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Vambrace: Cold Soul - A Developers' Note about Updates & Patches

Version v1.06 brings much-anticipated Features and Fixes

04 June 2019

The developers of Vambrace: Cold Soul, Devespresso Games, are listening to the community’s constructive feedback and are eager to bring the game to its best possible form. The latest patch, v1.06, was just released on Steam & GOG and brought more anticipated featuees and fixes. v1.06 means the team released a new update for the game every single day.

In case your initial experience with Vambrace: Cold Soul was deterred by the game's difficulty, balance issues, or design choices, please try again now. Many players are reporting their experience has completely turned around in less than a week thanks to the many updates. Please check this list to see if any of your issues were solved:

Rebalancing

  • Character stats have been rebalanced
  • Enemy stats have been rebalanced
  • Combat encounters have been decreased in Neighborhoods
  • The rate at which the Geist-o-meter rises has been decreased and allows more exploration
  • The walking speed in dungeons has been increased
  • All chapters have had their expeditions rebalanced for flow & optimal challenge

New Additions
  • Game Tutorial: It is now accessible anytime from the pause screen.
  • Combat Fast Forward: You can double the speed of combat by holding the Shift button.
  • Recruiting Board: You can now view character stats before you hire them.
  • Relics: You may equip or unequip Relics on your expedition at any time.
  • Shelters: An all-new addition to the game! Shelters now exist between all neighborhoods. This allows you reliable times to access & craft items to replenish your party before moving into the next area. No longer will your expedition fall victim to RNG.
  • Bullion Chips: A new loot drop from enemies featuring Gold, Silver, and Copper bullion chips adds variety to combat encounters. These can be traded to merchants for hellion (money).
  • New Game +: The newest feature allows players to access a basic New Game+ mode to move through chapters faster and unlock costumes and new endings that would have taken many hours to otherwise.
  • Skip Tutorial: Now available.
  • Steam Cloud Saving: Has been implemented
 
Fixes
  • Various typo fixes.
  • Various quest fixes.


And that is just the beginning. The team is hard at work seeking to implement long-term QOL changes as well.
 

A Word from the Developer

When we launched Vambrace: Cold Soul, the community was swift in letting us know what we got right, wrong, and could have implemented better. As a small 4-man team, we took this feedback to heart and were equally swift with updates. It was the first time we were able to benefit from mass feedback – of which in-house QA is simply not a substitute.
 
Over the course of a week, we released a new patch on an almost daily basis. These changes have made Vambrace an entirely new experience for most of our community members. Please check the new features. If you believe that any of them could have drastically improved your experience, we invite you to revisit the game. As always, we are deeply appreciative of your time, and honest feedback! - T.L. Riven


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HEADUP ANNIVERSARY SALE

All Games on Steam Discounted by up to 90%!

03 June 2019 With Headup celebrating its 10th Anniversary, we would love to take some of the birthday spirit to Steam and the Steam community. Many of you have been with us from the very beginning or joined us down the road, but all of us have one thing in common: We all share the same passion for great games and the belief that there is more to gaming than just the mainstream!
 

We figured the best way to celebrate with you is to do a Headup 10th Anniversary Sale on Steam, it will be active until June 10, thus one week long. You'll find our famous Bridge Constructor Portal available for half the price. Hero Defense is getting the highest discount since its release and the successful zombie survival RPG Dead Age is 75% off - just like many others! And even the two critically acclaimed adventure games Trüberbrook and The Inner World (Best German Game each) are discounted. Have a look at our Steam Publisher Page and check out our great portfolio.

Enjoy browsing!
Your Team Headup 

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''Vambrace: Cold Soul'' Out Now on Steam and GOG

Watch the Launch Trailer Now!

28 May 2019 The strategic roguelike adventure Vambrace: Cold Soul was just released on Steam and GOG. For the first week, buyers will get a 10% release discount, afterwards it will be available for $24.99, €24.99 and £19.99.

In addition to that, every buyer will receive the game's beautiful 40-pages Digital Artbook that will help on their dangerous quest. If you like Vambrace's music, you might also be interested in its Official Soundtrack. As the game itself, it is currently discounted by 10%.

