Hello,
some time has passed since our last meeting, and we haven’t been idle. In the past few weeks, a lot has happened in the project, and we’re excited to share with you today a build update. The version you last saw is now about a month old (07/04/25), and since then, numerous new assets, features, and improvements have been added to further sharpen the gameplay experience.
Our goal was to integrate the multiplayer mode, significantly enhance the user interface, and provide players with more options during combat to develop the best battle strategy for their inventory.
Everything you find in this email is part of the build we’ll be showcasing at this year’s Gamescom—perfect for getting an early look at the new features.
From August 20th to 22nd, we will be showcasing SoE at Gamescom Business Area on the SAXONY communal stand.
The player can now compete against other players in PVP and attempt to defeat them in combat. If they succeed in reducing the opponent’s health points to zero, the player receives ghost souls. These can be exchanged at the new Ghost Smith for powerful abilities (for example, it’s possible to steal an item from the PvP opponent).
In preparation for the duel, during the merchant phase the opponent’s inventory, character, and status values are viewable. In the combat phase, their actions and status values—such as shield and health points—are displayed in real time and enhanced with new VFX.
There are many new items. Among them is the new category: "Divine Items". These are very rare but far stronger than legendary items and identifiable by their ominous red coloring.
You can now also collect items within a round, e.g. from treasure piles, to find gemstones and combine them with rings in the shop.
Additionally, there is a new category: banners, which grant the player extra bonuses when in range, but at the cost of movement freedom.
The Skeleton Bomber carries a barrel on its back. If it is killed, the danger is averted, but if it gets too close to you, the fuse ignites and it explodes. This explosion can trigger devastating chain reactions. However, with a bit of skill, the Skeleton Bomber can also be used strategically to wipe out entire hordes of enemies.
Priests come in two variants: one version grants enemies protective armor, identifiable by its metallic appearance and blue glow. The other enhances their speed, identifiable by the green coloring. After casting a spell, all nearby enemies are immediately buffed. So kill the Priest quickly before he turns his allies into powerful threats.
The Ghost appears when the opposing player is stronger than you. This further emphasizes their superiority, but at the same time gives you the chance to turn the tables by granting you increased gold income.
The Obelisks grant you powerful bonuses within a radius. Which type of buff it is can be identified by its tip. This allows you, at the expense of other activities and with increased horde danger, to boost specific attributes in order to defeat more enemies with the same build.
Destroying barrels opens up new ways to interact with the world. There are three types of barrels:
Explosive Barrel: Works similarly to the Skeleton Bomber and can also trigger devastating chain reactions.
Oil Barrel: When destroyed, whether by the player or by an explosion, an oil slick spreads out. This can be ignited and deals damage to everything within it as long as it burns. Players and enemies are slowed, and enemies are additionally weakened.
Grass: Behaves similarly to oil, but remains for the entire round. Grass is created by water released from destroyed water barrels, which can extinguish oil fires.
Collecting treasures is a new way to earn gold. Anything that can be sold can be converted into gold at the push of a button during the shop phase.
The lighting has been overhauled. Shadows are more realistic and softer, sunsets more believable, and ruins spookier yet pleasantly bright so as not to disrupt the flow of gameplay. With the improved lighting, the VFX now appear far more detailed, and subtle color nuances are easier to discern. By adjusting contrasts and color values, the look is now much more consistent across a variety of screen types.
Grass is not only functional but also a visual building block. During a round, as much grass as possible can grow, depending on how much water is available and how much of it is destroyed.
In the UI, many elements have been harmonized. Placeholders have been replaced with final graphics, and interaction options are now more intuitive and comprehensible.
Similarly, performance has been improved despite the new effects, especially in the UI area.
Thank you for reading, we’ll see you at Gamescom!