Faye Falling Version 1.3

The third major update for Faye Falling is out now! It features an expanded Challenge Mode, improved backtracking, new secrets, new rings, trial rewards, QOL updates, improved performance, the ability to equip two rings at once, and lots more!

Faye Falling is also 35% off for the next two weeks, so make sure to grab it if you haven't yet!

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[h2]Patch Notes[/h2]
[h3]Harder, Expanded and Refreshed Challenge Mode[/h3]
New Lore

2 tablets readable only in Challenge Mode have been added outside the Secret Doorway in the Desert. These contain previously written but unused lore.

EX Stats

Enemies in Challenge Mode now have "-EX" appended to their name in the check window.
The weakest enemy in each area now has a 100 speed stat.
All enemies have an additional +2 attack stat buff.
All enemies have an additional +1 defence stat buff.

Attack Patterns

Enemies in each area now share attack patterns and use a random one each time.
A pass was completed over all attack patterns to make them faster and harder.

Traders

Reduced Max Stock by 2.

Cosmetics

Encounter flames and coins now have hollow centers.
Equipment item chests are now red.

Tutorials, Guidance and Bonus Chests

Help Statues, Spirit Guides, and Small Chests are now replaced by red crosses.
Added a Help Statue with red writing to the desert, telling players they're all alone.
The battle tutorial window now skips.
The game over screen no longer encourages you.

Name Entry

Added unique questions.
Added unique intro and outro text.

[h3]Tea Shop and Temporary Buffs[/h3]

Added a Tea Shop to one of the desert caves.
For 100 gold, you can order one of three teas for a temporary stat buff that lasts until the end of your next battle.
Green Tea: Buffs Attack by 3 points
Black Tea: Buffs Magic by 3 points
Oolong Tea: Buffs Defense by 2 points.
Added a Spirit Guide to the Desert settlement who recommends visiting the Tea Shop if you get stuck at a boss.

[h3]New Secrets[/h3]
Omikuji

There are now 6 omikuji hidden around the game.
Find one to choose between increasing your Attack or Magic stat by 1 point.

Trial Rewards

Each Trial now rewards you an additional blessing for scoring high. (The score requirement is the same as the achievements.)
Interact with the scoreboard to receive your blessing of either increased Mana or Max HP.

[h3]Deeper Ring Strategies[/h3]
Gauntlet

Added a new key item called a "Power Gauntlet." This allows you to equip two rings at once.
All ring abilities stack or power up. (ie. wearing two rings that recover 3 mana each will recover 6 mana, wearing two dodge rings will allow you to move faster than one, etc.)
Added a new NPC called "Fives." They'll sell you a Power Gauntlet for 200 gold.

New Rings

Dodge Ring: Move faster when evading attacks.
Limit Ring: Limit Breaks do more damage.
Revenge Ring: Counter-attacks do 50% bonus damage.
Absorb Ring: Absorb spells heal 50% more HP.

Rebalanced and Powered Up Rings

Malady Ring: Raised ailment chance to 80%.
Mobility Ring: Raised immunity from immobility statuses to 100%.
Precise Ring: Raised accuracy bonus to 50%.

[h3]Backtracking[/h3]
Fast Travel

The Travel Chain is now added to the top of the key items list, making it faster and more convenient to access.
Two new fast travel points were added to the Cavern.

New Dialogue

5 new alternative bits of dialogue have been added to Lost Spirits throughout the game. These make what they're saying more consistent with your current place in the story.

Continuity Error

Fixed a continuity error in Chapter 3 with Dusk and the Dark Spirit when backtracking.

[h3]QOL[/h3]
Windows

Your inventory window now opens to the last tab.
Your spells window now opens to the last tab.
The pause menu can now also be closed by pressing the menu button again.
For every window, scrolling up past a top entry now scrolls down to the bottom, and scrolling down past the bottom entry now scrolls up to the top.
Switching right at the last tab moves it back to the first, and switching left at the first tab moves it back to the last.

GamePads

Window tabs can now be swapped using trigger buttons.
The start button on Gamepads (and escape on keyboard) now also opens the pause menu.

Gameplay

The height of coin hit boxes was slightly increased, making them a bit easier to collect.

Save Points

Made one of the save points in the Desert Dunes area a healing save point.
Added another save point to the cavern, to avoid a possible big loss of progress if killed in that area.

Faster Game Overs

The game over screen now appears quickly, instead of fading in slowly.

Faster Name Entry

Made the fading 2.5x faster.

[h3]Soundtrack[/h3]

The "With Fire (Gabriel Battle)" track has had a much-needed rewrite and remix. (It sounds way more cohesive with the rest of the music now!)

[h3]Visuals[/h3]

More cloud backgrounds and tones in the sky area.
Improved the tail animation for the Dark Spirits in battle.
Nicer page icons for the mysterious note, etc.
Simplified the game over screen.

[h3]Optimization and Fixes[/h3]
Memory Leaks

Fixed dozens of memory leaks (shame, shame!).

Save Data

Save files are no longer accessed during gameplay.
The unlocks and settings save files are now combined.
Some unused save data values are no longer written or read.

Typos

Fixed "bought" typo in a Side Quest description.
Fixed an extra space in a Side Quest description.
Changed "counter attack" to "counter-attack" in the tutorial text.

Bugs

Fixed the rain being blue for a moment on the forest silhouette.

General Optimisations

The lighting surface no longer resizes every frame; only when there's a size change.
Improved performance across the overworld by disabling some objects out of view.
Optimised the input system.
Optimised the pushing arrow tiles.
Optimised dash crystals.

Thanks for playing! If you haven't already, make sure to leave a Steam review :-)

Like I've mentioned a few times, I have two new games I'll be announcing soon-ish. You can follow me on twitter or bluesky to see them when they're announced!

Jack