Xendra is working on a total rehaul that will come with the next major update. The workload is huge for a solo dev, but this will ensure the upcoming content aligns with Xendra's vision.
Spoiler
Please be patient. Meanwhile, I strongly suggest you get the game before the next update 🤫 Spring Sale brings you the history biggest discount - 21% OFF
The new Apocalypse update will be changing the game a very large amount, including pushing the timeline of the game forward in a way that would typically be considered a sequel.
Because of this, all players who own or buy the game will also be able to play the current version of the game on the Legacy Beta Branch when the Apocalypse update launches.
My other projects have gone through similar transformations:
Kingdom Hearts: Critical Mix
Kingdom Hearts: Critical Mix is a full overhaul mod of KH1 that completely revamps the combat system, abilities, equipment and weapon system, and more. At first the mod was just a Level 1 challenge mode rebalance that was still mostly identical to the regular game, but as new modding tech became available it changed into an entirely new experience that feels extremely different from the original game.
Later on, new modding tech again made it possible to port this mod from the PS2 version of the game onto the PC version of the game, and along with that came a fairly significant number of differences between the two versions of the mod where each version has things that the other one doesn't / can't. The PC version does sacrifice a bit of the depth of the PS2 version, but is way more accessible and tends to "just work" in a way that the other one doesn't.
I also developed separate randomizers for both versions of Critical Mix, as well as a Riku variant of the mod with some different combat mechanics.
(Also i made an animation cancelling mod for Birth By Sleep called "Better Battle System" that you might like if you wished BBS was fun)
Malice & Greed
Malice & Greed is my first game, a rougelike RPG featuring a combat system that combines Shin Megami Tensei's "Press Turn" system with a color-based resource generation system influenced by Magic: the Gathering. This game originally launched as a janky prototype with an open-layout map and extremely long runs similar to a game like Darkest Dungeon.
Over time the game structure changed completely into a much shorter Slay the Spire style run, and the reward structure went through an overhaul similar to the one that Spellbook Demonslayers is getting (more categorization and gamification).
I plan to completely remake Malice & Greed again in the future when i have a larger team and more experience + budget, into a ps2-style 3d roguelike RPG that I would have originally made if i had the ability. The current version of M&G will also become a Legacy branch, just like SBDS is.
but why
I didn't specifically choose to work like this, but every time I get better at making stuff it makes me a lot more critical of my old work and usually makes it really clear where i went off-course from making the thing that I actually wanted to make. Often what happens is that you are learning to make things you've never made before, so you end up losing sight of the game design while focusing on getting things to work at all.
Rather than just launching a half baked "1.0" and then making people buy an entirely new game to get the full experience that I wanted to give originally, I'm going to just let people have both versions and they can choose which one they enjoy more (or play both of them).
but why the spicy version of the game
Spellbook Demonslayers original version was heavily nerfed and self-censored. This might come across as a big tone shift for people who only know me from this game, but the tone and themes of the new SBDS is what you should expect from most of my stuff. The SFW version of the game and NSFW version of the game will always remain as entirely separate products on Steam, so you can always choose the SFW version without worry if you prefer.
Info About Next Update
Haven't been available much to communicate becuase of family & housing stuff i've had to work on
first just to clear up some potential confusion:
- The Hades style prototype is for a sequel coming out after this game's 1.0. The prototype is extremely outdated though. Spellbook 1 will remain an auto-shooting game.
- The update that changed the knockback system and adds the 2nd character has actually been out for a few months, but I didn't draw attention to the launch of it. That update is not the "1.0" update.
here are some of the things coming in the next update:
Replaced Spellbook system, books now have unique "Signature Spells" that cost Mana. Regular spells still do not cost Mana, only Signature Spells.
Dual book upgrade can be found during runs allowing you to run 2 books & Signature Spells at the same time.
New Auto-attacking dual-wielding weapon system. Attacks generate Mana, and can be Charged. You can swap between 2 equipped weapons instantly with a button press.
New Weapon Fusion system to customize and extend their combos. All weapons can have their attacks replaced with those of any other weapon, letting you combine their unique abilities with any moveset you want. You can also slot Instant Attacks in between your regular combo attacks. These often come with bonuses like applying status effects on hit.
New "Augments" system: Lets you socket upgrades into your spells and abilities to add effects. Spells begin with no Augments, but each Ability comes with 1 starter Augment. As you equip new Augments in runs you will also unlock them to use as your starting augment as well, offering lots of horizontal progression.
New Level Up System: The character you aren't playing as brings you reward portals of various types. That character can also be customized each run with utility upgrades.
