Greetings, this is WrongTaken.
Originally, I planned to release a small patch as a follow-up to the previous update. However, due to several core system changes and the resulting balance adjustments, this has evolved into a large-scale patch.
Here are the key changes:
Overkill System
Overkill, a core mechanic of the game, is a system that grants players a chance to face the boss—aka the formidable—if they eliminate additional enemies even after meeting the stage’s kill quota.
This gave players two options:
If you wanted to challenge the formidable, you'd push past the quota and trigger an Overkill.
If not, you could simply meet the quota and move on to the next stage.
However, I noticed some players were going for Overkill without intending to fight the formidable. Why? Likely for the bonus EXP. Once the quota was met, enemies would continue to spawn until Overkill was triggered, allowing players to farm additional experience.
That said, skipping the boss battle while farming EXP often resulted in slower character growth. And since regular enemies also provided varying EXP amounts, Overkill became less of a choice and more of an unspoken requirement.
To address this, I've removed the "additional kill count" requirement for Overkill.
Now, simply reaching the stage's kill quota will automatically activate Overkill, spawning portals that allow you to either move on to the next stage or challenge the formidable directly.
While the term Overkill might feel a little out of place now, it still fits in the sense that you’ve taken down more than enough enemies. (At least, that's how I like to see it.)
Check out the new portal designs!
The left portal takes you to the next stage.
The right portal leads you straight into the fight against the formidable.
Swordforce Overhaul
Swordforce is a unique ability available only to our protagonist, Bella. It allows her to summon golden phantom blades that strike down enemies with swift, elegant force. By landing basic attacks, Bella builds up her Swordforce gauge. Once filled, it generates Swordforce Orbs—resources that fuel her powerful Swordforce skills. With extremely short cooldowns, this skill line offers a fast-paced, action-heavy playstyle (which is why Agility stat scales Swordforce damage!).
Swordforce skills also hold massive potential against the formidable. Unlike regular enemies, landing basic attacks on the formidable fills the gauge faster, enabling more frequent use of Swordforce skills. And when the formidable is staggered, Bella can unleash a barrage of these skills with zero restrictions.
Balancing Swordforce has been one of the toughest tasks. If the gauge fills too quickly, bosses go down too easily. If it fills too slowly, the high-tempo gameplay that defines Swordforce is lost.
So, I’ve adjusted key elements of the Swordforce system—fine-tuning them without compromising game balance. Here are the changes:
Swordforce System Adjustments
Max Gauge: 360 → 160
Base Gauge Gain per Hit: 45 → 40
Gauge Multiplier (vs. Formidable): 2x → 1.5x
Gauge Multiplier (vs. Staggered Formidable): 2x → 1x
Skill Adjustments: Swordforces
Pioneer: Cooldown 0.5s → 0.4s / Increased size
Judgment: Cooldown 1s → 0.8s
Conviction: Cooldown 0.8s → 0.7s
Severance: Cost 4 → 6
Exclusion: Damage 300% → 520% / Cooldown 1s → 0.8s
Purge: Cooldown 1s → 0.8s
Retribution: Cooldown 1s → 0.6s / Increased size
Propagation: Cooldown 3s → 2s
Fury: Cooldown 9s → 15s
Inhibition: Cooldown 12s → 20s
Defiance: Knockback damage 30 → 20
Drive: Damage 960% → 880% / Knockback damage 28 → 20
Vigor: Damage 520% → 600%
Challenge: Damage 500% → 560%
Other Skill Adjustments
Magics
Ice Totem: Cooldown 24s → 21s
Mana Reflection: Cost 120 → 100 / Cooldown 6s → 5s
Earthquake: Damage 210% → 420% / Cooldown 40s → 30s
Frost Blade: Cooldown 50s → 30s
Arts
Fang Pull: Damage 1980% → 2840% / Cooldown 8s → 10s
Jet Stream: Knockback damage 80 → 90
Swallow Returns: Damage 100% → 200% / Knockback damage 60 → 40 / Cooldown 10s → 6s
While maintaining game balance is important, my top priority will always be creating an enjoyable experience for you, the players. I promise to avoid unnecessary nerfs that take the fun out of the game. Thank you always for your feedback and passion!
Visual & Effects Improvements
When I first started developing this game, I was inexperienced in almost every way. And while I've grown more skilled and confident over time, there's one area where I still feel like I'm fumbling: aesthetic sense.
If you've been with me since the early versions, you probably remember just how far the UI has come. (It still pains me a little to think of all those hand-made UI assets I scrapped along the way…)
But this transformation wouldn't have been possible without your passionate feedback. Every improvement—every overhaul—was driven by your voices. And if there's anything more you'd like to see, I’ll always be ready to listen with one ear and type with both hands.
That said, some of you mentioned that the game still feels a bit too static or lifeless. So, I’ve started giving more attention to visual effects and animations.
In this update, I’ve added:
New Skill selection animations
Status message popups
New hit effects
Low-HP (near-death) visual indicators
And that’s just the beginning—many more visual touches and effects are on the way.
That wraps up this update.
I know this game doesn't have a large player base—likely due to my own limitations as a developer—but if even a few of you can enjoy this patch and have fun with it, that alone makes me incredibly happy.
Thank you, always!