all a wonderful spring! As we’re nearing the end of quarter 1, we wanted to give you a little sneak peek of what we have been working on lately.

Cinematics are a wonderful way to set the mood for specific in-game moments, and every time Europa appears, she shapes up to be the ultimate savior. Just take a look at her Gaia Armor cinematic.



As always, we pay special attention to everything related to music, and we love hearing the places each track transports you whenever we release a new song. In that spirit, let us know what you make of our latest track for the first level, Talos Entrance.



Naturally, if you want to get an even more accurate perspective of how that track will be integrated within Talos Castle, try listening to it while you contemplate this hallway, which lies just at the heart of the first level.



Lastly, there is no better way to immerse oneself into a fantasy universe than understanding its story, which is why we would love for you to know more of 9 Years of Shadows’ lore. For instance, we’ve been exploring Europa’s childhood to build her entire journey in depth. What do you think of our young warrior in this concept art?



Remember to follow our social media to stay in the loop with the development of the game, get to know the team better, and be a part of an amazing community. Thank you for your never-ending support!