Meet Marcos and Amelio, and help uncover buried treasure!
Welcome back Rat-pack!
In our last post we met Granny Malone and talked a little bit about the side quests that you’ll be undertaking for the many and varied characters you’ll be encountering along the Irish Coast throughout your adventure in Curse of the Sea Rats.
We touched on how some of these characters will unlock new areas of the map, give you key items needed to progress, and provide rewards for fulfilling their (sometimes outlandish) requests!
A Monkey’s Island
Certain characters even have unique mechanics associated with their questlines, and today we’ll be looking at Marcos & Amelio, a curious pair who seem to have gotten themselves into a spot of bother thanks to Amelio’s sticky fingers…
Like the other prisoners on board the HMS Barfleur, treasure-hunter Marcos and his loyal monkey companion, Amelio, were captured by the British while they were exploring the Caribbean in search of a mysterious figure…
In the chaos and confusion caused by Flora’s curse, Marcos and Amelio managed to escape their captors! Unfortunately, Amelio seems to have taken to the pirate lifestyle a bit too readily and has begun stealing and burying just about anything he can lay his paws on. At first, Amelio stole from strangers but has now started hiding Marcos’ belongings as well.
Marcos requests that you find and recover all the trinkets that Amelio has buried across the map. In exchange for your aid, Marcos will let you keep anything you dig up that doesn’t belong to him.
A Ground-breaking Discovery
To help unearth the missing belongings, Marcos supplies you with a handy shovel. Thankfully, Amelio isn’t quite as skilled at burying treasure as he is at stealing it, and as you traverse the Irish coast you’ll occasionally notice small mounds of dirt with half-buried objects just about visible.
By using your shovel, you’ll be able to dig up the hidden treasure, collecting as many as objects as you can find before returning to Marcos and turning in the goods. Found treasure will show up as Unearthed Chests in your inventory until you exchange them with Marcos who will reveal their contents.
Help Marcos retrieve all his goods from the mischievous monkey Amelio and reap the rewards!
That’s all for today but stay tuned as we’ll be back soon with another update soon!
Petoons Studio
Change of release date
Hi everyone,
We wanted to share with you an important update regarding the current state of development and our plans for release.
Curse of the Sea Rats is our biggest and most ambitious project to date, taking players on a huge adventure across a wide variety of exotic locales, and featuring a large cast of colourful characters, challenging bosses and exciting stories!
Although the game is now content complete, we have made the difficult decision to move our release date back to Early 2023 to ensure that the player experience is the very best that it can be at launch. This additional time will allow us to improve balancing, performance, and overall polish.
While we appreciate that this news might be disappointing, we do have some exciting news to share with you! In response to the feedback that we received during the Kickstarter beta access and Steam Next Fest public demos we will now be implementing voiceover into the game. We hope that this additional detail will not only help to develop the characters further but also enhance the overall quality of the worldbuilding and storytelling in Curse of the Sea Rats.
So what’s next? In the coming weeks and months we will be sharing a series of brand new trailers, featuring new locations, bosses, and gameplay, as well as providing an update on the final release date.
Thank you again for your continued support and patience, it truly is appreciated! If you have any questions in the mean time please do join our Discord and we'll be happy to help.
Petoons Studio
Discover the Denizens of the Irish Coast
Avast ye scurvy Sea Rats!
Now that you’ve become familiar with some of the main characters in Curse of the Sea Rats, it’s time to introduce you to some of the other colourful individuals that you’ll be coming across in your adventure on the mysterious Irish Coast.
Throughout your mission to recover Admiral Benjamin Blacksmith’s son from the clutches of Flora Burn, you’ll encounter many other crew members from the HMS Barfleur, nefarious pirates, and even locals of the island. Many of these individuals will need assistance in finding specific items. Help them out to receive a reward which will aid you in your ongoing quest!