New Battle Modifiers System: After you level up you are given a choice between a few different portals to continue through. Some of them will add additional risk/reward effects onto combat, letting you scale the intensity to your liking.
New Wall Slam system: Damages and staggers enemies when you bounce them off walls and objects with Knockback. (Stagger is also new)
New "Devour" system: Strong enemies are crystallized on death. Devour their corpse within 13 seconds to make the crystals explode. The crystals are also objects that can block or Wall Slam enemies. Devour is considered an Ability, so it can be socketed with Augments.
New "Shapeshift" System: Hold the dash button to shapeshift into Astral Fox Jeanne, draining Mana to greatly reduce your hitbox size. Shapeshifting also happens while you are Dashing, but regular dashes no longer cost Mana. The Mana drain only begins if you continue Shapeshifting after the Dash ends. Shapeshifting is an Ability that can be socketed with Augments.
Runs in this new system can be far more different than they can now, even without taking build archetypes into consideration. You can have runs focused entirely on weapons, on basic spells, on signature spells, focusing on any of your abilities, or mixing and matching any of them freely. Then within all of that, you also have archetypes like building into various status effects, elemental effects, and so on.
The previous version of the game is nothing compared to what this will be.
plus a lot more. i'llalso be replacing some existing parts of the game that are bad.
The new update also has a lot of improvements to fundamentals like:
New tooltip system that displays info about your stats, detailed info on attacks & spells, and also displays a box of all upgrades you have that share the same tooltip. You can press the "View Embedded Tooltips" button to dig into these tooltips and view the tooltips of the upgrades that are being displayed inside the original tooltip.
New text system that shows before & after info about stat changes on upgrades.
Good controller support (i now play mainly on controller)
Fully rebindable controls
Overhauled aiming. On controller, simply aim with the Right Stick to instantly take control with manual aim, then let go of the stick again to immediately switch back to autoaim. On keyboard and mouse, hold or toggle the "Aim With Mouse" button to seamlessly switch between automatic and manual aiming.
New camera and lock-on systems
Redesigned every UI in the game
Improved fonts and colors
Expanded options menu
New Stats & Stat reworks (especially Energy Shield)
A bunch of new music by artists like Novander, including existing songs like LOTUS and VICIOUS and new original tracks created for the game.
... and more!
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And, yeah, there is a sale. Obviously. Yours, Liya
Ocelot Sunrise is a comic-style survivors-like game set on alien planets in distant galaxies. As always, owners of Spellbook Demonslayers will get an extra 10% off via the bundle. This is the final collab bundle to celebrate the Bullet Heave Fest.
Stay well, everybody.
COMING SOON: New PLAYABLE CHAR, Game Feel FIXED, Drop Rates DOUBLED!
COMING SOON: This update will contain new content, but also a lot of significant changes to existing things because I felt like the feel of the game was way off from where it should be.
New Character: Skye
The Cosmic Library has given you authority over Skye's restraints, allowing you to control her on the battlefield. Skye has access to a new dash ability:
Demon Cleave
Cut down enemies with the Demon Blade at the start and end of your dash. All mana is spent to enhance & repeat the effect against nearby enemies.
Knockback System Rewrite
The knockback system has been completely rewritten to be bouncier, more dynamic, and way less performance intensive. This has a bigger effect on the gameplay than you might expect.
The old system caused runs to only ever be in a state of winning or dead, which made the game turn mostly into a math equation. Now you can properly use knockback & dashes to push through rough patches while you try to get an upgrade that swings the run back in your favor. Revives feel more useful because of this, and the game feels much more "gamey".
When you take damage, the enemy that damaged you will be knocked back by a set distance.
Enemy Movement Changes
Enemies are now much less likely clump into overly-tight clusters.
Enemies are now more capable of surrounding you. This is a good opportunity to use the new knockback system to push your way through.
The player hitbox is now smaller, making it easier to weave through crowds.
Smuggler's Shrine Change
Smuggler's Shrines now either offer you 4 spells or 4 upgrades when completed, instead of 1 spell and 3 upgrades.
Rerolls for Illegal Spells and Illegal Upgrades are now 2 separate buttons, making it much less expensive to find what you want.
Progression
Drop rates for demons and charms have been doubled.
Increases to Max Corruption now accelerate at higher amounts.
Most difficulty options have been condensed into 1-point toggles instead of multiple points. (You should review your difficulty settings if you are playing below max difficulty)
"Bullet Hell" Malice modifier effect has been combined with "Escalation" as a single modifier.
