Striving for Light News

Welcome back Wanderers to the 1.0 Release Reveal Marathon #5, where we will unveil a major part of the extensive 1.0 content update.

Last week we reveiled the Release Date for the 1.0 Release of Striving for Light including the Release Announcement Trailer.

Striving for Light will have its full 1.0 Release on July 11th 2025. You can check out the new announcement trailer here in case you missed it:

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1646790/view/543358846952800641?l=english

This week we want to cover some of the new Steam Features coming to Striving for Light with the 1.0 Release Content Update. There have been some highly requested features and we are looking forward to share more details on these in this post.


With the 1.0 Release we are bringing Steam Achievements to Striving for Light. Currently we are at a total of 196 Achievements and counting. These achievements will be shared accross all your leagues, game modes and save files and synced with steam.

Therefore we have reworked the existing achievement system to clearly separate and structure:

1. Steam Achievements - Global across all leagues and save files
   
2. Seasonal Challenges - League and game mode dependent
   
3. Unlocks - League and game mode dependent
   
4. Stats - Global across all leagues and save files
   

Furthermore we are adding stats to Striving for Light. Stats allow for some more long term achievements like defeating a certain amount of enemies, bosses, or collecting things like light fragments or ... deaths...



Some achievements are tied to these stats but they also give you a nice long term overview on what you have achieved playing Striving for Light.

Previously unlocks have been mixed into the general achievements those are now completely separate. We also added a hardcore / softcore toggle button that allows you from the main menu to view your current achievement progress without needing to enter the game and access it from the pause menu.


The 1.0 content update will also utilise steam rich presence, that will display your current in game activity across steam.




With the release of Striving for Light you will also be able to collect steam trading cards for the game and craft badges.



On crafting badges you can get rewarded by Striving for Light steam emotes and profile backgrounds.

In case you feel like you need some extra spice to hype you up until release. We decided to share a new desktop wallpaper concept art.



We hope that this preview excites you for the upcoming 1.0 release! We are looking forward to hear your thoughts on all the new features and content.

But behold, this is only a fraction of what will come with the 1.0 Release, we will continue the reveal marathon on next Wednesday 11th of June.

You are invited to join our official discord. Chat with fellow SfL Players, discuss builds, the new content update or just hang out with us.

This update mainly brings a compatability layer for the new save file system coming with 1.0 and the new character slots. We also added some improvements to the zoom level and translations.

[h3]Major Changes and Improvements[/h3]
Increase max zoom out level slightly, and max zoomed out is now the default when loading the game. Also the nearest zoom level has been slightly reduced.
Improved Translations
Compatability layer for new save file system with character slots for 1.0 added

The 1.0 Release is coming July 11th. Here is our announcement post:
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1646790/view/543358846952800641?l=english

If you encounter any issues please report them so that we can make sure to fix all of them before 1.0 releases.

Welcome back Wanderers to the 1.0 Release Reveal Marathon #4, this time with some big news!

We have been working extensively on the upcoming 1.0 patch for Striving for Light and can't wait to share it with you!

[h3]The 1.0 Release of Striving for Light will be on:[/h3]



[h3]1.0 Announcement Trailer[/h3]
We are happy to share the Striving for Light 1.0 Announcement Trailer. Showcasing the previously announced content in action and even moaaar. Fear not we will share further details about the teasers in the next reveal episodes.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h3]Release Event[/h3]
We are planing a Release Event where we will share more information in upcoming reveal episodes.

[h3]Updated Website + Presskit[/h3]
We also have updated the Striving for Light Website and Presskit including new game art for weapons, skills and trinkets.

Official Striving for Light Website

The 1.0 release is a major milestone for our studio, and we’re excited to share it with you! We can’t wait to hear your thoughts on the new features and content.

But behold, this is only a fraction of what will come with the 1.0 Release, we will continue the reveal marathon on next Wednesday 4th of June.

In case you missed 1.0 content update reveal #3 covering new pinnacle bosses, Ankerath redesign and no more default contact damage, you can read get up to date here:

https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1646790/view/543358212361945269?l=english

You are invited to join our official discord. Chat with fellow SfL Players, discuss builds, the new content update or just hang out with us.

Welcome back Wanderers to the 1.0 Release Reveal Marathon #3, where we will unveil a major part of the extensive 1.0 content update.

Note that everything which is presented here is still in development and testing and might change until release.


It has been a while since we implemented the Awakened Gatekeeper bossfights with 2 Aeodra to face off in epic pinnacle bossfights. So we felt that having more variety in pinnacle bossfights would be a welcome addition. With the massive 1.0 update we are introducting 2 new bosses.