Spice Up Your Life
With the crew of the HMS Barfleur now stranded and scattered along the Irish Coast, many require the bare essentials that have since been claimed by the sea. For example Landsman Rogers can’t even enjoy his slimy squid snack without the proper seasoning! Keep an eye out for some 'Black Pepper' and bring it back to this poor cephalopod connoisseur.
The Landsman Rogers quest has a fairly simple solution but you’ll find that some characters have some far more involved requests. Take Rick, for instance, he’s in need of a makeover to help blend in with the other pirates on the island. Scour the entire map to help gather a multi-item Pirate Costume for him!
It’s always worth going the extra mile as each completed side quest will offer you a chance to obtain valuable consumables, unique character enhancements, and even key items.
All’s Wool That Ends Wool
Completing some side quests will be essential for progressing through the story as they provide invaluable tools or allow you to open up new areas for exploration. These quests may require key items found around the map or sold by Robert Garfield, the ship’s Quartermaster.
A good example of this would be Granny Malone who can be found at Molly’s Farm early in the game. This sweet old lady is one of the locals who has built her life on the island with her family. Together they run a sheep farm which would be lovely, except that it stands directly between you and your goal… In exchange for some appropriate materials from which to knit a special scarf, Granny Malone with give you her key to Molly’s workshop and unlock a new path forward.
Aside from the handful of characters that we’ve mentioned you’ll discover that there are plenty more buccaneers, swashbucklers, and downright bilge rats to be found and dozens of stories to uncover in Curse of the Sea Rats.
Thanks for dropping by! We’ll be back soon with another update soon.
Petoons Studio
Meet Robert Garfield, Purveyor of fine and exotic wares!
Ahoy ship(wreck) mates!
For far we’ve introduced each of the four playable heroes, as well as their mystical guide, Wu Yun, Emissary of the Shen! Today we’ll be taking our first look at another member of the HMS Barfleur’s rugged crew, Quartermaster Robert Garfield.
Setting up shop in one of the many coastal caves along Shipwreck Beach, Robert manages the ship’s supplies with his assistant Wallace, ensuring that everything is accounted for and rationed accordingly.
The Rat of Wallstreet
While Wallace is busy snoozing fixing up the bridge to open a new path forwards, Robert runs the shop offering up merchandise, for a price… After all, with supplies in short supply and high demand, Robert can’t just go giving things away for free! Instead he’ll ask that you pay for his wares using standard pirate currency, Gold.
There are several ways to acquire Gold in Curse of the Sea Rats. The first, and most straightforward method is by defeating enemies. Most foes will drop a small quantity of treasure that you’ll gradually accumulate over time. Beware though as not all enemies will have deep pockets, so there’s no guarantee that you’ll come away any richer from every fight!
The second method is by discovering and opening chests that are spread across the map. Some chests can be found in plain site, while other are deviously hidden… Watch out for booby-trapped chests that contain a nasty surprise!
The best thing about Gold is that unlike Spiritual Energy, you’ll retain all your hard-earned loot even when defeated!
Quis Est Iste Qui Venit?
Much of what Robert sells will be invaluable in your quest as you tackle the dangerous crew of pirate witch, Flora Burn.
From Health and Energy Nostrums that keep your heroes fighting fit, to the humble Return Whistle, which transports your party back to the Quartermaster’s location, Robert has plenty of intriguing single use and consumable items available. He also stocks a reserve of rarer items such as Spotless Mind Tonic that resets an individual’s skill tree and returns all spent Spiritual Energy back to your inventory, just the thing if you feel like changing your approach to a new challenge.
It’s worth noting that your heroes can only hold a limited quantity of each consumable item. So, if you’re gearing up for a gruelling boss battle, you’ll need to be careful to preserve your stock of precious healing items as you make your way to a bosses’ area.
It remains a mystery as to how Robert was able to get hold of some of his more well… unusual items, but it’s always worth considering the breadth of what he has to offer as certain curios might come in handy, particularly when you encounter certain characters further inland.
