Recent traffic to my demo page has compelled me to release this demo early in most time zones.

⚠️ WARNING:

1. Save files from versions 1.1 and earlier will not be compatible with 1.2.
2. The stutter issues will only be addressed with the release of Godot 4.4. I know it’s frustrating, but it is what it is.

KEY CHANGES:

• The player character's movement speed has been significantly rebalanced. Strafe jumping is still a prominent mechanic but no longer as punishing, reducing reliance on it. The previous iteration was a fun experiment but caused excessive friction in the long run.
• New ammo economy: The game now leans further into its Metroidvania roots. Players start with minimal ammo, emphasizing resource management and exploration to find upgrades that expand ammo capacity. Punching enemies has become more critical for conserving ammo.
• Demo now has 18 upgrades to collect instead of 4.
• New weapon in the hub world.
• Further clarified that the totem poles contain messages when touched. All in an effort to not make a "stop-and-hold-your-hand" tutorial, keeping the flow intact while minimizing ambiguity.
• Tutorial now reinforced the game’s core Metroidvania philosophy, emphasizing exploration over pure action.
• A warning now appears when you’re about to run out of ammo. I saw players trying to kill aliens with empty guns. 
• More Responsive Enemies: Fixed a major oversight where enemies only attacked when perfectly aligned with the player’s center. Enemies are now more responsive as a result, making combat more dynamic and appropriate for the rebalanced player movement.
• "Press Any Button" Start Screen: Players can now press any button to start the game. Previously, the game hardcoded the start function to the ESC key, causing confusion.
• Updated credits.
• As usual I fixed various bugs!

THE FUTURE:

Now that this update is live, I’m fully dedicating myself to the Steam version. Here’s what to expect:

• Steam Demo Development: The Steam version will be built using Godot 4.4 (currently in beta with 4.5 in the planning stage) to eliminate stutter issues. It has haunted this game for so long.
• Unlisting the Current Demo (if necessary): If this demo no longer represents the game’s current state, it will be unlisted until the next iteration. However, with 1.2’s improvements, this version should remain relevant for months to come. Do note that the Steam demo will also be published on itch.

I wanna personally thank Zlim and his community for the valuable feedbacks that made this update the way it is. 

I also wanna thank all of you for the continued support, it is what fuel my passion and drive the most.

Cheers, and let’s keep this game moving forward!