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Roguelike horror game is Resident Evil, with Baldur's Gate 3's Karlach

I am, admittedly, very bad at horror games. I remember playing Resident Evil Village when I stayed with my mom, and she checked on me multiple times because of just how much I was screeching (that baby haunts my dreams). New horror roguelike Harvest Hunt is looking to cause just as much distress all over again - thankfully, I live alone now, but is that a blessing, or a curse?


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Update - Demo Build v 1.5.0

Hello everyone! We have a new demo and playtest update! We have been hard at work for the past month focusing on our controller support to make it the best it can be. There will still be more controller fixes coming in the upcoming months but this is a HUGE addition we have with the latest update. So press that update button on Steam and enjoy surviving with your favourite controller!

Here are the complete patch notes which include improvements to other areas of the game as well.

Updates

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]
  • After a Devourer attack, it will now add a cooldown so the monster doesn't emerge from one of its holes for some time
  • Iterated on different inputs for both keyboard/mouse and controller to make the use of Tools more intuitive
  • Adjusted the tutorial space on the screen and some tutorial input
  • If Tools are held they will not longer be highlighted in Warden Sight
  • Updated lantern distance to be bigger and affect the Devourer from larger distances


[h2]Content[/h2]
  • Compendium entries now include the character name at the bottom of an unlocked entry
  • Updated tutorials to reflect new inputs
  • Updated one of the Whispers that appears in the first Harvest Season
  • Removed Ambrosia reward that was given in the first Harvest Season
  • Updated some Tools costs (Hatchet is now more pricey and the Jaw Trap costs less)


[h2]Art[/h2]
  • In Warden Sight Devourer-related items now glow green instead of yellow
  • Entry Point smoke has been doubled in height to allow for better visibility
  • New artwork for some tutorials
  • Updated hover state colors of some buttons
  • Adjusted the style of the D-pad buttons
  • Added new artwork in the credits and pause menu
  • Updated the controls artwork to match the new inputs
  • Updated the effect on objects in Warden Sight
  • Removed all post-process motion blur that was being applied


[h2]Controller[/h2]
  • Implemented new input UI to show throughout all the screens on in-game buttons
  • Implemented correct input UI in-game and throughout tutorials
  • In the Warden screen the controller behaves differently to allow just holding a button to progress without hovering over the mask
  • Allowing a bigger increase of speed for the virtual cursor in our settings
  • Scrollbars will not scroll much faster
  • Assigned button presses rather than D-pad traversal in various screens
  • Cursor will now change artwork depending if keyboard/mouse is used or a controller



Bug Fixes

[h2]General[/h2]
  • Fixed a bug where grabbing tools didn't work correctly on low framerates
  • Fixed mip maps on various UI images
  • Fixed audio ducking that would persist in other screens if the Devourer killed the player while something else was also damaging them
  • Fixed audio that repeated when the Devourer heard the player footsteps on noisemakers


[h2]Controller[/h2]
  • Cursor is hidden in various screens now
  • Crouching now follows the proper direction of the L-Stick
  • Fixed bug that didn't allow the player to start the game the first ever time you launched it
  • Fixed bug that didn't allow the player to scroll in the Compendium entries
  • Fixed an ugly bug with held items that would jitter when the player walked with them
  • Fixed L-Stick affecting the range of throwable Tools

Interrogating Villains #2: Delving into the Farmlands

Greetings Villains!

It's 2024 which means the doomsday clock ticks ever closer to the release of our game Harvest Hunt!

For this instalment of Interrogating Villains, we decided to ask our devs about their experience playing the game, giving you further insight into design decisions and the inner workings here at our company of ne'er do wells!

As always, you can read all the details below, or on our website.

If you want to be involved in our nefarious schemes, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you can hear all the latest updates.

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🎩Tell us about your favourite tool!
Uriel Cordas - Art Lead

Hands down the only correct answer is the Blood Flask. You get it early on and it’s a great encapsulation of our risk/reward philosophy. You need to be fairly close to the monster for enough time to charge it so you can use it, but if used right it’s a great one to use as a Devourer radar! Especially if you’ve got a Monster Vane or two lying around, it’s my go-to strategic move!

