[h2]Hey Guardians![/h2]
What started as a small experimental project has grown into a full-fledged game — with a complete story, updated visuals, new mechanics, and countless improvements inspired by your feedback.
Today, we’re proud to officially release version 1.0 on Steam. Thank you for being part of this journey — whether you’ve been with us from the start or just joined now. Welcome to the full Ocean Keeper experience!
Below, we’ve highlighted some of the key features included in the 1.0 release — though there are far more changes and additions under the surface. We’ll focus on the most exciting ones!
We’ve been working on a storyline that will provide a more meaningful role to the exploration and combat. In this release, we carefully integrate all narrative elements into the roguelike structure to maintain replayability while delivering a smooth feeling of constant progression.
We've included and fully localized over 500 lines of story dialogues, and completely redesigned the tutorial - now it functions as an integrated part of the story. Also, we've updated five main points of interest to reflect their narrative importance.
We've added in-world notes that reveal Ocean Keeper's lore and explain the events that led to the current state of the underwater world. In addition, we've added the Digger’s personal diary and a story journal that will help track the major developments throughout the roguelike loops. Expect more interaction between the two main characters, the Mech and the Digger, and a new third character that will reveal unexpected details about Ocean Keeper world.
We’ve completed a full visual redesign, including adjusted lighting, color grading, and environmental layering to improve performance and gameplay clarity. As a result, new game graphics better reflect the dark atmosphere of the Ocean Keeper.
We've also improved points of interest. Now, each POI looks visually richer and has a significant meaning to the narrative. Enemies have received visual upgrades as well - they have glowing elements and enhanced effects.
We’ve updated the UI to offer clearer structure, improve readability, and help players better navigate the game. Also, our goal was to provide a more responsive and intuitive experience.
We've reworked several core windows, including the Main Menu, Settings, Pause, and Customization screens, as well as in-game HUDs for the Mech and Digger. The Settings window now features a tab-based layout for better organization. Navigation with keyboard and gamepad also has been improved across multiple screens.
We’ve reworked core balance systems to make the game more tactically engaging. We've improved progression systems - weapon stats and upgrades are now divided into tiers, and session progression got clearer upgrade choices. Also, we have rebalanced Mech's speed and enemy waves for better pacing and diversity.
We've updated cave generation and ore spawning to increase exploration depth. Now, players must effectively upgrade Digger to gather enough resources and survive increasingly difficult waves.
We’ve expanded the enemy system to provide more tactical depth. Now, Ocean Keeper features around 30 enemy types: some enemies explode on contact, others keep their distance and attack from range.
We've enhanced boss mechanics with new attack patterns and improvements to existing ones. Each boss now presents a more challenging encounter, and defeating a boss grants a reward, giving players access to a free upgrade.
Ocean Keeper release also includes several important improvements outside the core systems. We've developed new weapons, tools, and updated sound design and cave environments.
New Mech Weapons We've created two new weapons for the Mech: the Rail Gun, which pierces through multiple enemies, and the Electric Gun, which fires an electric projectile dealing area damage.
New Digger Tools We've created two additional tools for the Digger: the Punch Glove that smashes through blocks, and the Laser Glove, that melts through blocks in a straight line.
Sounds Update We've reworked all in-game sounds, including weapon audio, enemy effects, UI sounds, and cave ambiences.
Cave Update We've improved core caves - now they feature greater variety and include optional challenges that reward extra resources. We've also improved lighting and stronger underwater ambiance for cave visuals.
We also invite you to check out our brand-new official trailer. It reflects how far the game has come and sets the tone for what awaits in version 1.0. We’d love to hear what you think!
[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
Ocean Keeper is leaving Early Access. This isn’t just another update – it’s part of our story.
When we launched Ocean Keeper in Early Access, we had a concept.
A world after disaster.
A mech guarding the last fragments of life.
A drill digging through the sand.
We had a clear vision for tone, mood, and gameplay – but at that point, it was just a shell.
Everything that came after was shaped by the people around us.
By players leaving feedback on Discord and Steam.
By friends testing early builds late at night.
By family who had no idea what was happening on screen, but still said, “It looks cool.”
And by our team – making mistakes, fixing them, and pushing forward.
Ocean Keeper is no longer “just a roguelike.”
It’s a world – one built through fragments of story, dialogue, and discovery. It’s a game where each wave, each mine, and each moment of quiet holds meaning. Not just for the player, but for the people who built it.
And today, we’re proud to say: Ocean Keeper 1.0 is here.
We’re not done – not even close. This isn’t an ending, but a new chapter.
There are more updates coming, console versions on the horizon, patches, and polish to be done — and most importantly, there’s a growing community to build alongside.
To everyone who supported us – and to those joining now – thank you.
It’s been a long journey. But we’re only just diving in.
— The Ocean Keeper Team
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2845630/Ocean_Keeper_Dome_Survival/