To celebrate the release of Vambrace we present a brand-new Launch Trailer which will provide you with more insights on several aspects of the game:

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/a48ab7d0240c8f00dcdd9b49e/images/6e44724b-99c8-4bd5-98a6-d396516f5e6a.png

Console players will get their change to experience Evelia Lyric’s adventure later this year, as Vambrace: Cold Soul will become available for PlayStation®4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One in Q3 2019.

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Vambrace: Cold Soul - Where Eastern Art meets Western Storytelling

Story Trailer available now!

02 May 2019

Vambrace: Cold Soul is a perfect example of what global collaborations are capable of creating. The game weaves the beautiful, handcrafted illustrations of Korean artist Minho Kim with an epic narrative from American writer and game designer, T.L. Riven. The result of this worldwide collaboration is a truly unique fantasy-adventure featuring the best of western game design principles with eastern aesthetics. If you’re into strategic gameplay Vambrace’s story-rich roguelike mechanics will keep you on edge for hours of dungeon delving mayhem.
 
Take on the role of Evelia Lyric as you embark on several expeditions that will truly test your mettle as a leader. Before departing, visit the recruiting board to assemble your team. Each member brings their unique strengths and abilities to combat and the expedition itself. Craft new items from old loot, make sure your party is properly equipped, and journey to the surface to fulfill your objectives. The path ahead will be fraught with difficulties, but every one of the game’s seven chapters offers unique challenges emphasizing different party combinations and a high level of replayability.
 


The recruitment board in Dalearch features up to 10 unique character classes.
 

Lyric comes into ownership of an ancient relic known as the Aetherbrace, after her father’s passing. She then embarks from the human realm of Edena on an expedition into the frigid, Dwarven kingdom of Dokkheim. It is there she hopes to find answers that may reveal more about the strange artifact and her father’s mysterious past. Be sure to check out the game’s Story Trailer for an introduction to Vambrace: Cold Soul as Evelia Lyric makes her fateful journey to the cursed city of Icenaire.
 

 
Concept art featuring the Dalearch, your underground base of operations, and a Dwarven native of Icenaire.


Vambrace: Cold Soul is set to release on PC on the 28th of May. The release dates for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One are planned for Q3 2019.


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“Fromto” Open Beta starting today - join it alone or together with your friends!

Fromto\'s insane multiplayer madness will unleash your inner child again

02 May 2019

Later today, at 9pm CEST / 3pm PST, every PC gamer will be able to try out the upcoming 2D multiplayer madness of Fromto at your home for the very first time. You like unpredictable things happening in games? Come in! You like to play and laugh locally or online with your friends? Give it a try then! You would rather like to try it on your own first? No problem - join the Beta and test the single player mode!

Fromto is about being creative - or just experimental - and unleashing your inner child. When we presented the 2D racing game at PAX East recently it was a good crowd puller - its unpredictability will please you and perhaps others who will watch you playing too.

If you are interested in playing Fromto, just can get one of the 1500 free Beta keys either at the game's Discord Channel or by using bit.ly/Fromto_Beta instead. The Beta will run one week, ending on May 9th. All public keys will be made void then; only press and influencer keys will remain valid.
 


More specific Beta information:

  • 25 single player levels
  • 10 insane multiplayer levels
  • Lots of secrets
  • Destructible terrain
  • Over 50 different parts to manipulate the levels!
  • 10 different cars to unlock
  • Unseen art style partially made by the dev’s young kids
  • Super high replayability


Fromto is mainly made for multiplayer madness, so as a journalist please just let us know if you need more keys by email.  For more information about the Open Beta of Fromto please check out our Discord Channel or the Steam page updates


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Vambrace: Cold Soul Now Releasing This May

The Roguelike RPG Adventure Game Will Come to PC on May 28th

11 April 2019 Headup Games today announced a new release date for their upcoming roguelike RPG adventure Vambrace: Cold Soul, which will now release May 28th on PC. In Vambrace players are tasked with exploring the cursed city of Icenaire. Assembling teams and outfitting them for dangerous expeditions is a core aspect of the gameplay.

