Cursed Companions News

Hey everyone! We’ve got some exciting news—our game is part of Steam Next Fest! That means you can jump in and try the demo right now. If you haven’t yet, this is the perfect time to experience our chaotic, funny, voice-activated horror co-op. On top of that, we’re rolling out a huge update, and the biggest addition is Traitor (or Imposter) Mode.

[h2]Traitor Mode: Can You Trust Your Team? And other new things![/h2]

Traitor Mode adds a new twist to the game, much like Among Us’ Imposter mode. Players still work together to survive, but now some are secretly working against the team. Traitors are chosen at random and can curse other players or even curse themselves to avoid suspicion.

The game host can adjust some settings, but the goal stays the same—traitors must stay hidden while sabotaging the group.


Traitors can also see other players' curse words and health, making it easier to slip the wrong words into conversation without getting caught (at least that's the idea, some teammates may be a little paranoid!). Traitors can also work together as they know who's on their side and who isn't.


With up to 16 players, the stakes get even higher. If you think someone’s a traitor, call (literally just shout the words) "Emergency Meeting" out loud.


Then, in the Voting Hall, players argue their case and vote who they think is the treacherous imposter. Once the player is voted the traitor, they can shout "You Traitor!" to kill them. But if you’re wrong, you might have just helped the real traitor win.

[h2]OTHER UPDATES[/h2]

You can change your outfits now!


We added a new shop called the House Catalog. We've moved all the furniture to that shop, so the main Shop will only contain equipment

[h2]Change Log[/h2]

• Updated the Holy Hand Grenade's spell word
  
• Health Potion, Curse Scrubber added
  
• Traitor Mode added
  
• Decorated the house with a bit more furniture
  
• Teleport Stone brings the player into a random location in the Abyssal Lands (it has been nerfed sorry)
  
• Improved the magic spells words, added some new phrases, removed those phrases that did not work well with playtesters
  
• Made the Home Island prettier
  
• A default Treasure is added to the Home, as a way to introduce players to the concept of Curses.
  
• If you get a Death Curse, an animation plays around the you
  
• Made improvements and tweaks to game balance
  
• We're in Beta!
  

[h2]Roadmap[/h2]

• You may encounter a Totem chamber in the Demo. It currently gives you random item or a curse. We're currently working on Twitch integration for streamers to run Polls on their chats.
  
• Fixing more bugs
  
• Adding more monsters
  
• Adding special rooms
  
• Thanks to our wonderful playtesters (you know who you are) we found out why players fall off the map at the doors to the dungeons
  

Give the demo a shot, let us know what you think, and get ready for more madness as we continue refining and expanding the game. Thanks for all the support—we can’t wait to hear what you think!

We’re thrilled to announce that Cursed Companions has released its official Demo! We're so excited!🎉

Cursed Companions is co-op horror game where what you say can save or sabotage your team! 🙊The game is always listening (using speech-recognition tech).

[h2]Gather your party! Prepare for mayhem![/h2]
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3400570/Cursed_Companions_Demo/

⚠️Note: For Demo, players are can play 3 in-game days within the game

We've been working hard on playtesting the demo, for those who have given us feedback, it has been invaluable. Thanks to their feedback, we feel a lot more confident with the demo, but as always, you can still give feedback here: https://forms.gle/j7DGBgyTzo2CVnfi6. We read everything cos we know there's always room for improvement.

Or just reach out to us via X, Bluesky or Discord.

[h2]Updates for 0.8.4[/h2]
If you've been our awesome playtester, thanks to your amazing feedback from the last playtest, we've made some big changes to improve the experience. Here's what’s new:

More Tutorials & Streamlined Introduction 🛠️
First-time players will now see simple tutorial banners to help navigate their first steps.


The training area on the Island? Gone! Few players used it. And also, we’ve significantly reduced the Island's size so you and your mates can get physically closer and keep the conversation flowing.


Added a smaller map for the first Day as a mini-tutorial to ease players in.


