Two weeks ago we launched Genome Breach inside Chimera C.U.S.T.O.M. XG and nothing has been the same since. The rogue-lite experience was a horde mode born out of a ‘what if’ scenario and within three months it was a polished gameplay loop to entertain players as we finished the rest of the game. There was so much more to be done and we knew playing the same two story levels wasn’t satisfying.
With this new mode we found it faster and easier to fix bugs, to iterate new ideas, and overall it was way more fun to play. When it was pushed out we took measure of both everyday players and content creators’ reactions, and it was unanimous: This was the game.
Now we are putting every aspect of Chimera C.U.S.T.O.M. XG under a microscope, wanting to ensure there was less friction and more adrenaline. Let’s go over what has and will be changed.
Live Changes
Campaign: The story and its levels have been yanked out to retrofit into the new style of gameplay, with current dialogue as placeholder since we will need to restructure how NPCs convey information. We’re taking this as an opportunity to inject even more character cadence to really bring them to life.
Health Regen: It no longer happens. This was the biggest change for gameplay since it had such a significant impact. Now you can pick up health packs mid-combat, and after clearing each room you gain 30% of your health back. This may be further tuned in the future as we reevaluate all the other systems.
Closed Loop: It’s ten rooms then a Boss, then you’re sent back to the start. With over twenty rooms chosen at random there’s plenty of combinations to play through. There’s more biomes, bosses, and loot is on the way.
Buffs: The current selection of Buffs is the basic pool with more to come. As of right now there are no caps which can lead to some really crazy movement and game breaking shenanigans.
Future Changes
Stats: The names will be simplified so there is less confusion and will only exist on Buffs since Stats have been ripped out of Armor and Weaponry. This makes the learning curve not so steep and loadouts easier to build.
Armor: All armor, except for XG, will be cosmetic only. Fashion has always been the endgame, no matter the genre or IP. We’re keeping in the color picker too so you have total palette freedom.
Weapons: While stats have been ripped out affixes are staying which can make for unique loadouts and crazy gameplay moments. There’s XG weapons on the way too, which have the craziest action and effects. We’re also exploring ways for your chosen color palettes to be automatically applied when you pick up a weapon.
Animal Powers: We found that the Animal Powers needed more juice and a clearer indication when they were ready for use. These abilities are meant to be powerful ‘hell yeah’ moments so we’re rebuilding the system to better fit player expectations.
HQ Redesign: There is just too much unnecessary dead space so we’re rearranging what is already there, including the Player barracks that no one has seen yet.
There is currently no fixed timeline of when the future changes will be applied but with this pivot it is far easier for the team to iterate, refine, and push so the next few months will be super exciting. With all the patches and updates we’re working on there has never been a better time to jump into the game and the community Discord [LINK]. We are always ready for feedback, from casual to hardcore players, and small to large creators, because everyone’s input is valid.
The future of Chimera C.U.S.T.O.M. XG is bright and thrilling, and we cannot wait to see how players C.U.S.T.O.M.-ize with eXtreme Greatness to become the ultimate Chimera.
With Love,
The Volok Team