The game was recently showcased at GDC and PAX East. Its unique blend of narrative driven gameplay and punishing dungeon crawling missions garnered critical praise and heightened fan anticipation at the events. The team was originally aiming for an April release, but decided to spend some additional time fine-tuning the title following feedback gathered at the showings. Devespresso Games and Headup remains invested in delivering the best immersive experiences to players. As such, the team is focused on providing as much of a bug-free experience as possible.

The teams are also proud of the impressions the game has made so far and is excited to share the adventures of Evelia Lyric and her companions through the icy, gothic-fantasy realm of Icenaire. The release dates for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One are still set to Q3 2019.

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Trüberbrook two time winner at German Video Games Awards (DCP)

The adventure achieves ‘Best German Game’ and ‘Best Staging’

11 April 2019 At the glamorous gala of the German Video Game Awards 2019 (DCP)Trüberbrook shined in not just one, but two categories. The adventure game was first awarded with ‘Best Staging’, and in the end of the show also was crowned with ‘Best German Game’. This category is every year's most anticipated award of the German gaming industry.

The developers of the game, btf (bildundtonfabrik), achieved the unique look of their game through a complex and lengthy process. In the beginning they built all of its scenes in miniature models – by hand and with masses of glue. In addition, to give the game its realistic look, they illuminated each scene in a cinematic way with real lighting in different moods. These scenes were then subsequently digitized trough photogrammetry and refined. Afterwards, the digitized world got further enriched by reflections, real-time shadowing, particle effects, and depth of view.

After The Inner World won in 2014, Trüberbrook is the second adventure game published by Headup which was awarded with the title of 'Best German Game' at the DCP. On a side note, the two accomplishments for Trüberbrook won btf and Headup a total of €150.000 in prize money. The German Video Game Awards have been part of the German gaming industry since 2009, this year with the biggest total prize pool ever of €590,000.

Trüberbrook is already available on Steam and GOG, console adventurers will start their journey next week. It will be digitally available on the PlayStation®Store, the Nintendo eShop and the Microsoft Store on April 17th. Collectors who would like to buy the retail version, which also includes a 24-page long travel guide, can purchase this adventurous vacation to a 1960's parallel universe two days later on April 19th. Enjoy!

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Fromto release date announced

Coming to PC, Mac & Linux in early June, Switch following in Q3 2019

11 April 2019 After many insanely fun playing sessions at PAX East and a Team Choice Award Award from Marooners Rock, we are happy to announce the first fixed release date of our upcoming party game. Fromto will be released on PC, Mac and Linux on June 4th. The version for Nintendo Switch will follow later this year, in Q3 2019.

Fromto results quickly in hilarious fun, laughter and yelling because so many random unforeseen and crazy impossible things will happen: After all players collected their vehicle of choice by foot in a short mini-game-like-lobby, they will start the first phase in a quite wild, but pre-set level. All players try to first reach a checkpoint and then the finish line. But this probably won’t happen in the first attempt, it’s more for checking out the level.

After all players finished their try, the magic happens in the second phase: All the little cars turn into helicopters and you’re going to collect different, randomly dropped crates which contain new track parts to place in the pre-set level: This can be helpful things like new platforms, ramps and jump pads or hindering elements such as obstacles and traps for your opponents, or just fun things like a cannon that shoots small bubbles of glue.

In addition to those random pieces, there is a shop for every player where you can buy even more ‘helpful’ things with points earned by performing stunts. Overall, there are more than 50 different parts that can be placed. A time limit will stop your creativity after 60 seconds and the next round will start.

All of this comes with a very special art style, as the game was created by the developer and contemporary artist Erik Habets, together with his two kids Niki (5) and Joep (2). Do not be mistaken, although the game might look childish, Fromto is not only for the young ones. This is a game for kids from ages 8 to 108 - and specifically for the grownup kids (and influencers)!

At PAX East, there was so much laughing and yelling at the Fromto corner of our booth, it was sheer fun to watch people playing.

Wanna be part of Fromto's Public Beta soon? Join the Discord Channel!