Lone Soul - 0.9 Demo Update

[p][/p][p]Hello Conquerors,[/p][p]It’s been a while since our last update. That’s because we’ve been quietly working on a massive set of improvements and design changes, based on all the feedback you shared with us after the previous version.[/p][p]Update 0.9 is the biggest transformation to the game so far. It’s a strong step toward what we plan for the full release, coming later in Q3 2025. Of course, this is not our final word. We’ll keep improving and refining everything in the months to come, this time focusing more on QoL, balance, and optimization improvements.[/p][p]We highly recommend starting with a fresh save. Too much has changed to continue smoothly from older ones.

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Here’s a quick summary of what’s new:
[/p][p]Combat feel overhaul
We’ve made a wide range of improvements to make combat more responsive and satisfying. Animations were reworked, particle effects improved, and hit timings adjusted. The biggest change, however, is the addition of input queueing.[/p][p]No matter how fast you press buttons, you’ll be able to build your own combos reliably. The combo system now displays icons for each hit. Enemies have better spawn and attack indicators. We also added a brand new set of sound effects to enhance the feel of each strike.

No more mana, shield and health system instead [/p][p]We removed the mana and connection bars. In their place, we introduced shield and health as your main resources. Shields regenerate after each room and from orbs dropped by enemies. Health can only be upgraded in a special chamber after each boss. If your health drops to zero, you are removed from the tower. The new system should feel simpler, faster, and more enjoyable to play.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]No cooldowns on skills
There are no cooldowns on skills anymore, except for the ultimate. You can use your abilities freely. However, using the same skill repeatedly will slow down your combo gauge significantly. Mixing your abilities is still the most effective and rewarding way to play.[/p][p][/p][p]Items, runs, and progression
Previously, items dropped from enemies. Based on your feedback, deciding between them didn't fit the general flow of the design. Now, enemies drop runes instead. These can be placed in special slots to level up the items you selected before the run. As you progress, your bond with your Patron also grows. That can change how your abilities behave or even unlock new ones.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]New prophecy system
We added a new risk and reward system. Prophecies give you passive bonuses that shape your run and offer new build options. It will be up to you to risk chambers with more deadly modifiers in exchange for a huge bonus to one of your stats.
[/p][p]Between-run progression
After finishing a run, you will unlock permanent upgrades by using the Constellation Liaison. You can also use the Creation Cubes you found during your journey to unlock new items. These will shape your ability set at the start of future runs.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]More variety
The mystic forest biome is still the only one available in the demo, but we’ve introduced changes to the visuals of different chambers. These include dozens of new assets, updated lighting, new skyboxes, and reshaped islands. We’ve also added new types of chambers, including tower fragment destruction, control zones, and timed enemy waves.
[/p][p]New bosses and reworked guardians parade
This demo update includes 3 new forest-biome-specific bosses. Each now features a unique passive trait and 3 new abilities, one added with each boss phase. Fighting 3 bosses at once now includes 2 projections that continue attacking you while remaining invulnerable, further increasing combat intensity. We also hope you’ll have a ton of fun chasing the goldkeeper for extra currency.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Reworked tutorial
We’ve updated the tutorial section to reflect all the gameplay changes introduced in this demo. There is also a new option to show only the essential prompts. If you’ve played games in this genre before, this is the optimal way to go through it.
[/p][p]Full gamepad support
This demo patch includes full gamepad support, with reworked UI elements to match your input of choice. We’re still planning further improvements to this feature.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Added 6 new languages
In addition to English, this demo now supports 6 new languages: Simplified Chinese, Polish, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish. These are also the languages we plan to support in the full release.
[/p][p]There are tons of changes in this update, so if you want to catch up on everything, check out the changelog below:[/p][hr][/hr][h3]Gameplay[/h3]

• [p]Added queueing system for performed attacks[/p]
• [p]Reworked combat animations[/p]
• [p]Reworked animation timings for better responsiveness[/p]
• [p]Removed mana and connection points, introduced shield[/p]
• [p]Repeated abilities now improve the combo bar slower[/p]
• [p]Added new forest-specific bosses with new abilities[/p]
• [p]Introduced new mechanic: guardian projections[/p]
• [p]Reworked progression system, now based on lootable runes[/p]
• [p]Reworked items, now unlocked at the base[/p]
• [p]Introduced new progression currencies: power crystals and creation cubes[/p]
• [p]Removed cooldowns from all skills except the ultimate[/p]
• [p]Reworked game tutorial to incorporate new changes[/p]
• [p]Added full gamepad support[/p]
• [p]Added new prophecy system, a risk-and-reward mechanic[/p]
• [p]Added NPC behavior patterns at the base[/p]
• [p]Removed chamber intros, now you jump straight into the fight[/p]
• [p]Reworked game balance to fit the design changes[/p]
• [p]Added localization support for Polish, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish[/p]

[h3]Visuals[/h3]

• [p]Reworked the base with tons of new assets and floating elements for more depth[/p]
• [p]Reworked the tutorial area[/p]
• [p]Reworked the boss arena[/p]
• [p]Reworked the forest biome with new visual styles across locations[/p]
• [p]Added floating islands[/p]
• [p]Added movable plants and trees[/p]
• [p]Improved lighting across the whole game[/p]
• [p]Reworked particle effects[/p]
• [p]Improved skybox transitions across scenes[/p]
• [p]Added visual changes for chambers with modifiers[/p]
• [p]Reworked skill icons[/p]
• [p]Reworked various UI elements to incorporate new systems and improve UX[/p]
• [p]Improved dialogue screen visuals[/p]
• [p]Added UI animations for upgrades, backgrounds, and more[/p]
• [p]Reworked chamber icons for clearer indicators[/p]
• [p]Reworked boss cutscenes[/p]
• [p]Added a game intro explaining the main story arc[/p]
• [p]Added Revelia cutscene at the start of the tutorial[/p]
• [p]Improved HUD and added auto-hide option during combat[/p]
• [p]Added models for Patron monuments[/p]
• [p]Added volumetric fog for more atmospheric lighting[/p]

[h3]Sound & Audio[/h3]

• [p]Reworked skill sounds[/p]
• [p]Reworked UI sounds[/p]
• [p]Added new music[/p]
• [p]Improved music fade-ins and fade-outs[/p]
• [p]Adjusted volume balance for voiceovers[/p]
• [p]Adjusted dialogue content for the new design changes[/p]

[p]...and tons of bug fixes, optimizations, and QoL changes compared to the previous demo.[/p][hr][/hr][p]You can also expect some hotfixes in the coming days that will iron out any remaining issues. We've also compiled a list of known issues we plan to address soon:[/p][p]Known issues[/p]

• [p]Options menu is sometimes unresponsive when using a gamepad[/p]
• [p]Minos section in the tutorial is unclear for some players[/p]
• [p]Low graphics settings reduce base brightness more than intended[/p]

[p]We’d love to hear your thoughts on the new demo. Join us on Discord and leave your feedback. And if you haven’t already, make sure to wishlist Lone Soul on Steam.[/p][p]

[/p][p]Express yourself in battle! Laughing Fox Games


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