"Ritual" Oblivion modifier total exp penalty on Banish changed from -60% to -50%.
"Ceremony" Oblivion modifier total exp penalty on Reroll changed from -60% to -30%.
Balance Changes
You now gain +2 Max Level for each point of Oblivion.
The EXP curve has been changed: Levelling requires more EXP between levels 20 - 60, but less EXP before level 10 and after level 60. At level 80+, all levelups require the same amount of EXP. Roughly the same total amount of EXP is required to hit 125 as before (but 175 is the new 125, so hitting that will take a bit longer).
You now must kill all elites before overtime will begin. Normal enemies still spawn during this time so you can trigger on-death effects, but EXP gems will stop dropping from them until overtime begins.
Enemy projectiles no longer become ridiculously fast in endless, but they have higher base speed.
Elite enemies no longer gain increasing amounts of armor.
Corrupted Shrines no longer spawn in the first map.
Adjusted the enemy waves of each map.
Aura: Cybernetics has been changed to give -13% Max HP instead of +4% Max HP Reservation.
Aura: Deathbound, Evolution: Passion and Warfare has had its Max Level bonus while Second Chance is unequipped increased from +3 to +13.
Aura: Juggernaut now grants +20% Knockback and +7 Max HP insted of +13% Knockback and +13 HP.
Arcane Aura: Cremation now also grants +13% Projectile Size.
Illegal Upgrade: Dragon Chaser now also grants +30% Buff Effect in addition to summoning 7 shrines.
Illegal Upgrade: Grim Row has been changed into an Arcane Aura.
Illegal Upgrade: Overclock has been changed to an Arcane Upgrade. It now grants +7 Max Level, +2 Rerolls, and +1 Overlevel.
Illegal Upgrade: The Best Defense now grantes +20% Damage Reduction instead of +13%.
Illegal Upgrade: Brilliance has been changed to +77% Light Radius, -13% Exp Gain
Illegal Upgrade: Upgrades that rely on stats that they don't offer themselves now only appear if you have the related stat.
Illegal Upgrade: Nines now gives -99% HP instead of -999% HP.
Upgrade: Defiance now reqiures the 7 Malice achievement to unlock.
Upgrade: Second Chance now requires the 77 Malice achievement to unlock. Its cooldown is now 13 seconds instead of 7.
Other Changes
"Brain Tease" and "Bulk Up" lesser upgrades can now appear if there are any empty slots in your upgrade list, instead of only when the list would be empty.
The maximum number of elites on screen at once has been increased from 13 to 50.
Spirit Shield has been renamed to Phantom Shield
Fixes
Various bug and crash fixes. Some notable fixes include:
Fixed autoaim bug causing each shot to have a chance of firing in a random direction.
Fixed issue where demons would be equipped/unequipped when manually levelling them up.
Fixed issue where regular enemies could get teleported offscreen at random.
Fixed issue where offscreen enemy culling would sometimes fail to activate.
Fixued issue where some enemies would fail to spawn from spawn notifications.
Save data stability improved.
Once I get a good feel for the new state of the game with the builds that people are playing on this version, I will be adding more upgrades and spells to support as many playstyles as possible.
I also got you bundles with freshly released games:
https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/36313/Slayer_Blade/ & https://store.steampowered.com/bundle/36353/Dawn_of_Slayers/ I know you are waiting for the Spellbook Demonslayer updates. I want the updates too, but more so because I am worried about the dev's wellbeing. Xendra has not replied for some time now, and I am worried about them and their partner. For now, all I can offer you is... the bundles. I don't get any benefits from promoting other games, but I can get you some extra discounts while trying to support the dev as much as I can. Xendra would never forsake Spellbook Demonslayers OR Malice & Greed. Those are the passion projects that Xendra is very devoted to. While I worked with Xendra, I saw them giving their all to SBDS, being super emotional and protective of their "child". Xendra would never delay the game dev if there was no reason, I believe so.
Here are some other bundles Available for the Bullet Heaven Fest:
🧟🧟🧟FatalZone from the Popular Upcoming will be an extra 10% off for the owners of the Spellbook Demonslayers 🔥🔥🔥
FatalZone is a zombie survivor game with RPG progression: 🏆Survive & beat challenges to unlock skills ⚰️Hire & heal chars - death is finite for them 🧬Vampire Survivor style evolution - weapon+item=synergy
If you want this game - wait for the "Zone of Demon Slayers" bundle. P.S. There will be more announcements coming in the next 2 weeks. Stay tuned.