Valentina Chrysostomou - Game Director

Really like the Proxy Poppet, a mid-game Tool which is super risky to use as it will damage both the player and the monster at the same time. It also looks amazing and it's one unique looking item that you wouldn't normally think of as a "weapon". I tend to use it when I want to stay clear from the monster and get a "win" quickly but also when I know I'm safe to do so! Dangerous to use otherwise.

Miguel Pereira - Gameplay Programmer

The Scarecrow is definitely an essential item for me. Clearing out all of the map's fiends, even if for a short period of time, has saved me countless runs. Nothing feels more reassuring than, right in the peak of a tense situation, finding a Scarecrow and knowing that for the next few minutes you no longer have to worry about being watched and heard at every possible corner. Furthermore, from a design perspective, I really like how the Scarecrow manages to be such a useful tool without ever directly affecting the Devourer, focusing instead on easing the map traversal.

🎩In your opinion, which Whisper card is most challenging?
Uriel Cordas - Art Lead

I dread the Famine. Despite all my best efforts I’m not exactly the most careful player, and get hit A LOT. Not having the option of grabbing a ration makes Famine-cursed nights a white-knuckle situation for me.

Valentina Chrysostomou - Game Director

While sounding simple, I think the Whisper that allows the monster to do more damage is really scary! The monster is already so powerful and with that Whisper it becomes a really tense game where the player needs to be extra careful. It's something you will brush off and might even forget about it applying which is what makes it so dangerous.

Miguel Pereira - Gameplay Programmer

The Poisoned Corn is by far the whisper I struggle to play with the most (seconded by the Famine). Punishing the player for resorting to the only semi-safe zones they otherwise have in a map riddled with hazards feels diabolical. Every time I get this whisper, I find myself thrown in a loop to adjust my overly cornfield-dependent playstyle.

🎩What's your favourite location on the map?
Uriel Cordas - Art Lead

I’m quite fond of the Windmill. That tunnel is ever so inviting and I find myself popping in the area more often than not. To do with the colour and the general vibe of the place as a space carved out by self expression, even if it comes from a fairly dark place, I get a strong sense of melancholy there.

Valentina Chrysostomou - Game Director

I absolutely love the maze-like pathways found around the more watery parts of the game. Not a specific location by itself but every time I'm crouching, slowly moving through the bloody water, my lantern flicking, corn towering on each side of me - it just gives me chills.

Miguel Pereira - Gameplay Programmer

I really like the look and feel of the Tree Landmark. The imagery of a daunting elder tree, surrounded by bloody water bodies and flimsy wooden plank walkways, is such a strong and fitting one in the context of Harvest Hunt. Also, the fact loud-to-step-on walkways stretch through most of its area, mixed with there being very little tall coverage to sneak behind, make this the landmark in which I, as a player, feel the most unsafe and exposed.


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Let us know if you have any questions you'd like to see featured via our social channels and be sure to read the next edition of Interrogating Villains!

Update - Demo Build v 1.4.0

Hello everyone! We have a new demo and playtest update just in time for the winter holidays! Even if you played our demo before, there are a lots of smaller and bigger updates for you to check out. It's live NOW so grab a cup of tea, your warmest blanket and download our demo to get cozily spooked!

If you played our demo or playtest before you need to start a new game as we have updates impacting the save data.


Here are the complete patch notes.

New Features

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]
  • New lantern system allowing the player to turn the lantern on/off with the Devourer reacting to it accordingly
  • Ability to start a New Game which will reset all the progression
  • New Whispers Fragment Power and Poisoned Corn added
  • New smooth crouch and crouch-dash effect!

