Here it is – the big content update! When I say Pirate Update, I’m not messing around. Whether you're tearing through enemies with dual pistols as the all-new Pirate class, or navigating the treacherous, ghost ship–inspired zone dodging cannonballs and irate sharks, one thing’s for sure: you're gonna find that booty. This update is packed with content – practically a DLC’s worth – so read on to see everything I’ve added to the main game!
One of the most consistently requested playstyles since launch has been a gun-wielding class. At first, I wasn’t sure it was the right fit—this game has always leaned into melee combat, and let’s face it, there’s no shortage of games with guns out there. But over time, the idea grew on me. I started to see how I could put my own spin on it and make it feel unique and interesting within the world of Mortal Sin.
Unlike staves, guns can fire projectiles even with basic attacks. While they generally deal less damage than spells, they make up for it with faster projectiles and firing speed. Performing a power strike with a gun unleashes a power shot—a special bullet with increased damage, added knockback, and piercing capabilities. Additionally, performing a whirlwind allows you to rapid-fire your gun, making it a great tool for shredding through groups of enemies or quickly bursting down tougher foes.
Some guns, like the dual-wielded Pistol & Scimitar or the Axegun, feature a hybrid melee-ranged playstyle. Others, such as the dual Pistols or the Cannon, lean into more traditional ranged combat. And if your pirate ever gets overwhelmed, you’ve always got a blackpowder bomb on hand—perfect for clearing the room in a pinch.
But what’s a badass pirate without a ghostly pirate ship to raid? Ever since the early access release, I’ve felt the game needed a late-game area—something that unlocks deeper into your playthrough and offers a fresh kind of challenge. Now, by completing all of the C-variant levels for the core three zones, you’ll gain access to Vessel—a spectral, high-risk area packed with danger, gold, and exclusive loot drop boxes for those bold enough to brave its haunted decks.
While exploring the depths of this cursed vessel, you’ll encounter a new cast of dangerous foes—from your friendly neighborhood man-eating, overly buff shark man, to skeleton pirates armed with dual pistols and cannons. Stay sharp and always watch your surroundings—poor positioning might land you right in the middle of a skeleton cannon-firing squad!
I’ve decided to keep the game’s pacing intact by still requiring only three areas to reach the final level. That means the overall length remains the same, but with more route options for increased variety and replayability. To support this, I’ve done a polish pass on the progress screen—now it clearly highlights the areas you can visit, along with the path you’ve taken so far. This should make the game’s structure much more understandable for new players, and a welcome quality-of-life improvement for seasoned veterans.
Content
- Added a new class: Pirate. Specializes in guns and can use his ability to throw an explosive bomb at groups of enemies. Also has a unique set of combos to learn, just like the other classes!
- Added a new area: Vessel. This is a ghost pirate ship–themed area with new enemies, a new boss, new traps, new unlockables, and over 80 unique new rooms!
- Added a new enemy: Cutthroat. A dual-sword-wielding pirate with a devastating whirlwind attack.
- Added a new enemy: Deadshot. A dual-pistol-wielding pirate that moves quickly and fires bullets from afar.
- Added a new enemy: Boomer. A cannon-wielding pirate that moves slowly but deals heavy ranged damage. He can also lob an explosive grenade to really mess up your day.
- Added a new enemy: Devourer. A giant, ripped shark bro that tanks hits and can eat you alive if you're not careful.
- Added a new boss: Cursed King. He is the most deadly melee boss—running at mach speed, wielding two heavy maces, and unleashing guard-breaking multi-hit strikes. Try to parry him at your own risk!
- Added a new weapon: Pistol & Scimitar. Combo fluidly with your blade and finish them off with a close-range blast from your flintlock.
- Added a new weapon: Pistols. Dual-wield two flintlocks, unleashing a devastating barrage of bullets.
- Added a new weapon: Axegun. An axe–shotgun hybrid that combines spread fire with a deadly blade.
- Added a new weapon: Cannon. Pretty self-explanatory! Deals a ton of damage, pierces through enemies, and knocks you back from the recoil.
- Added a new trap: Spinning Saw. This is a rotating double-sided saw that spins incredibly fast, shredding anything that gets close. It pauses briefly every now and then to give you a chance to pass by. You can also crouch under it at any time!
- Added a new trap: Cannon. There are several variants, but basically, these will fire big cannonballs at regular intervals. It would be in your best interest to avoid getting hit by one of these.
- Added two "new" scares to the Vessel area (totally not reskins of older scares).
- Added 12 new unlockables exclusive to the Vessel to encourage exploring all three variants.
- Added a new skill: Sniper. This is a Pirate-exclusive skill that functions identically to Headhunter, except it applies only to projectile weapons rather than melee weapons.
Balance
- Made Gladiator the default starting class, swapping its place with Struggler. The early experience is super important for first impressions, and I didn't feel that Struggler was fitting the bill. Gladiator is a strong fighter type, with an immediately useful ability, great auto-combos, built-in crowd control, high damage, and fewer itemization decisions to make, which makes it more friendly to a new player.
- Added the basic cleaver to Gladiator's weapon spawn pool.
- Added guns not only to Pirate, but also to the hybrid classes (Struggler, Martyr, and Enigma). Duelist also has a very small chance to find the dual-wield guns.
- Reduced Echo and Fracture mana cost from 2% to 1.5%.
- Removed projectile weapon range/radius scaling. This was always really hard to balance and would sometimes lead to projectiles getting so big they hit a wall in tight corridors before reaching their target.
Polish
- Added a small crosshair in the center of the screen that is hopefully not too intrusive. If you don't like it, you can always disable it in the settings.
- Updated the progress screen map to highlight both your possible level paths, as well as the paths you've already traversed.
- Added unique backgrounds to the progress screen for each area.
- Did polish on various other progress screen elements like the icons and borders.
- New enemy projectile attacks with fast travel times (i.e., bullets and cannonballs) will show a red line-of-sight warning, giving you a chance to parry or move out of the way.
- Gladiator's Battle Cry animation now shows the fists closed to project real chad strength.
Bug Fixes
- Fixed a bug where bosses sometimes wouldn't drop their gold essence.
That’s all for this update—thanks so much for playing, supporting, and being part of the journey. Whether you’re a longtime player returning for new challenges or someone just jumping in, I hope the Pirate class and Vessel area give you fresh ways to explore, experiment, and have fun.
This update marks another big step toward full release. There's still more polish, tuning, and content to come, but the finish line is getting closer. Your feedback, bug reports, and support have been instrumental in shaping the game, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Until next time—may your aim be steady, your loot plentiful, and your shark bros only mildly aggressive.
