Fatal Claw - Dev Notes #07

[p][/p][p][/p][p]Hello, everyone![/p][p][/p][p]Before we begin, thank you everyone who played the demo, joined us for Steam Next Fest, and supported our Kickstarter. Your feedback has been invaluable.[/p][p][/p][p]In today’s Dev Notes, we’d like to share the heartfelt effort behind the recently released demo build.[/p][p][/p][p]If this look behind the scenes helps you feel the team’s intent and care, that alone makes us happy.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]\[How the Current Demo Came to Be][/h3][p][/p][p][/p][p]Although this is the first time the Fatal Claw demo has been released online, we previously showcased an offline build at TGS 2024 and several expos.[/p][p][/p][p]As we prepared the online release, we took another hard look at the demo. We found many areas to improve, and we couldn’t ignore them.[/p][p][/p][p]We moved back and forth across the intro, completed sections, and later areas—testing, fixing, and re-testing.[/p][p]The result of that process is the demo you’re playing now.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]◈ Strengthening the Opening: Better Immersion into the World[/h3][p][/p][p]In the previous demo, gameplay began immediately after the opening cinematic as Kisha with just one HP in Origin Laboratory.[/p][p]Many players took this as a simple start signal, and it didn’t spark enough curiosity about the world.[/p][p][/p][p]So we added direction right after the opening to naturally draw you in and raise questions.[/p][p]“What is that number?”[/p][p]“Whose voice was that?”[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]You won’t grasp the entire world at a glance, and that’s okay.[/p][p]As you follow Kisha’s story, those early questions resolve and immersion grows.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]◈ Feel the Controls Early: Demo-Exclusive Speedrun & Boss Challenge[/h3][p][/p][p]The demo covers the early game, where only the basic Mutant Abilities are available.[/p][p][/p][p]That made it hard to showcase the late-game, Mutant Ability-driven thrill.[/p][p]To address this and to preview the game's core thrills, we added demo-exclusive modes.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]- Speedrun: Grants Mutant Abilities normally obtained later, so you can sample dynamic action and exploration ahead of time.[/p][p][/p][p]- Boss: Introduces a “teaser” boss you wouldn’t meet early in the main game, letting you experience the direction and pattern concepts of future boss fights.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]◈ Easier Navigation: Landmarks on the Minimap[/h3][p][/p][p]As we’ve shared before, Fatal Claw reduces path-finding stress using region-specific colors and landmarks. [/p][p]However, the minimap still made orientation tough at times. [/p][p][/p][p]We improved the minimap by adding key landmark images as signposts. [/p][p]Now, when you glance at the minimap, it naturally recalls the corresponding environmental features. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This change may feel subtle at first. [/p][p]But as you keep playing, the icons and the real spaces click together, and navigation becomes much easier. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]◈ Natural Combat Learning: Animation Hint from Kisha’s Downward Attack Against Mirkam[/h3][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This is a tiny detail, but it carries our intent to provide an early boss hint.[/p][p][/p][p]You don’t have to use downward attack to beat Mirkam. [/p][p]But if you employ it well, the fight gets much easier. [/p][p]Small hints like this stack up and help you enjoy in richer ways. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]◈ “I Changed the World”: Power Restoration in Aurora Village[/h3][p][/p][p]This improvement came directly from offline demo feedback. [/p][p]In the earliest demo, only the drilling site visibly restarted. [/p][p]Many players missed that the entire village had brightened. [/p][p][/p][p]So we added a sequence where power spreads back through the village. [/p][p]Through Kisha, you feel the world changing, and sense what Aurora Village is meant to be. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]We’re also developing more scenes with NPCs to sustain immersion as your journey continues.[/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][p][/p][h3]◈ Wrapping Up: The Power of Small Details[/h3][p][/p][p]Beyond the points above, we added and refined many other elements.[/p][p]If you’re playing the demo for the first time, some changes may not stand out.[/p][p]But no detail is too small if it makes the game more fun, so we’ll keep working on it.[/p][p][/p][p]Early Access and full release still have many milestones ahead.[/p][p]We’ll keep communicating openly so can become a welcoming, beginner-friendly Metroidvania game for everyone.[/p][p][/p][p]Even brief impressions are welcome. Please share them on Steam Discussions or Discord. [/p][p]👉 \[Discord][/p][p]👉 \[Steam Discussions] [/p][p][/p][p]One more thing—we’ve uploaded a Developer Q&A video on the official YouTube channel.[/p][p]It’s packed with insights: controls, art, supported languages, and plans for release. Check it out! 👐[/p][p][/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p][/p][p]Thanks for reading today’s Dev Notes.[/p][p]See you in the next update. 🙏[/p]