Not everything is visible at first glance

[h3]Hidden secrets in plain sight[/h3][p]Battle for Asciion includes hidden secrets scattered across its stages. They’re not collectibles you pick up - they’re sensitive zones embedded into the environments.[/p][p]Some areas may look empty or transparent at first, but if you fly your ship through the right spot, you’ll trigger a secret:[/p]

• [p]A floating “SECRET!” message appears[/p]
• [p]The hidden zone is revealed with a small ASCII marker so you know where you found it[/p]
• [p]And from that moment on, you’ve uncovered something that wasn’t obvious at all[/p]

[p]Early on, we make sure you encounter one of these secrets naturally — so you understand how they work. From there on, the rest are up to you.[/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][h3]Risk, curiosity, and replayability[/h3][p]Most secrets are placed off the usual path:[/p]

• [p]Between meteor fields[/p]
• [p]In risky areas you wouldn’t normally cross[/p]
• [p]Or in places that require you to momentarily give up safety to explore[/p]

[p]Finish the game and the ending will tell you exactly how deep you went:
X / 10 SECRETS FOUND[/p][p]Finding all of them rewards you with a bonus ending focused on score, made especially for players who like to push the game a bit further.[/p][p][/p][h3]A hidden Hardcore Mode[/h3][p]There’s also something else… but the game doesn’t advertise it.[/p][p]If you manage to finish Battle for Asciion without using CONTINUE - one full run, start to finish - the game reveals the existence of a Hardcore Mode.[/p][p]This mode isn’t selected from a menu.
It’s unlocked the old-school way:[/p]

• [p]A secret button combination[/p]
• [p]Entered directly on the main menu[/p]
• [p]Very much in the spirit of classic arcade cheats[/p]

[p]Once you know it, you can access Hardcore Mode from the start.
But first… you have to earn that knowledge.[/p][p][/p][p]Battle for Asciion doesn’t explain everything on purpose.
Some things are meant to be found, not told.[/p][p]See you in Asciion.[/p]