Greetings Outlander, It’s been a while since our last update when [url=https://steamcommunity.com/games/1000410/announcements/detail/3714963711034273444]we announced[/url] that WRATH: Aeon of Ruin will be leaving Early Access on February 27, 2024, so it is time again to share a quick update to welcome the beginning of the new year! [h2]The Finishing Touches of Development [/h2] We have made the most of the time spent since our final bi-weekly update. The entire team has really come together, and we couldn’t be more proud of them. Suffice it to say, we are extremely excited for the impending launch in February and for you to see all of the new content. [b]The core gameplay and features for the PC version of WRATH are now complete.[/b] Our final step before we are truly ready for release is localization–which is already well under way–and is the final milestone left before we wrap up. [h2]Glimpses of the New Content[/h2] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34652824/79d4a2c7129fce5bb1a4e4587e934494e9d8e74a.gif[/img] Some of the things we’re most excited for you to experience in the final release are the more fantastical and mystical elements of the game. And we have an abundance of new content coming with the release of the 1.0. Here are a few highlights: [list] [*] Fully-Implemented Story [/list] WRATH's narrative approach aims to be concise and unobtrusive, encouraging you to explore the various environments and learn the history of The Old World. [list] [*] 3 Bosses [/list] Each of the three episodes is accompanied by a new hub, and at the end of each new hub is a boss of various types. [list] [*] 3 New Weapons - meaning 9 in total [*] 4 New Enemies - 15 in total [*] 2 New Sigils - 3 in total [*] 5 New Artifacts - 10 in total [/list] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34652824/75c00471a3e6a570c7563736471cad772cccf0cd.png[/img] In addition, we have of course done significant polish on the pre-existing content as well as adding new things. For example, we have updated the opening segment of the game; within that segment you meet a new NPC, “[i]The Shepherd of Wayward Souls[/i]”. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34652824/26f703f6ffbd901adaa4cdfab4265e9875a76c3c.gif[/img] The Shepherd accompanies the Outlander on their journey to save the imprisoned guardian of The Old World. We’ve also included some notes that can be found as you explore and find secrets. These notes are left over from the inhabitants of The Old World and can be collected, giving bits of context and worldbuilding to WRATH’s atmosphere. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34652824/d74683de847eb7b10358f43676512e4c571f63de.png[/img] Additionally, we have implemented a new tutorial segment at the beginning of the game that serves two purposes: [olist] [*] Better player onboarding, explaining some of the systems and abilities to be found within the game. This is primarily intended for new players, but we think that experienced players will enjoy this as well because: [*] The new introduction serves as the anchor for the narrative and worldbuilding. It will set the stage for players to understand who the Outlander is and why they are on the journey that they are on. [/olist] And of course, we have added many general improvements over the initial early-access release. [list] [*] Improved Enemy Encounters [*] Improved Enemy AI [*] Improved Map Layouts [*] Improvements to Overall Balance [*] Improvements to Overall Performance [/list] [h2]Multiplayer Status[/h2] We have been faced with a hard decision; either we could commit time and resources to working on multiplayer or cut it completely and fully buckle-down on polishing the single-player experience, and improve upon it even more than we originally thought possible before our full release. After careful considerations, we chose the latter and cut multiplayer from the game. And thanks to the extra time and effort we’ve spent building this world and fleshing out its narrative, the new things we've been working on have manifested in truly intriguing ways that we believe will pleasantly surprise you. [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34652824/cbb28f74b06f328a3243f2d7f3ee3ca792a66bd6.gif[/img] [img]{STEAM_CLAN_IMAGE}/34652824/a532da2dc92a1c978320dfd270118b89e44a82b0.gif[/img] [h2]The Road to Launch [/h2] As we are nearing the full release of WRATH: Aeon of Ruin, we would like to thank you all for your patience and support throughout the tenure of development over these past years, and we look forward to seeing your reaction to the new content. [i][b]WRATH will hit 1.0 on February 27, 2024. [/b][/i] Until next time!