Press release

Lane defense strategy re-imagined: Riftbound is going rogue (lite) this May!

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Riftbound transforms into an action strategy roguelite with deckbuilding elements, in the monumental “Summoner’s Path” anniversary update.

Melbourne, Australia - April 11, 2023 - For their upcoming anniversary, Barrel Smash Studios is planning a major update for May 2023, releasing two new gameplay modes to their first title, Riftbound. Now play the game as an action packed strategy rogue-lite, featuring your favorite elementals along with new spells, new upgrades and new enemies. Or survive as long as you can against various waves of undead in endless survival mode. 

 

With five elements to combine, new enemies to encounter, and multiple pathways to take, no playthrough is ever the same.

 

Choose your starting element from fire, air and water, then build your deck of spells and upgrades from over 120 options as you battle your way through upgraded and new deadly enemies. Discover strategy changing encounters, pick up rare spells, mix and match upgrades, and even visit the magic shop, while creating the ultimate fighting force to finally send the undead back to where they came.

 

“As our debut game, we were determined to support the game post-release, and shape the game more towards the initial vision we had for the game. This meant spending an extra 12 months of full development on improving every aspect of the game”, said James Thomas, Riftbound game director and co-founder of Barrel Smash Studios. “Turning the game into a rogue-lite as the primary game mode was the right decision, and playtester feedback has been incredibly positive about this new direction”.

 

New Features:

  • Two new game modes: introducing action packed roguelite gameplay and endless survival battles.

  • New Spells & Upgrades: with over 120 spells and upgrades, along with rare versions, test out different combinations of attacks to defeat the horde.

  • New and upgraded enemies: take on elite and champion enemies, with 4 new enemies, providing challenging and strategic battles.

  • New heroic system: counter enemy elites with your own heroes, feature a unique series of stackable upgrades to turn your units into heroes during battle.

  • Perks system: defeat doesn’t mean starting all over again. Fight more battles to unlock perks that help you survive for longer.

  • Godlike difficulty modes: from Merciful, to Merciless… seven difficulty levels in the roguelite game mode can make things a little easier… or much, much harder.

  • Endless replayability: No two runs are ever the same. Pick different starting elements; unlock new encounters and perks; follow certain paths, choose certain spells and upgrades, and fight against ever-changing enemies.

  • Added Mutators: challenge yourself with battles that favor the enemy with mechanic altering mutators..

  • Free cosmetic system: accessorize your own elementals and see them stand out on the field (no microtransactions!).

 

Part of this massive update is the option to customize your elemental characters. Accessorize and personalize your elemental army with hats, mustaches, ears and beards and watch your creations in action during battle. Unlock more of these cosmetics through in-game challenges and rewards.

 

Existing players can try the new update through the public test branch on Steam right now, and it will be fully released in May.

 

Riftbound: Summoner’s Path is expected to launch on PC (Steam) on May 9, 2023 as a free update. Learn more about the game at the official website or join our Discord for the latest updates!