Hey.
I have been working on Echoes of Myth as solo developer for a little over three years. The project grew out of interest in Diablo style ARPG and Souls-influenced combat, combined with a desire to shape those ideas into something more personal and overall approachable experience.
The goal wasn't to replicate either genre, but to combine elements from each that I felt would work nicely together to create a greater whole. An experience with deliberate combat, meaningful progression, and a difficulty curve that challenges you early, then gradually lets power take over combined with dopamine hits from randomized loot hitting your build just the right way.
Over time, through a lot of iteration and few major pivots, that direction became clearer for me. Many of those pivots were driven by realities of working solo, others by learning what actually felt right once the systems were in motion. Perhaps it's telling that the game's eventual primary genre - action roguelite - wasn't even originally in the cards but rather result of perhaps the most significant pivot during the game's development history. One that made it possible for me to finalize the experience at sufficient level of quality.
Solodev is brutal - and it's night and day between doing some prototypes as fun hobby vs. working towards an actual commercial release. I thought I was ready to learn a lot and still got constantly surprised by how much there is to do and the variety of skills needed that you never even think about when it's just a hobby project. There have been many ups and downs but now the finish line is finally in sight with release slated for March and demo having been out for a few months.
The Core Experience
I have been building Echoes of Myth as mid-core action game targeting gamers who have perhaps experience of Soulslikes, PoE 2 or other action games requiring damage avoidance in moment-to-moment combat gameplay. This is then expanded with roguelite metastructure, story of epic mystery, moments of RNG gods smiling upon you to make your build truly explode - and finally getting that boss kill! The intention is to offer moments of mastery, discovery, and growth without requiring pitch perfect execution or punishing mistakes endlessly.
Combat
Combat is deliberate, readable, and expressive. Enemy attacks are clearly telegraphed, and different enemy types are designed to require different approaches rather than just higher numbers with greener skin. In theory, a highly skilled player can avoid all damage and pull a no hit run with positioning, dodging, stuns, freezes, staggers, and smart target prioritisation. In practice, most players will rely on their health pool and limited healing to make it some way in the run before starting over - and coming back stronger with a bit more essence power.
The isometric perspective pushes the pacing faster than traditional Soulslike, but the philosophy remains the same, awareness matters. Over time, as builds come together, raw power and synergies start doing more of the work. Player awareness never disappears, but the relationship of between skill and power changes intentionally based on how well you succeeded with your buildcrafting - and your essence rank (metapower).
In other words, Echoes of Myth isn't trying to be a hack and slash, and it is not trying to be an ultra-technical combat simulator. It is meant to feel fair, deliberate and satisfying.
Builds, Choices and Tradeoffs
There are no classes, but starting weapon plays a major role in shaping each run. Every run begins as a hybrid, and is up to deciding what it will become. One might lean fully into melee, focus on spellcasting, or build around synergies between both.
Abilities, infusions, relics and talents introduce strong possibilities, but also risky builds. There are no respecs during a run, If build is performing poorly, perhaps better to turn it into a short essence farm run.
When everything aligns, you can become extremely powerful. When it does not, adaptation matters more than numbers.
Progression and Difficulty
Progression works on a several levels. Within a single run, enemies start rather weak but grow exponentially towards the end and player needs to match that with good buildcrafting and skillful play to keep up - or even exceed. Player's build for the run matters - the difference between average choices and linear growth and great choices with exponential growth are stark.
Completing the game in new save slot without dying even once is possible but it is admittedly very very difficult. That is when the essence powers progression kicks in - the metapower accrual. At first it provides much needed relief in form of some additional healing but further progress makes player able to take a few more hits and deal out some more damage making it easier and easier to push further into the run.
All the while player's knowledge of systems and skill in combat and build choices increases and all these elements together push you eventually to success after many challenges.
The difficulty curve is intentionally uneven which makes it feel even better when you hit the perfect relic for your build or get that elusive +5 upgrade. Over time, progression ensures that almost anyone can eventually complete the game, even if it takes multiple attempts.
After first full run completion the game isn't necessarily done yet. There is more lore to uncover - and additionally Realm Distortions endgame system enabling you to challenge yourself but also be aided with the very rare legendary talents.
Where is development now?
Most of core gameplay content is in place in beta. I am currently focused on polishing, balancing, pacing and adding variety where it has the most impact along with the mentioned endgame progression system. I'm also planning on updating the demo to be a more focused experience in time for Steam's February Next Fest which Echoes of Myth will be participating.
Discord
If you have suggestions, ideas, or something else you want to talk about, it's a great platform and easy way to reach me. Join the server here!
If you want to get a hands-on feel, there is a demo available on Steam.
Wishlist Echoes of Myth on Steam, it helps a lot, and it is the best way to stay updates as development enters final stretch.
More soon.