[h2]UI[/h2]
  • New button to allow the player to continue the tutorial in case they changed their mind about skipping it
  • New tutorials added both in-game, in the HUD screens and the Compendium
  • Images now added to in-game tutorials
  • New message pop up after you finish the game for the first time
  • New card unlock animation after completing a Night
  • New Ambrosia UI implemented in the main HUB as well as in the Warden Sight
  • New animations have been added to the Whisper screen

[h2]Environment[/h2]
  • Implemented new water for the puddles around the level
  • New decals and meshes implemented in the Church and Windmill landmarks to bring it closer to our initial vision of the environment
  • Lots of new small secret additions to the environment to make it stand out more



Updates

[h2]Gameplay[/h2]
  • Changes to the camera shake as well as new implementations in various new places to improve the visual feedback and game feel
  • A lot of tutorial updates including clarifications and tweaks
  • The Water Fiend has received a lot of improvements to its visibility and its states
  • Once the Devourer is banished the player can no longer interact with the Ambrosia or the Vigor around the level and their idle audio is also stopped
  • The Devourer now plays a searching audio and an audio cue when it rushes to investigate with the attenuation dynamically adjusted so the player can hear it coming from afar
  • Sight Fiends now have a cone that represents their vision
  • Small tweaks to the Spine Growth Devourer mutation to make it clearer

[h2]Content[/h2]
  • A few Strengths, Fortifications and Whispers have been rehauled and changed
  • Ambrosia lore now requires 2 stages to be complete before it fully unlocks
  • Tool throw range has been adjusted to be different per tool
  • Adding visual and audio feedback when the Blood Flash cannot be used yet
  • Tons of value tweaks and changes to the Whispers, Strengths and Fortifications making them more impactful

[h2]Progression / Flow[/h2]
  • Adjusting starting flow to make it a smoother onboarding experience for the player
  • The intro will now play after the player starts a New Game in the main menu not before entering the main menu
  • Much more Ambrosia is now available to harvest in the Farmlands
  • Rewards are now provided if the player escapes or banishes during the Night rather than just when they banish the Devourer
  • Adjusted which Strengths unlock at the beginning VS end of the game
  • Will only show the Current Hand after the second Night and the Compendium after the third Night

[h2]Art[/h2]
  • The Ambrosia now has a much clearer consumed state
  • The Devourer has been updated with new teeth and textures
  • Tools will now grey out in Warden Sight if they have been used
  • Updated the illustration backing for the abilities presented in Warden Sight
  • All interactive items now show a text prompt if they can be interacted with or not as well as showing their other various states
  • Objectives have been made a bit clearer
  • Added an option in the settings menu to toggle the item flashing effect on/off
  • Updated item highlight effect



Bug Fixes

[h2]General[/h2]
  • Camera shakes will always apply to tools now
  • Fixed a soft lock if the player stood still during the first tutorial and the Devourer ate all the Ambrosia, leaving nothing for the player to complete the tutorial
  • Fixed an issue with post process materials not always applying when the monster was close to the player
  • Fixed bug with the monster becoming invisible in rare occasions
  • Fixed bug that didn't allow the player to step on bridges while crouched
  • Setting colors in the main menu have been updated to use the correct color pallet
  • Various navigation issues fixed
  • Fixed a save data bug not allowing the player to continue their game
  • Refactored all the poison implementation in the game fixing bugs in the process that didn't apply the poison correctly or insta killing the player
  • Fixed a bug with our internal system not applying priorities to different value modifiers

[h2]Content[/h2]
  • Fixed a bug that would lead to the Grave Shovel tool not functioning properly if attacked by the Devourer
  • Fixed a bug with Twisted Empathy that would lead to its application timer not resetting properly if triggered twice in a row
  • A ton of fixes with the Vigor being drained or not gained appropriately when various health systems interacted with each other
  • Fixed a bug that would lead to the Good Portent Fortification still partially working after having been sacrificed
  • If the player has a full-hand, now the shuffle button is hidden and not interactable
  • Fixed a bug that would allow the player to start a night with below-minimum vigor
  • When sacrificing cards the total Ambrosia in now updated if the player has the Fortification equipped

[h2]Controller[/h2]
  • Added audio to whenever an entry of the Compendium is selected with a controller
  • Fixed bug where you could not switch between the Current Hand and the Compendium with the controller
  • Fixed a bug that would allow the player to, while playing with controller, press the sacrifice button with no cards selected
  • Added the virtual cursor to the credits scene
  • Fixed the bug that would lead to the player not being able to progress through the intro while using a controller
  • Fixed an issue with the credits scene, which would lead to the controller's skip button not working sometimes
  • Changed the controller input to skip in-game tutorial messages, and made the virtual cursor work in said screens

New Dev Diary: Interrogating Villains!