Meet the Bride
A new creature joins the dungeon horrors: The Bride. She’ll chase you down and get very attached... until you break up with her using a magic spell! (Don't say we didn't warn you—commitment issues are real.)



Quality of Life Updates

• Proximity chat distance increased by 50%—hear your teammates from further away!
  
• Spell phrases now rotate every 120 seconds instead of 60 seconds
  
• Once the arrow traps are disabled, they will remain disabled and won't restart again.
  
• Healing Wand increased its healing ability to 50 HP
  

Traps, Traps, and More Traps!
We realized players have been careful at navigating the existing Spike and Poison traps so new ones have been added. They’re harder to dodge and may require some fancy jumping skills!



New headgear
We added a few more items you can dress up your character with. We're working on player customization feature but that's not available for the demo, the outfits are currently generated at random.



[h2]Change log for 0.8.4 Alpha (our official demo version)[/h2]

Major updates:
- Added new Spike Traps and Poison Traps
- Added new creature: The Bride
- Removed the training area segment of the Island
- Reduced the land size of the Island significantly
- Added a smaller map for the first Day as a mini-tutorial for players
- Added a tutorial quest banner for first-time players
- Healing Wand increased its healing ability to 50 HP
- Increased proximity chat distance by 50%
- Spell phrases now change every 120s instead of 60s
- Once the arrow traps are disabled, they will remain disabled and won't restart again
- New eye-wear and helmets

Minor updates
- Improved the notification system with icons and particle effects
- Improved the skybox
- Moved the Recycler back to the House
- Moved the Shop to the ground floor of the House
- You can buy the Healing Wand, Dungeon Codex, Scroll of Praise and Spell Book from Gregory
- Reduced damage dealt by the Mandrake
- Spike Trap damage is reduced
- Gregory and Recycler can spawn in the Dungeon
- Improved and removed some magic spells words that the game mistakes for other words
- Beacon triggers: everyone can hear them now instead of the player who triggered it
- Added intro music to the lobby
- Dead player list now shows all dead players


Bug fixes:
- Fix the major bug on the floor traps where if multiple players stand on the voice circle and trigger the trap with their voice, the trap triggers after a long delay and causes serious lag on all players
- Fixed the displpay bug on the Portal Clock when the Day ends
- Improved the maps, fixed holes, collision areas, etc
- Poison fog is now attached to player's head even when the player crouches
- Several other smaller scale fixes to UI and UX

Roadmap
- Traitor mode
- More maps, map with lakes
- New scary creatures
- Wardrobe so you can dress up your character

With this Demo up, the Playtest version will no longer be available for the public to test, until further notice.

We’re so excited to share this with you. Get ready to dive into the dungeon, team up with your friends, and see if you can survive the chaos! And as always, remember to wishlist:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3265230/Cursed_Companions/

Thanks to the wonderful feedback from our players, we’ve implemented a host of improvements to the game! Your input is invaluable, and we’re so grateful to have such an engaged community helping us refine and enhance the experience. Here’s a closer look at some of the major updates:

[h2]Major updates:[/h2]

[h3]Redefining the Companions[/h3]

Many of you shared mixed feelings about the previous look of our Companions, and you were absolutely right—they didn’t quite hit the mark. We went back to the drawing board and gave them a new look: now they’re little red imps with horns and goggles, exuding a cheeky charm. We think this design is much more cohesive and fits the game’s vibe. It's a better 'face' for the game. Definitely a huge improvement. More on this topic in our previous post.

[h3]Dynamic Monster Spawns[/h3]

Monsters no longer spawn immediately when a portal opens. Instead, their spawn times are now randomized and delayed, creating more unpredictable encounters. This means you’ll need to stay on your toes, even when heading back home in the Abyssal Lands or retracing your steps back to the Dungeon entrance.

