Hello Conquerors,
Over the past few weeks, since the release of the major 0.9 demo update, we've been focusing on improving progression satisfaction, gameplay variety and adding a new set of quality-of-life improvements.
We’ve decided not to keep these changes exclusive to the full release and instead give you a proper taste of what’s coming in the form of the new 0.9.5 demo update. This is not the end of our journey to refine the experience, but from now on our main focus shifts to delivering new content for the full version.
This extra development time means we won’t be launching in Q3 2025. The current plan is to release in October. A full announcement is coming very soon!
In the meantime, enjoy the new demo and share your feedback with us so we can deliver the next big hack’n’slash roguelite for you next month.
Here’s a quick summary of what’s new:
Rune Tree Progression Adjustment
We’ve streamlined the rune tree. Each path now consists of regular sockets (where you can place any rune type) and more powerful sockets that require dedicated runes. Within each element, only the corresponding essence is used, making resource management more clear and intuitive.
Affinity Bounds
We’ve made bonding with a patron more satisfying by introducing a set of passive upgrades tied to the tree path you’re currently investing in. These bonuses expand your build variety and help you decide which direction to take.
Tutorial Adjustments
One of the most common pieces of feedback was information overload in the tutorial. We've reduced how much is shown at once, and now the information is spread out between the tutorial run and your first two excursions into the tower.
New Rune Tree Skills & Companions
To make reaching the end of a rune path more rewarding, we’ve overhauled the skills you gain after socketing a specific number of runes. The highlight of these changes is the addition of companions. By forming a strong enough bond with a patron, you can now summon a spirit tied to one of the four elements.
Upgrading Items
Upgrading your gear is essential for handling the growing threat inside the chaos tower. A new character, the Forgekeeper, now allows you to upgrade your equipment using elemental essence. Each item can be improved up to one of five levels.
Reworked Ultimates
One of the biggest visual upgrades in this patch is the rework of ultimate skills. Besides new VFX, we’ve also added custom cameras to make unleashing these powerful abilities more satisfying than ever.
Prophecy Rooms
Instead of purchasing prophecies from the trader, you’ll now encounter special chambers where, after defeating all enemies, three altars with prophecies appear. No gold is required, but it’s up to you whether your run will focus on completing prophecies, collecting runes, upgrading them, or mixing all strategies.
And remember: all of this comes on top of the massive 0.9 demo update. If you haven’t played the demo in a while, there’s a good chance you won’t recognize the game anymore:
If you want to catch up on everything, check out the changelog below:
Gameplay
Reworked rune tree loop
Added destructible crystals (unlockable at rune tree)
Added perfect dodge (unlockable at rune tree)
Added companions (unlockable at rune tree)
Added targeting system to make it easier to hit enemies
Reworked ultimates
Added ability to exchange elements of essence
New chamber type - Forgekeeper
New chamber type - Prophecy Room
Added affinity bounds
Reworked tutorial
Reworked game balance to fit the design changes
Fixed issues with the option menu on gamepad
Adjusted talkbacks to fit the design changes
Visuals
Reworked the shaders for moving objects to improve performance
Improved some VFX of skills
Adjusted UI to fit the design changes
Added more movable UI elements
Improved volumetric fog
Reworked hit markers
Reworked 3D models of runes
Adjusted lighting of 3D models in the UI
Added avility to preview higher item levels
Sound & Audio
Improved skill sounds
Added new sounds to fit the design changes
...and tons of bug fixes, optimizations, and QoL changes compared to the previous demo.
You can also expect some hotfixes in the coming days that will iron out any remaining issues. We've also compiled a list of known issues we plan to address soon:
Known issues
The current demo version is only available in English (this will be fixed with a hotfix/patch later in September)
Low graphics settings reduce base brightness more than intended
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the new demo. Join us on Discord and leave your feedback. And if you haven’t already, make sure to wishlist Lone Soul on Steam.
Express yourself in battle!
Laughing Fox Games