Blog entry

From Generic to Gorgeous

Witness the New Look and Functionality of the Roll Dash

As we get closer to the end of development and the game's release, we're focusing on polishing every aspect of The Book of Aaru. Today, we showcase a complete rework of our roll dash ability's visual effects!

This action-packed adventure in an evolved Egypt is shaping up to be something special.


We've listened to your feedback and felt it was time for a change for several key reasons:

Fresh from Our Workshop: The previous visual effect wasn't originally created by our team; it was a purchased asset. We're committed to bringing you a truly unique and cohesive experience, crafted entirely in-house as we head towards launch. This isometric rogue-lite set in an evolved ancient Egypt deserves our personal touch.

Thematic Consistency: We felt the old "bubble" visual didn't quite align with the mystical and lore-rich atmosphere of our blend of Egyptian mythology and advanced sci-fi. It inadvertently detracted from the intended impact and feel of the ability as we finalize the game's presentation in this alternate 1926 Egypt with the mysterious tale of Emily Sands.

Clarity and Gameplay Differentiation: This is a crucial improvement as we refine gameplay for release. We needed a clearer visual distinction to communicate the different functionalities of the roll ability depending on the environment within our procedurally generated dungeons with handcrafted traps.
 

  • In Arenas: The roll now visually emphasizes its powerful defensive capabilities. It acts as an immortality dash, providing a temporary window of invulnerability, protecting you from all incoming damage in these dynamic combat arenas. Expect strategic and dynamic boss fights that will test your mastery of movement.
     
  • In Corridors: The visual feedback for the roll in these areas will clearly indicate its primary function as a mobility tool, allowing for swift movement without the defensive properties it offers in combat arenas within these labyrinths filled with traps. Navigate these dangerous paths with hidden treasures in dynamically changing dungeons wisely.




We believe these new visuals will not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of Book of Aaru as we approach release but also provide crucial gameplay information at a glance, allowing for more strategic and intuitive use of the roll ability in our dynamic dual-wielding combat and combo attacks. Players will find this crucial for survival and utilizing the rhythmic combat with time-slowing mechanics effectively. This also ties into our active meta-progression and glyph upgrade system, allowing for deeper character customization.

Stay tuned for more updates as we finalize development!