[h3]Improvements to the User Interface[/h3]

We’ve overhauled the UI to provide more help and instructions. Many players didn't read the instructions at the start so instead of overwhelming you with information upfront, we now introduce tips and tutorials gradually as you explore new zones. This should make onboarding smoother (hopefully). You can also find your way to the dungeon entrance and back home now via a beacon which can be triggered using the magic words.

[h3]Public Game Hosting[/h3]

You can now host public game sessions, making it easier to connect with other players. Want to team up with strangers or build a community? Now you can! Plus, if someone isn’t following the rules or is being disruptive, you can easily kick them out.

[h3]Randomized Portal Spawn Points[/h3]

To help new players find their way, portal spawn points now appear closer to the castle during the early stages of the game. The maps remain vast, but this tweak makes navigation more intuitive and reduces early-stage frustration.

[h3]New Island Wing with Training Grounds[/h3]

We’ve added a new wing to the Island that serves as a training ground for new players. This area features floor and arrow traps where you can safely practice your voice commands and strategies before diving into the dungeon. It’s a great place to hone your skills and build confidence.

[h3]Push-to-Talk for Streamers[/h3]
Dear streamers, Push-to-Talk is now available, allowing you to communicate with your audience without being overheard by your teammates. Keep in mind, though, that the game is always listening to what you say, that includes monsters, curse words, magic spells, etc.

[h3]Expanded Inventory Slots[/h3]
We’ve increased inventory slots by one, giving you more flexibility to carry items, potions, and other essentials. This small change opens up new strategies and makes inventory management a bit less restrictive.

[h3]New Gestures and Dances for Emotes[/h3]

We’ve added 8 new gestures (sit, thumbs up, thumbs down, taunt, salute, surrender, facepalm, L for loser) to give you more ways to express yourself in-game. We've also added a few more dance moves too.

[h3]Furniture Customization[/h3]

You can now buy furniture and move it around the Island to decorate your home. This feature adds a personal touch to your space. Future iterations will include functional furniture that enhances gameplay—stay tuned!

[h3]Monster Guide[/h3]

We’ve added a Monster Guide to the in-game guidebook. This feature provides tips and strategies for dealing with creatures. You can only unlock details about a monster after it has killed you. Learn from your defeats and come back stronger!

[h2]Other updates[/h2]

• Added noise cancellation threshold slider
  
• Celebration when the game is successfully completed
  
• Reduce Death Curse damage to 10
  
• Improved pick up distance for objects
  
• Increased door opening UI trigger distance
  
• Added beacons which can be triggered with magic words, to guide your way to the main entrance and side entrance
  
• Added spike traps and poison traps in the Dungeon
  
• Added ability to restart the game at the Game Over screen with the same players
  
• Added a global notification when the warning bell tolls
  
• Made more items available at the Shop at the start
  
• Removed the intro video
  
• Notification shown to the person who killed team mate with the cursed word
  
• Showing ping value in the settings for debugging lag
  
• Brightness bar reduced to 0.4 from 1.0 ːsteammockingː
  
• improvements made to animation and other visuals
  
• Changes made to the Mandrake's behavior (smaller listening range, less easy to trigger)
  
• Improved phrases for the magic words, curse words
  
• Fix bug for the voice activation circle for the traps (previously if two or more players were standing on the trap, it does not trigger the trap)
  
• Added a Healing Wand
  
• Fix bugs for Teleport Stone and Portal Clock
  
• FoulMoth triggers a local notification when it is attached to the player.
  

These updates aim to enhance both the core gameplay and the overall player experience. We’re constantly striving to make the game better and more enjoyable, so keep the feedback coming. Your insights truly make a difference. ːsteamthumbsupː

Thank you again for being part of this journey—we couldn’t do it without you!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to share an important development journey we’ve had with the design of our Companions. Initially, our vision for them was to be so low on the social ladder that they didn’t even have faces. We planned for players to personalize them later in the cycle with accessories. But, as game development often teaches us, we might have been overthinking it.

