The Graywalkers Purgatory Content Update #1 is the game's first major update since its release in Early Access several months ago. There have been minor updates but this is the first one that drastically improves the game both in features and content.
The patch notes can be checked here; https://store.steampowered.com/newshub/app/1003370/view/2735326880614045533
The details in the patch notes show the key features that were included with this patch which include the much awaited Overwatch feature, loot box highlighting, improved base inventory management, and many other smaller much needed features.
In terms of content, below is a summary of the key content that was added;
- Today, 11 new missions were added with another 3 arriving before the end of September. This brings the total missions to over 20+ missions available. Starting next month, we will also continuously add additional missions as they become ready. We are targeting that by the end of the year 2020, there will be between 30-40 missions available in the game. Take note that some missions are part of a bigger story arc. For example, the werewolf (Mooncursed) missions are connected clearly. This is the same with the others but its possible they make intersect in the future. As we release more of the missions, the more you will understand the world and the people that inhabit it.
- With the missions, we introduced several sample missions which can be resolved through non-combat means. Also, there is a mission that there is no clear right or wrong, you as a player will have to decide what to do. Lastly, there is a mission that requires a bit of simple problem solving where that is the focus rather than combat. These missions are to showcase just a few of the types of missions that will be encountered in the Campaign mode, as well as to provide a deeper RPG aspect to the mission mode of the game.
- We've streamlined the abilities available in the game. We're removed several abilities as well as add new ones as well. Some of the newest abilities added are the Overwatch related abilities. These abilities affect you or your opponents on how they react to Overwatch. With these, players can get abilities that will allow them to not trigger various actions or they can get abilities that will allow them to respond to these abilities basically nullifying their effectiveness. Aside from combat, leadership and tactical abilities have also been added so that non-spellcasting characters can boost their team's effectiveness in combat. At the moment, there are over 200+ player usable abilities.
- We've added a few dozen more weapons to the game. This includes a mix of ranged and melee weapons. We're also slowly introducing the various weapon qualities to the game. This includes both positive and negative weapon qualities. I will be discussing these more in detail in another announcement very soon. We've actually released a few videos showing some of them.
- We've added many new items to the game such as new armor, accessories, and consumable items that you can find in the game. We've slowly been adding more of them to the different loot boxes in the missions but the true volume of these will be more visible in the campaign mode. At the moment, the count is over 40+ kinds of armor, over 150+ accessories, about 130+ melee weapons, over 290+ ranged weapons, 100+ types of ammunition and variants, and about 80+ types of consumables.
- With the new missions, we're showing new locations and environments. Exciting locations we have are particularly the Fae enchanted ruins, abandoned train stations, and the Hellzones. Of course, there are still other types of post-apocalyptic locations to visit which people are normally familiar with.
- We've also introduced new creatures to encounter in each of the levels. You will encounter new demons, drakes, wraiths, elementals, Kapres, and others. Sometimes though, humans seem to be the most dangerous creatures you might encounter in Purgatory.
- Of course, we cannot forget that we are now releasing several Graywalkers to use in the missions. This includes the cowgirl Texas, the bounty hunting Arwendriel, the soldier Lily Darkeyes, the dhampir assassin Edge, the tracker Scout Atalanta, the teenage genius tech Niquie and the powerful Efreet blooded Faechilde Destiny. We even included a new air scout drone called Raptor to join the team. Take note this Drone also has an Ai allowing it to learn new abilities through learning, as well as equip many drone specific items.
- We've introduced the team's new vehicle in the game. Right now its presence is just cosmetic but later on, it will become a more interactive piece in the game.
- We've streamlined the action unit costs of attacks and weapons. This will allow players to be able to do more in a round giving them more options on how to strategize to win.
- We've finally introduced specific damage types for weapons. Before, they all used to be categorized as physical damage. Now there are more types such as Ballistic, Slashing, Piercing and of course Physical which now refers to blunt or force damage. Armors and spells have also been updated as well to take this into consideration though pardon us if some have not yet been converted when you encounter them. We are slowly transitioning all of them to this system. What this does is make items more diverse. For example, archaic leather armor is effective against slashing and piercing weapons but pretty much useless to physical (bashing) and ballistic damage.
- Ranges of weapons are also slowly being tweaked. We've increased some while reduced some.
- We've also reworked damage a bit across the board especially for firearms. We've implemented a system that is based on the weapon's various muzzle energies of the ammo combined with the firearm. For example, based on this we've reduced the damage of shotguns in general but made them accurate at short ranges but their range drops much more quickly than normal firearm increments.
- We're slowly improving our music in the game. We've figured out a new way to create music and you will hear a few of them. Though we've kept the same rock tone of the game, we've expanded the range but kept to the edgy music that we've used for it.
- As you go through the game, more lore dump is included. Take note that this is just a taste and the true story will be revealed in the single-player campaign. Right now though, there is a simple rough story that go through the different mission story arcs.
There may be a few things i might have missed but that's pretty much the bulk of what is in this content. Please take note that this is still an Early Access title and everything is a work in progress. Though we are hoping that there will not be many bugs, we're expecting it to be a possibility. We request that people be patient with this and we request as well to let us know about these bugs so we can fix them as fast as we can. We plan to be very vigilant about this content update the next few weeks and will upload fixes and additions as quickly as we are able.
Take note that the game is now currently on sale with a 25% discount. We wanted to give many the opportunity to pick up the game now to try the improvements at a more reasonable price. So please tell your friends and family to grab a copy of the game. Even better would be why not grab a copy for them as a gift.
Thank you to all the people who have been supporting the game. We love your feedback so keep them coming. To those who have just gotten the game, we hope you enjoy the game. Do know that we are still continuing to build this game and improving it to the best of our ability and capacity.