[h3]Attention Station residents! [/h3] Long time no see! It’s time for another devlog. Today, as promised, we’re going to peek into the Black City, wander its labyrinths made of asphalt, metal and concrete. Maybe even watch some synths doing stuff they always do — swim in pools of acid and occasionally get electrocuted. But at least we’ll meet some new faces along the way! However, your righteous crusade to the Black City is bound to have obstacles. The first one is the Concrete Jungle that needs some… pest control. [h2]The Concrete Jungle[/h2] Outskirts of the city only seem to look abandoned: with its improvised tire barricades and dismantled cars, all covered with an even layer of dust and garbage. Of course its inhabitants are not the most welcoming type. You’re already familiar with the Ravagers from the previous devlog and even met them in our Demo. These desperate synths are scavenging for leftover tech and supplies — and they don’t care to share. [img]https://i.imgur.com/78XiR0e.gif[/img] And don’t forget the safety hazards scattered everywhere: exposed wires, unstable constructions and suspiciously open sewage hatches. Although these are more dangerous to your enemies, rather than your heroes. For example, there are some barrels still waiting for proper transportation. Naturally, you can safely [i]“transport”[/i] them on your enemies’ heads. There’s even a convenient lever to ensure the barrels reach their unlucky recipient. [img]https://i.imgur.com/SrWLANN.gif[/img] Another piece of environment that could help you on your crusade to the alien ship is the city’s power grid. Or rather its poor condition. One careless step (or rather one carefully calculated knockback) – and the whole enemy squad gets electrocuted. Of course this can happen to you too, but we believe in your tactical skills. [img]https://i.imgur.com/6jIH5CS.gif[/img] The only thing more numerous than traps — are the rats, crawling in the sewage system. We’re talking endless swarm of pests with a complete absence of fear or even self-preservation instinct. Don’t even try to clear the place, just thin their ranks enough to escape and move on. You try closing the sewage hatches to control the side they’re coming from. But this won’t hold them for long. [img]https://i.imgur.com/h8Jtnnt.gif[/img] According to our intel, something is controlling these rats. They seem to have some kind of a leader. We are unsure of its origin and can’t share much information about it… yet. Discovering the source of rat infestation and eliminating it is [b]your[/b] task. [img]https://i.imgur.com/yIt9fgp.png[/img] [h2]The Black City[/h2] The Black City used to be a blooming metropolis: clean streets, automation everywhere, order and safety. Even waste recycling! Real humans wandered its streets and supercomputers were calculating the most efficient pipelines for practically everything. It was an urban paradise… [i][b]“Was”[/b][/i] is the key word here. Now that it’s abandoned — this is one of the worst places on New Earth. It’s all-concrete walls, acid pools and well-armed renegades. Tread cautiously, because some conveyor belts and disposal mechanisms are still working. And you don’t want to be disposed of, do you? Thanks to conveniently placed switches, you at least can turn the conveyors off. But then you can’t push an enemy into a grinder… and where’s the fun in that? [img]https://i.imgur.com/PwhlD5C.gif[/img] There are also mobile multi-purpose units scattered around. We call them Sarcophagi for convenience. Some were used for heating, some — for transporting acid. They are beyond repair, but still can be useful in a fight. Since they’re mobile, you can push them, creating a makeshift barricade. Or just flatten the enemy with them. These can break though, be careful. [img]https://i.imgur.com/mEFpD8u.gif[/img] If you happen to get through Renegade scouts to the center of the city, you can’t avoid the pinnacle of pre-disaster robotics — The Grossmeister. However, reports indicate that, despite its name, it can no longer be reasoned with. Shoot on sight, and avoid standing on drainages. It’s your best chance. [img]https://i.imgur.com/zIELWUv.png[/img] [h2]New Faces on the Station[/h2] This briefing was pretty demoralizing. Enemies, hazards, rats and acid… We should have some good news for a change. The Station just got reinforcements! New heroes are ready to take on every enemy out there. Let’s take a closer look. [h3]Pathfinder[/h3] [img]https://i.imgur.com/2yRcK90.png[/img] Long-range specialist armed with a high-caliber sniper rifle and a knife for occasional hand-to-hand combat. [i]He’s all about the distance.[/i] While his fire rate is comparably slow, the damage is high enough to one-shot smaller enemies. But his main strength is surviving without ever taking hits. His special ability allows him to teleport away from enemies, leaving behind a hologram to confuse the attackers. Pathfinder is quite frail, but, if all cards were played right, can eliminate multiple enemies singlehandedly. [img]https://i.imgur.com/Oe5eYM2.gif[/img] [h3]Warden[/h3] [img]https://i.imgur.com/OkJJpuF.png[/img] Now this one can and will take a hit, it’s his main strategy. He was built that way. Sure, he isn’t nimble at all, but he also doesn’t have to approach you to show his affinity with cold weapons. He has drones. And these drones stun and drag enemies closer. He also has an intimidating aura. That’s not really a fighting skill, he’s just scary. [img]https://i.imgur.com/vd0dUVB.gif[/img] This marks the end of this devlog. As you see, New Earth is full of dangers, and it is your solemn duty to cleanse it, capture the alien ship and restore order. May you return to the Station safely. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2327640/Deadlock_Station/ Reminding everyone that [b]Deadlock Station demo is available on Steam![/b] Adding the game to your wishlist is much appreciated. If you’ve already become a tactical genius and every spider shivers hearing your name – would you like another tale of post-apocalypse? Ironhive is a deck-building strategy game in which you try to preserve the last human settlement in the barren post-apocalyptic world. After raiding the outer world from the station, protecting the station itself from the horrors outside should feel refreshing. Try it for yourself in the free demo! https://store.steampowered.com/app/2679070/IRONHIVE/ And if you want to discuss indie games, exchange quality memes or just stay updated on all our news – consider joining CRITICAL REFLEX discord! 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