Our original capsule header with the key characters

During our playtests, it became clear that players were confused. The characters lacked a clear identity or archetype—like a warrior or wizard—and it left too much ambiguity.

We're glad we ran the playtest, it was so vital for getting outside perspectives. Many eyes on a project bring valuable, honest feedback, even if it’s tough to hear sometimes. But we welcome it.

After collecting insights by watching several streams, it became evident we needed to act. A big thank you to our playtesters for helping us see this. We reassessed our creative workflow and made some bold decisions.

We experimented with adding horns, but it didn’t quite achieve the look we wanted.

Very early blocking, to test the different faces and the horn position and angles

Trying out single horn like a unicorn

Trying out different colored horns, sizes and the curvature of the horns

Ultimately, we opted to change the skin tone to red, which transformed the Companions into little devilish imps while keeping their quirky, low-level minion feel.

We think this is a much better look

Comparing the previous look with the new one, I'm pretty sure we have made an improvement.


We've also been working hard researching the best composition for capsule images and library images. We realised the poses for the characters need to stand out a lot more. They had to do interesting things that showcase little parts of the game. We want to make them really stand out in a big way, they had to 'pop' out on screen.



We’re now in the process of updating our marketing materials, screenshots, and more. It’s a significant shift, but we’re excited for you to see it in action. The updated design will be part of the next playtest version.

Thanks again for all your feedback and support. We’re grateful to have such an engaged community contributing to our journey!

Stay tuned for more updates.
Dev team at Crimson Forge Studios

[h2]Greetings, Cursed Companions![/h2]

We’re thrilled to announce that the first public playtest of Cursed Companions is live! Everyone is invited to join and explore the Abyssal Lands and Dungeons. Your feedback is vital to making Cursed Companions the best experience possible, so dive in, have fun, and please let us know your thoughts!

[h2]Hosting a Playtest[/h2]

• Cursed Companions can be played solo, but is best with friends. Many game mechanics require friends to activate.
  
• There are currently no public servers, so you’ll need to create and host a game for others to join.
  
• Bring along your own friends or find fellow adventurers in our Discord server where players are eager to team up!
  

[h2]Hardware[/h2]
As we are using proximity chat and voice-recognition, we highly recommend you play with a microphone headset.

[h2]Gameplay Overview[/h2]
Here's a quick list of things to look out for when testing:

• Check out our feedback form here. It will give you a good frame of reference.
  
• Test Our Speech Recognition: Cursed Companions features a unique magic system where you speak words to disable traps and activate items. Try it out and let us know how it feels!
  
• Abyssal Lands Spawn Points: Your starting location will be slightly randomized each playthrough, adding a new twist each time.
  
• Procedurally Generated Dungeons: Each dungeon layout is unique! If you encounter a bug, hit ESC, and you’ll find the game seed in the settings page—send that to us along with your feedback.
  
• Meet Gregory: Our newest “friendly” merchant! Gregory’s got potions that might be useful for your journey, so be sure to pay him a visit.
  
• The playtest ends on the third in-game day if you meet the Queen's treasure target.
  

Gregory the Merchant will 'aid' you in your quests with a selection of potions and magical ornaments

[h2]Known Issues & Bug Reporting[/h2]
A list of known bugs is pinned in our Discord server. Jump in to report any new issues you encounter, and to chat directly with the devs!

[h2]❤️ Wishlisting & Creator Access[/h2]
Remember to wishlist us on Steam! It really helps with visibility and keeps you updated on all things Cursed Companions.

If you’re a Streamer or Content Creator, DM us here on Steam for early access—we’d love to see your adventures in the Abyssal Lands!

Launch Date: Targeting Q1 2025—stay tuned!

Thanks to everyone who participated in this first open playtest. Your feedback and enthusiasm mean the world to us. We can’t wait to see how you fare in the Queen’s treacherous dungeon!

Happy exploring, Companions!

⭐P.S. Did we mention this already? Remember to WISHLIST us! ⭐