Heroes of Arkesia,
We caught up with Smilegate to learn what went into creating the new Shadow Raid experience.
After the fall of Kazeros, the Primordial Beings have begun to stir. Serca, the Witch of Pain, makes her debut in Arkesia. Shadow Raids introduce three new mechanics that will change how players interact with raid combat: the brawl system, shadow skills and a shared resurrection pool.
Q: Serca's transformation into Corvus Tul Rak is visually striking. What inspired this dramatic shift from beautiful witch to horrifying Primordial Being?
The Primordial Beings are entities that exist in endless deficiency, parasitizing others by wearing their appearances. The drastic transformation in appearance from Serca to Corvus Tul Rak was the very first attempt to visually convey the deceptive nature of these Primordial Beings.
Serca's design was inspired by witches that appear in "grim fairy tales." One of the key design principles for her appearance was to retain the archetypal visual traits of a witch, while also including elements that would spark curiosity from the player's perspective. For example: "Why is she wearing such a large hat?" "Why is her hair so long?" "Why are her hands golden?" We believed that curiosity would naturally lead to interest in the character, and that such interest could ultimately be perceived as charm.
With that in mind, we made sure to clearly express the elements that were intentionally designed, while excluding additional decorative elements. As a result, the character's appearance became more intuitive; her appeal stood out more strongly, and she came to resemble an alluring host whose body the Primordial Being had taken over.
Because Serca had the appearance of a witch, we naturally felt that Corvus Tul Rak should take on a form that would appropriately correspond to that. This led us to begin with the appearance of a raven. Initially, we considered a sturdier, more solid bipedal form. However, given Shadow Raid's defining characteristics—dark fantasy aesthetics and the transition from a beautiful humanoid form to the true monstrosity—we felt there needed to be a much stronger visual contrast, and thus decided to revise the design.
From the hunched spine, bent under countless eons endured since the dawn of time, to multiple pairs of thin arms, tattered garments, and grotesquely twisted dead branches, we combined these elements in an effort to express the horror and discomfort befitting the Primordial Beings.
Once the character was brought to life through actual modeling, the dark background in which the Primordial Being appears, combined with Corvus's voice howling as if it might tear apart, finally made it feel as though the intended atmosphere had been fully realized.
Looking ahead, as a foundational step in establishing the identity of the Primordial Beings that players will encounter in future Shadow Raids—entities that are far beyond imagination—this felt like a very solid beginning.
Q: What makes Shadow Raid: Serca different for our global players compared to the Korean release?
One of the biggest differences between the Korean and Global versions of Shadow Raid: Serca lies in the rewards. In the Global version, players can obtain Agony Thorn even in Normal Mode. This is the most significant change compared to Korea, where Agony Thorn was only available in Hard Mode or Nightmare difficulty.
Since the release of the Kazeros Raid, we've continued to receive feedback from global players about the reward gap between Normal and Hard modes. Advancing Advanced Honing to level 20 required clearing Overture Hard difficulty, and many players expressed fatigue over having to learn new mechanics and compete for party slots just to progress. Because rewards differed between modes, all players had to learn and play both in order to continue their character progression.
To address this, we've introduced Fragmented Agony Thorn which can only be obtained through Normal Mode. Players can exchange Fragmented Agony Thorn for Agony Thorn and honing materials. Those who prefer to progress at their own pace on a lower difficulty will now be able to obtain Agony Thorn through Normal Mode and proceed with gear inheritance accordingly.
For this Shadow Raid, Frontier Mode will not be applied. Frontier Mode was introduced in the Global environment to provide more dynamic difficulty scaling. Normal Mode offered an easier clear experience, while Hard Mode became easier over time. However, Frontier Mode also came with its own drawbacks: overly shortened combat time, battles lacking tension, and gatekeeping caused by limited-time titles.
Shadow Raid: Serca will be offered with three total difficulty tiers. Players can choose Normal Mode for comfortable and fast progression or select Nightmare Mode for a more intense combat experience. While there are slight reward differences for each mode, all players will be able to progress at a pace that suits them.
For those who seek the ultimate challenge (like The First) Nightmare Mode will allow players to test the limits of their character's growth and control. Since Frontier Mode isn't applied this time, no Frontier titles will be provided. The Doloris title, available in Korean service as a first-week Nightmare clear reward, will be available globally for players seeking the ultimate challenge during launch week.
Finally, to coincide with the release of Shadow Raid: Serca, we've prepared an event shop for both new adventurers and those honing new equipment. Through the shop, players can obtain Astrogems, cards, and Advanced Honing materials, along with newly added T4-2 honing materials. For players who have recently expressed shortages of Silver, we've added significantly stronger Silver rewards compared to previous event shops. We recognize that the Global environment has more Silver-consuming systems, and we'll continue our efforts to alleviate that burden.
Event feast ingredients will also be added with the new raid release. We hope this will help many Lords facilitate communication and cooperation with fellow adventurers taking on the challenge.
Q: The music creates such a haunting atmosphere. How did you approach the soundtrack to capture the essence of Dark Fantasy?
When we began planning the music for Shadow Raid, we spent a great deal of time contemplating the question: "What exactly is Dark Fantasy?" When people hear the word "fantasy," they often think of something bright and mystical. But once the word "dark" is added, we felt it required something paradoxically contrasting—something that could be explained through multiple facets. With that in mind, we focused on depicting the process of a once benevolent being gradually collapsing and transforming into a monster
The past nobility, expressed through medieval instruments, slowly crumbles through unstable arrangements, chromatic movement, and distorted harmony. Elegant waltzes coexist with brutal imagery, and by the second gate, the music resolves not into overwhelming evil, but into a being filled with sorrow and emptiness. Our goal was to paint a world where beauty and cruelty, fear and compassion are all intertwined.
For Gate 1: Serca, we sought to musically portray the process through which Serca—who once possessed golden hands capable of healing the sick—falls into corruption. When her primary theme melody is first introduced, medieval instruments such as the organ and harpsichord are used to express her past. As the piece progresses, the theme is rearranged and transformed through a variety of instruments, depicting the emotional turbulence and corruption she undergoes. From 1 minute and 40 seconds onward, the music begins to fully illustrate the process of Serca being consumed by the shadows. Whispers emerge from all directions as she gradually loses her sanity, while chromatic progressions rising from the lower register describe the tense moment just before she's completely devoured. The waltz climax that follows was composed while imagining Serca laughing madly, dancing atop the tortured corpses of the dead.
For Gate 2: Corvus Tul Rak, we aimed to express the chaotic nature of the true form through music, clearly differentiating it from the beautiful outer shell of Serca. Unlike Serca's music, which firmly presented its theme within the key of D minor, Corvus Tul Rak's music deliberately incorporates extensive chromatic elements and avoids conventionally expected harmonic progressions to obscure its tonal center. After the one-minute mark, the cello melody and choir that emerge were composed with less focus on fear or overwhelming dominance, and with more emphasis on expressing the sorrow and gloom inherent within its true form. We felt, Corvus Tul Rak's screams did not sound frightening—but, rather, deeply sorrowful
Soundtracks
If you want to spoil the music ahead of time, you can click on the following links for the official background music uploaded to the KR Lost Ark official Youtube channel.
We can't wait for you to face Serca and uncover the terrifying truth behind her beautiful facade when Shadow Raid arrives on April 15th. Prepare yourselves, heroes—the Primordial Beings await.