I Know a Shortcut!
There are plenty of other interesting items, consumables, and collectables to find during your adventure. Cups of Tea,Sandwiches, and various other snacks are fairly common, but it’s probably best not to think about how long they’ve been hanging around!
You can prioritise and assign up to four items to the Quick Shortcut menu. This menu can be accessed on the fly and allows you to quickly gain the upper hand in combat or replenish your health and energy if you find yourself in a sticky situation.
Keep an eye out as Robert also likes to move around, seeking new business opportunities across the map as you blaze a trail forwards!
And so concludes our spotlight on the HMS Barfleur’s amicable Quartermaster! We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about his role in Curse of the Sea Rats, and feel much better prepared to take on the challenges that lie ahead!
We’ll be back in a few weeks time with another update, until then!
Petoons Studio
Introducing Wu Yun & The Eye of the Serpent
Welcome back, Sea Rats!
Previously, we showcased the four heroes you’ll be playing as throughout your Curse of the Sea Rats adventure: David Douglas, Buffalo Calf, Bussa, and Akane Yamakawa. Today, we’ll be introducing Wu Yun, a key figure who you’ll frequently encounter as you continue to explore the rugged Irish coast!
This mysterious apparition first appears before your eyes on Shipwreck Beach after your party receives an Ancient Amulet from Admiral Benjamin Blacksmith. The very same amulet that was used in the spell by Flora Burn to turn the entire crew into anthropomorphic rats.
Shen of the Southern Sea
Wu Yun is an emissary of the Shen, an ancient order that serves the master of the Eye of the Serpent. In exchange for incredible power, the master of the Eye must pay a fair price in return…
Passed down from master to master over centuries, forcibly or otherwise, the Eye of the Serpent consists of two items, a powerful ring, and the amulet that you currently hold.
Unfortunately, the ring has been stolen by the villainous Flora Burn and her new-found abilities are growing stronger by the minute!
Wu Yun dutifully requests your assistance in reclaiming the ring from Flora and helping to enact the price she should have paid for using its incredible power.
A Fair Price Indeed
You’ll be able to find Wu Yun at various fixed points on the map, and each interaction with him will save your progress.
In order to defeat Flora Burn, you’ll need to harness the power of the amulet. Wu Yun perceives that the island is full of Spiritual Energy that can be harvested and brought back to him in exchange for powerful new abilities.
Your first encounter with Wu Yun will unlock each character’s Inner Element. David Douglas possesses an affinity with fire, Buffalo Calf with air, Bussa with earth, and Akane Yamakawa with water. With enough spiritual energy you’ll be able to reveal the true power of each of these elements and perform incredible feats!
Alongside the elemental magic abilities, Wu Yun will also allow you to improve your combat abilities by upgrading traits such as health, critical chance, magical attack and defence.
Spiritual Energy can be obtained by defeating enemies and bosses, with the amount gained dependent on how challenging the adversary is. Be warned however, as being defeated will cause you to lose half of your current reserve of energy and return back to the last Wu Yun location that was visited.
Unless you successfully retrieve the energy that was left behind, you’ll lose it all should you be defeated again!
More Than Just Shen-anigans
Not only can Wu Yun upgrade each character’s abilities and record your progress, he will also allow you to freely switch between the four heroes!
At any point during your Curse of the Sea Rats campaign, speak to Wu Yun to change heroes and explore each of their different playstyles and move-sets. In some instances you’ll find that certain characters are more suited for a particular situation so its always worth switching things up every now and then!
Each character has their own unique skill tree so any spiritual energy that has been used to progress through that tree will not carry over onto the others. Fortunately, any unspent spiritual energy that you have collected can be used by any character!
It’s up to you to decide whether to upgrade your party equally or pick a favourite or two to level up first.
In co-op mode you’ll have a combined pool of spiritual energy, so you’ll need to decide as a team how this energy is spent. Will you focus on growing one character at a time or upgrade your entire party equally?
