Hello Riftbreakers!
Humans have always had the tendency to look at the stars in search of the unknown. While stargazing, it is pretty easy to forget that space is not the only place that holds secrets. Hundreds of unresolved mysteries could be waiting closer than you’d think. Sometimes all it takes is to know where to look. The Riftbreaker: Into the Dark is the second World Expansion for our game, this time taking Ashley and Mr. Riggs on a journey beneath the surface of Galatea 37.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2108630/The_Riftbreaker_Into_The_Dark/
Into the Dark begins with Ashley and Mr. Riggs encountering groups of native Galatean creatures affected by what seems to be a parasitic, crystalline growth, similar to what Ashley encountered before on Orion. This unknown pathogen affects the creatures’ physical abilities, as well as their behavior, as they viciously attack Mr. Riggs and Ashely’s base. An investigation into the source of the attacks leads Ashley to discover a giant, maze-like structure of underground caverns that seem to emit strange signals. There is only one thing our heroes can do - venture into the dark and seek the source of this newfound threat.
Some concept art for the new types of crystals you're going to find in the Crystal Caverns.
The second World Expansion will allow you to enjoy a new portion of the Story Campaign that takes place in a previously unexplored, underground caverns biome. Given that it is wildly different from every other area of Galatea 37 that we have previously seen, you will be able to employ various new tactics and mechanics in order to stay alive. One truly groundbreaking addition to The Riftbreaker arsenal will be the ability to dig out your own tunnels and caverns.
An early preview of the excavation mechanic. We're going to tweak it so that it feels satisfying and quick.
Using Mr. Riggs’ upgraded drilling arm, you will be able to excavate portions of the softer rocks that make up the majority of the structures you find underground. By doing so, you will find large deposits of valuable resources, as well as give yourself an opportunity to set up an outpost in the cavern system itself. You will need one in order to conduct research and analysis of your underground findings. However, defending it will prove to be challenging in itself. The inhabitants of these caverns will not make your life easy.
Thousands of brand-new mushrooms (and more!) await the meeting with your Bioscanner!
The Crystal Caverns biome comes complete with its own little wildlife kingdom. Apart from the crystallized forms of other Galatean creatures you might have encountered earlier, you will also discover some entirely new species capable of traversing the caves and corridors much more efficiently than you, even utilizing the walls and ceilings. There are even giant behemoths that dig their own tunnels! Be wary of your surroundings when exploring the area. The potential rewards are great, as exploration will grant you new abilities and technologies that will help you survive in the unknown.
Some of you were asking for this art, so here it is in hi-res - https://imgur.com/a/H1j19GZ
Since we want to take a much more open approach during the development of Into the Dark, we are going to regularly (as much as the production’s schedule permits) release updates on how the development is going and what additions you can expect when it comes to items, enemies, technology and much more. Just as with the first World Expansion, the new Crystal Caverns Biome is going to be available as a free update to be played in Survival mode. We would also like to run some beta tests ahead of the release. This new biome introduces many completely new game mechanics that we want to iterate on together with the community. If you want to be the first to get information on that process, join our Discord at www.discord.gg/exorstudios. We will let you know once we have more details on that!
See you next time!
EXOR Studios