The above shows off some of the cool things that you’d be able to pull off with Nanites - if spent wisely! While we’ve mentioned many times before that Oblivion Override aims to offer a raw and exciting action game experience, we did also put a lot of energy into designing the roguelike elements of the game. So today, we’d like to shed some light on the inner workings of the elaborate evolution system, which serves as the vehicle for progression in Oblivion Override.
Compound Evolution
As you eliminate enemies in the game, you'll earn Nanites, a valuable currency for acquiring Evolution skills. Think of these skills as uninheritable power-ups, akin to the mechanics found in many roguelike games. However, in Oblivion Override, there's no need to search for designated rooms to obtain these abilities. You have the freedom to access the evolution menu whenever you desire, granting you unparalleled flexibility.
*The evolution menu
1 + 1 > 2?
As depicted in the screenshot above, each skill is accompanied by an icon on the right, indicating its designated category known as the Speciality. This introduces the most important aspect of our evolution system: the accumulation of skills within the same Speciality grants you exclusive bonuses. These bonuses offer enhanced upgrades to your build, and the more skills you gather within a Speciality, the more potent the bonus becomes. Therefore, prioritizing skills from a compatible Speciality that aligns with your play style becomes paramount for a successful run.
*Specialties would light up as you stack more skills
*Cause more pain with the leveled-up spike core
Choices, Choices, Choices…
There will be a total of 13 distinctive Specialities available in the Early Access version of Oblivion Override. Each offers bonuses that would benefit you in different ways. It's crucial to experiment with various Specialities so you can find one or few that resonate with your play style or chosen weaponry.
*Some available Specialities and bonuses
The majority of the Specialities will be inaccessible in the beginning, as they need to be unlocked through diligent exploration of the stages and triumphant encounters against certain enemies. Once unlocked, an entire suite of skills within the Speciality will grace your evolution menu, enabling you to venture forth with expanded horizons and forge a character of unparalleled creativity during your runs!
*Crimson acquiring a new Speciality from our BFF - the Electric Erich
And More…
By mixing skills from different Specialities, you'll have a chance to be met with Integration Skills. These skills pack a powerful punch by combining the strengths of the two Specialities you're working on.
*What an Integration Skill could look like
For all you adventurous souls who bravely ventured into our Steam Next Fest demo back in February, you might find these tidbits quite familiar. But now, let's dive into the updates and changes we've made to the evolution system that you can expect to see in the upcoming Early Access!
Changes to the Evolution system
We've taken it a step further by adding enhanced versions of every skill found in the 13 Specialities mentioned earlier, including the Integration Skills. This means you'll have even more options as you delve deeper into the game, and no more wasted Nanites when your evolution slots are full early on. There's always going to be something exciting for you to discover!
An enhanced skill will show up as an upgraded version of the skill you've already equipped. These enhanced variants generally provide a more potent effect without introducing any new functionalities. For instance, if you had a skill that increased your maximum health by 20%, the enhanced version might elevate it to a formidable 30%. It's all about fine-tuning and maximizing the power of your abilities as you progress through the game.
*Take Surging Belligerence for example, the enhanced variant gets a 15% stat boost compared to the original
Allow us to delve deeper into why we added these enhanced skills. The intention is to provide players with more options that inspire interesting decision-making during the latter stages of the game. These options serve as avenues for refining your build, enabling you to adapt to the ever-evolving challenges and enemies as you venture deeper into the fray. By embracing these enhancements, you can fine-tune your approach and thrive amidst the ever-shifting landscape of combat.
We are super excited to see the different builds you come up with once Oblivion Override enters Early Access on June 14th! Your creativity knows no bounds, and we can't wait to witness the imaginative combinations you concoct. Stay tuned and please continue sharing your feedback with us!