[h2]Lyxara, the Dawnbreaker[/h2]
Lyxara, the Dawnbreaker, channels the searing wrath of the sun itself, scorching all who dare oppose her.


[h2]Vareth, the Suncleaver[/h2]
Vareth, the Suncleaver, wields a colossal blade infused with solar fury, cleaving through foes with blinding, sunlit strikes.


We think these new challenges will not only bring more much needed bossfight variety into the endgame but infuse the game with new challenges.


Continuing our redesign streak from last weeks post, we can finally share that the buildings in Ankerath will receive a much needed overhaul with the upcoming 1.0 update.
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1646790/view/516335980136890830?l=english

Many town objects have been completely redesigned to make Ankerath feel like a true sanctuary — a cozy hideout and shining beacon of light amidst the darkness that engulfs the land.







We have heard your feedback regarding enemy contact damage and we are happy to share that plenty of enemies will receive new attack pattern to remove default enemy contact damage entirely. With update 1.0 there will be no enemies dealing contact damage by default.

Some old enemies like the dragonflies in the basement map did not have any attack animations and therefore only dealt contact damage. Those enemies now got distinct attack patterns so that you will not have to fear to loose your run by walking into a fly during endgame ending your run :).



We are happy to announce that we will be announcing the release date of Striving for Light 1.0 very soonTM.


We hope that this preview excites you for the upcoming 1.0 release! We are looking forward to hear your thoughts on all the new features and content.

But behold, this is only a fraction of what will come with the 1.0 Release, we will continue the reveal marathon on next Wednesday 28st of May.

You are invited to join our official discord. Chat with fellow SfL Players, discuss builds, the new content update or just hang out with us.

Welcome back Wanderers to the 1.0 Release Reveal Marathon #2, where we will unveil a major part of the extensive 1.0 content update.

Note that everything which is presented here is still in development and testing and might change until release.

Last week we covered: Character Slots, Honour System, Unknown Wanderer Redesign, Hybrid Skill Nodes and the new Evasion Skill Nodes
https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1646790/view/543356943483273818?l=english


Since we have been working on this game for around 4 years, some art assets look quite dated compared to all the new additions. For the 1.0 release we will be reworking nearly all gatekeeper map boss designes with fresh animations and new art. We tried our best to maintain the character and personality of each character.






We also did further refinements on the perspective of the gatekeeper arena. But wait this is not all, we have also redesigned all the secret bosses, the phoenix and someone else we have encountered on our journey...

Do you recognize him....? He got some surprises in store...




Not only enemies and bosses have become dated due to our long early access journey. Some world events also are showing their age and not reflecting our current visual standarts. Gatekeeper portals have received a redesign as well as all chests got a complete visual overhaul.

We also added some new chest designs to not only better communicate on which chests you need a key, but also make awakened gatekeeper chests look more impressive and apropriate in size to hold all the loot they hold in store for you.




Since the heart of Stiving for Light is the skilltree we thought it deserves a complete redesign as well.



All skill nodes have been completely redesigned with an entire new concept for the skill node frames. Up till now plenty of melee, range and companion skills had the same skill frame design and only a colour difference was indicating the type of skill. We went the extra mile to redesign ALL skill nodes icons.

We also created distinct skill node frames for all different skill types. Range skills will now be indicated by a spikey arrow type skill frame. Melee skills will have a more massive steel inspired skill frame. Companion skills will have wings. Universal ability skill nodes that trigger effects but are working with melee and range attacks now have a more universal skill node frame. Attack replacer skill nodes now have a exchange inspired skill node frame indicating that you can only pick on of those and that this skill will replace a functionality.

Melee Skill Nodes:

Range Skill Nodes:

Companion Skill Nodes:

Universal Skill Nodes:

Attack Replacer Skill Nodes:

Advanced Skill Nodes:

Basic Skill Nodes:



We also think this will be a further step in making it easier when navigating the skilltree with less hovering is required to distinguish where you want to go. Furthermore the skilltree background got reworked as well.



A new enemy ragdoll system will make combat feel more impactful and fun. Slaying enemies will now trigger a ragdoll effect with a gradual death animation. This will be a huge step up from the simple vanishing before, which looked odd especially on big enemies like endbosses.

Here is how it looks in action.




We hope that this preview excites you for the upcoming 1.0 release! We are looking forward to hear your thoughts on all the new features and content.

But behold, this is only a fraction of what will come with the 1.0 Release, we will continue the reveal marathon on next Wednesday 21st of May.

You are invited to join our official discord. Chat with fellow SfL Players, discuss builds, the new content update or just hang out with us.