Thinking With Portals
Being in possession of the amulet, you can make use of the Ancestral Gateways that are located at various points on the map. These gateways appear in each of the main named locations that you’ll be discovering and can be used to travel between distant points in an instant!
However, this does come at a price, as you’ll need to open gateways with spiritual energy before you can use them. Fortunately, once opened these gates will never close and can be used at your convenience.
That’s all for today but stay tuned for future updates where we’ll be exploring more of the world and characters in Curse of the Sea Rats!
Petoons Studio
Thank You for Playing!
Ahoy there, Sea Rats!
Thank you all so much for playing our Steam Next Fest Demo. We hope you enjoyed your time exploring the cursed shores and facing off against the villainous crew of Captain Flora Burn.
The Petoons Studio team have been reviewing the feedback given and are now working hard to implement fixes and changes. If you have any comments about the demo please head over to the Steam Forums or drop by the Support channel on our Discord! We’ll be sharing updates in response to this feedback shortly.
The Steam Next Fest demo will be retired today (27th June 2022) so that the team can focus on development of the main game. Keeping a public demo updated does unfortunately require a large amount of resources so we hope you’ll understand our reasoning behind this decision. After all we want our players to experience the very best of what Curse of the Sea Rats has to offer!
For those that didn’t get a chance to play this time, stay tuned though, as we may have the opportunity to release an updated demo closer to launch.
In the meantime feel free to join our Discord and the growing community of scurvy swashbucklers!
We'll be back with another update soon!
Petoons Studio
Developer Stream with Petoons Studio!
The Rat-pack is back!
We hope you're enjoying Next Fest as much as we are. Earlier this week we joined the social gurus, Bryn and Priv, from PQube as they journeyed across Shipwreck Beach and took down the game's first boss, Fatso.
This time, however, Petoons Studio Community Manager, Maria Amaro, and Gameplay Design Lead, Yeray Toledano, will be delving into the depths of Flying Rat's Hole to take on the vampiric villain, Murat Reis.
They’ll also be showing off some entirely new sections of the game, exclusively for Steam Next Fest!
Be sure to tune into their developer walkthrough on 18th June at 9PM GMT / 2PM PST.
Remember you can also play Curse of the Sea RatsRIGHT NOW with our brand-new Public Demo and let us know what you think on our Discord.
Happy gaming :)
Petoons Studio
Demo Stream with the PQube community team!
Ahoy shipmates!
Steam Next Fest is officially here and we're kicking things off with a fun Livestream starring PQube's very own community team, Bryn and Priv.
Join the dynamic duo as they explore the Curse of the Sea Rats demo in local co-op. They'll be tackling the vicious pirate crew of Flora Burn and taking on the dangerous local wildlife, including creepy crustaceans and brutal bats!
Learn everything you'll need to know about the start of your swashbuckling career with skill trees, special abilities, and usable items.
Will they have what it takes to face off against one of Flora Burn's top lieutenants, the dreaded grog guzzling Fatso?
Catch the stream on 14th June at 7PM GMT / 12PM PST and stay tuned for our Developer walkthrough with Maria and Yeray from Petoons Studio on 18th June at 9PM GMT / 2PM PST.
In the meantime check out our new Public Demo and let us know what you think via our Discord.
Enjoy the festival!
Petoons Studio
Steam Next Fest Demo Now Live!
Today is the day! Our brand new demo is available now to play for free as part of Steam Next Fest! Join the prisoners of the HMS Barfleur as they embark on an epic quest to rescue the Admiral's son from the clutches of the nefarious pirate witch Flora Burn, and lift the curse that has transformed them into rats once and for all!
In this demo version you'll be able to play through the first few hours of the game, interacting with a colourful cast of characters, and exploring a variety of mysterious locales along the rugged Irish coast in the year 1777. You'll also have the opportunity to take on the challenge of the first two bosses; the belly-slapping, keg-wielding, Fatso, and the deliciously flamboyant vampire rat, Murat Reis.