Greetings Villains!

As we head into 2024 there's only one thing on our minds here at Villainous: the release of Harvest Hunt!

As we steadily inch closer to release, we've taken the time to put our devs in the hotseat and interrogate each and every one of them for the most dastardly details about the next instalment in the Horror Stories anthology.

We'll be releasing these dev diaries here on Steam, as well as on our website, which can be found here.

Don't forget to sign up to our newsletter to stay on top of updates like these! We'll be launching a special Christmas update very soon so make sure you're subscribed.


🎩What details in the game are you proudest of?
Uriel Cordas - Art Lead

We obsessed over some of the details and I'm proud of a bunch of them, but I have to say our fog comes to mind immediately. It's one of those things I think most people won't even bat an eye at, but having the fog be like physical textured panes of glass you go through was great for the overall mood of the game. It makes for a very dramatic and distinct sight and helps give this grimy texture to the air itself!

Valentina Chrysostomou - Game Director

We have tons of little details in the game that I’m proud of. One of my favourites that adds to the quality of life factor is if you drop an object you were holding, it will reposition itself on the ground. For example, if the pitchfork drops to the ground flat, then it will reposition itself to be standing straight up. Not only it allows you to grab it much easier but also it looks cool!

Miguel Pereira - Gameplay Programmer

There's several little subtleties in the game that I'm proud of, so it's a bit hard to pick one in particular - but one I really enjoy is how the lantern flickers off when the Devourer emerges close to the player. It's a minor detail, one that might even go unnoticed if it happens in brighter portions of the map, but I really appreciate how impactful it can feel if the player is deep in the cornfield or in a dimmer area. Being enveloped in darkness so unexpectedly, mixed with the anxiety-inducing audio of the Devourer emerging nearby, really ramps up the tension from casual exploration to "I'm in immediate danger".


🎩What's been the most challenging feature to implement?
Uriel Cordas - Art Lead

For sure the Devourer. Developing its look and behaviour were long iterative processes, with long discussions being had on the functional basis of terror. How much of the main threat do we show vs just insinuating its presence and playing with tension, what is the exact level of uncanniness vs overt visual aggressiveness we want, etc. There was a lot of trial and error to get to where we are, but the real challenge was in implementation, which is where the rubber meets the road. Collisions, jittery navigation, even things like making it turn in just the right way ended up being challenging, but we got there in the end

Valentina Chrysostomou - Game Director

The Devourer! The behaviours it has, the animations, its audio design - it’s been one big task to make the monster play well within the game and the rest of the systems!

Miguel Pereira - Gameplay Programmer

I agree with Uriel and Valentina, the Devourer was the biggest challenge to get right - they're the star of the show after all! Although they had already been mostly implemented by the time I joined the team, any additions or changes I did to its functionality were by far the most sensitive tasks.


🎩If you could add in one feature that was cut during the development process, or if you could add something brand new now - what would it be?
Uriel Cordas - Art Lead

Hard to say but adding more variety to the Devourer's behaviour and look. Possibly exploring some alternatives to the current Devourer with different challenges and tones associated. That would definitely require deeper gameplay considerations.

Valentina Chrysostomou - Game Director

Definitely more level variety. Whether that means new levels to play in or a system that changes the level design dramatically. Since Luna Nova is a farming village we could still have cornfields in various other levels or a variation of the same idea; like a swamp level, filled with water, can have reeds for you to hide in and get lost in just like the corn in Farmlands.

Miguel Pereira - Gameplay Programmer

Aside from the level variety mentioned by Valentina, the main big change I wish we could still implement would have to be an "arcade-y" game mode for players to challenge themselves after having finished a full play-through.


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Be sure to follow us on socials and let us know what questions you'd like us to ask in the next edition of Interrogating Villains!