PLEASE NOTE: This demo version of the game is a work in progress, and content is therefore subject to change come full release.
To help onboard new players we've pulled together a handy FAQ!
Q: Is there a limit on when the demo will be available? A: Yes the demo will only be available for 2 weeks (13th - 26th June 22). We want players to have the very best experience of the game and will therefore look at launching an updated demo with additional polish closer to launch.
Q: What PC specs are needed to run the demo? A: Minimum and recommended specs are as follows:
MINIMUM: OS: Windows 10 Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 or AMD Phenom II X2 550 Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 730, 2 GB or AMD Radeon HD 6670, 1 GB
RECOMMENDED: OS: Windows 10 Processor: Intel Core i3-2100 or AMD FX-4350 Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460, 1 GB or AMD Radeon HD 6870, 1 GB
Q: How do I report a bug? A: We have created a ticket system on discord, the channel is 🔧︱tech-support
Q: Is 4K supported? A: Yes!
Q: Is Ultrawide supported or planned? A: Unfortunately not.
Q: How much content is in the demo? A: There is roughly two hours of content included in the demo version of the game.
Q: Can I save during the demo? A: Yes of course, there are 3 save slots available.
Q: Is there a multiplayer mode? A: Yes! The demo version supports 2-4 players in local co-op mode. Players can drop in at any point during gameplay.
Q: Are controllers supported? A: Yes, the game currently supports keyboard & mouse + official controllers.
Q: Is this game an early access title? A: No, we won't be releasing this game as an early access title.
We hope you enjoy the demo, and would love to hear your thoughts on our Discord!
Petoons Studio
Steam Next Fest Demo Announcement!
Well shiver me timbers, Buccaneers!
We’re proud to announce that our first public demo will be available to play as part of Steam Next Fest: June edition, which runs between June 13-20, 2022.
Set sail for a huge wave of content to explore either solo or with up to 3 friends in 4 player local co-op mode! Choose between the 4 playable characters; David Douglas, Buffalo Calf, Bussa, and Akane Yamakawa and take on the infamous pirate witch Captain Flora Burn.
Rodent Round-Up
Each character has a unique play style and skill tree to discover, including special abilities linked to the elemental magic bestowed upon them by Wu Yun, Guardian of the Talisman. Unleash a devastating blast of fire with Douglas’s pistol or call upon a terrifying tsunami as Akane Yamakawa!
Use your newfound powers to venture through a variety of the early-game areas and face off against two challenging bosses; the keg-wielding drunkard, Fatso, and the flamboyant vampire rat, Murat Reis.
Rats to the Rescue!
Thanks to the nefarious deeds of Flora Burn, you’ll start your journey on the aptly named Shipwreck Beach along with the other marooned members of the HMS Barfleur. There you’ll meet the Admiral who has promised your freedom in exchange for rescuing his kidnapped son.
As you scurry across the sandy shores, you’ll eventually wind up at Shellfish Rocks and here you’ll find Flora Burn’s crew lying in wait! On top of these pesky pirates you’ll soon discover that the island’s indigenous creatures aren’t too thrilled to see you either. Beware of crabs, bats, and…exploding chickens..?
If you’re feeling brave enough, you can delve into the depths of Flying Rat’s Hole. This bat-infested ravine is filled with treacherous spikes jutting from the ceiling and floor. You’ll need to watch your step (and your head) when scampering around down there.
Keep an eye out for more Curse of the Sea Rats content in our upcoming developer and publisher streams:
14th June at 7PM GMT / 12PM PST (PQube community team let’s play) - Join the PQube community team as they take on the challenges of the Next Fest demo in 2 player co-op mode!
18th June at 9PM GMT / 2PM PST (Petoons Studio developer let’s play) - Hang out with members of the development team as they showcase exclusive never before seen gameplay!
Why not drop by our Discord and let us know what you think about the demo?
