Lightnings,

After the game entered early access and players provided feedback about the lack of content, I decided to take some time to revise the current development plan.


Originally (around 2 years ago), the game was designed to be fairly linear and without deep character progression systems, with an average playthrough lasting about 12 hours (2 hours per location). However, as development progressed, the scope of the game kept expanding, while the original plan for how players would progress through the game remained unchanged. Until now.

Initially, I planned for each location to be visually distinct (each with its own biome), which made sense for a linear game (where visual variety is crucial). However, this approach requires a lot of time to create all the necessary assets. In a situation where the game needs a large amount of content quickly, this plan is no longer realistic.

As a result, I revised the current plan and have already begun implementing it:
Instead of 6 locations for the entire game, the game will now be divided into Acts (or islands), with locations within each Act belonging to a single biome. However, the number of locations will be significantly higher, and the way you progress through them will be different.

For example, instead of 6 locations for the entire game, my next step is to create 17 locations for Act I.

Amarict now features a massive miniature of an entire planet that players can rotate to choose the level they want to explore.

All levels of the Act will be available right from the start. To complete an Act, you need to unlock access to the Act's boss, which is done simply by killing monsters, and then defeat it. It doesn’t matter which location you play on—killing monsters gradually brings the boss closer to appearing within the Act. Defeating this boss will mark the Act as complete.

More precisely, only the first difficulty of the Act will be considered complete, as each Act will have an additional five difficulty levels (separate from the existing difficulty levels), each introducing unique conditions (and rewards).

This means that, in Act I alone, you will be able to explore any of the 17 locations in whatever order you choose. Each run will progress you closer to unlocking the Act's boss. However, be cautious—dying will set back some of that progress.

After defeating the Act I boss, you will unlock higher difficulty levels for the Act, which will improve the rewards. Additionally, they’ll unlock the next Act (if it’s implemented).


Another element I plan to introduce to diversify gameplay is Modifiers. Occasionally, the Act map will refresh, applying to all locations various Modifiers (sorted by rarity depending on their difficulty). Here are some examples:

• Attacks no longer regenerate health. Rewards increased by 50%.
  
• The location is shrouded in eternal night. Shadows occasionally spawn Vipers (otvrats with daggers), spreading darkness instead of poison. Rewards increased by 25%.
  
• Upon death, Corrupted items and Ichor will be permanently lost. Rewards increased by 20%.
  
• Two-handed sword damage increased by 50%, while two-handed hammer damage is reduced by 50%. Rewards increased by 10%.
  
• Some parts of the location are covered in molten lava, which gradually applies the Ablazed effect when entered. Rewards increased by 15%.

These changes weren’t part of the original plans, but considering the current state of the game, I felt that significant adjustments were necessary. It's better to implement them now, during the early stages, to ensure that the game’s foundation is solid and stands the test of time.

This may impact the release date of the next update, but I’m doing everything I can to launch it as soon as possible. Let me know your thoughts on these changes: I’m eager to hear your feedback as we shape the game together!

Thank you so much! Happy voining!

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Lightnings,

The new patch is now live, addressing the localization fixes and some reported bugs.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom in the comments sections, Steam forums, and on our sacred Discord[discord.com] server. Please keep on sharing your feedback.

• New localized texts have been added to all supported languages.
  
• Master’s subtitles have been localized to all supported languages.
  
• Fixed an issue that could show incorrect translations for actions.
  
• Fixed an issue that could sometimes lead to showing outdated text prompts.

• Upgrading runes and heart items now works correctly.
  
• Firstborn items can now be used for Satiation. Unleash new powers!
  
• Level bounds of Hadracon have been adjusted, allowing access to certain chests and Motes of Power. The Master should no longer call you back — go for that tempting chest, Lightning!
  
• Item description boxes now always disappear when an item is picked up.
  
• The hole in the ceiling of the 'Omot, The Devoted' arena is now sealed.

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Lightnings,

The time has come and the call has been answered: VOIN Early Access begins today!
Are you ready to rise and purge the plague that has consumed life itself?

To those who have already braved the demo, shared their wisdom, and bared the insights: you are the foundation upon which this journey is built. And for that, I’m grateful to you. Your voices echo through the void, guiding our craft and sharpening the very soul of this game.

Your cleansing journey begins now, but the battle is far from over. As you face the deadly challenges during the Early Access, know that the road ahead will only grow darker and more formidable. Each milestone will bring greater challenges, powerful weapons, and unrelenting horrors for those bold enough to confront the plague-ridden world.

This is your summons. The world is vast, its terrors unyielding, and its rewards unparalleled. Answer the call and let the cleansing begin!

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2464530/VOIN/

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Lightnings,

The time has come. With more than 100,000 of you waiting, today, I’m happy to share that VOIN is ready to enter the Steam Early Access on December 10th.

The game already features most of the core systems and mechanics I envisioned, but there’s still so much more I want to explore and expand—both in terms of content and the depth of the experience.

As a solo developer working on VOIN, I face the challenge of bringing my complete vision to life. Since VOIN is a hack-and-slash game with a blend of other genres like roguelike, RPG and extraction, there’s endless potential for new loot, weapons, and inventive ways to slay enemies. However, the more layers I add to the gameplay, the trickier it becomes to balance everything without input from a dedicated community of players. That’s why Early Access is the perfect fit—it allows me to introduce new content steadily while gathering invaluable feedback from you.

My goal is to release the full version within a year, though the exact timeline might change based on the feedback from you, the players.

I plan to expand the game with additional levels to explore, more bosses and enemies to face, and fresh, creative ways to defeat them. Since my vision is to continually add new methods for slaying your foes, I also aim to enrich the story and deepen the lore of the world.

Naturally, I’ll strive to ensure the final version is as polished and engaging as possible.

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey.

Until then,
May the cleansing continue.

~Nikita.

For the Steam Next Fest where VOIN is present the demo has been updated with several improvements and fixes:

• The tutorial has been simplified and streamlined, making it more coherent and faster to complete.
  
• Corrupted items have been revamped. They no longer apply Weakness. Instead, their properties remain hidden until you cleanse them. Deckard Cain is now a bell.
  
• IMPORTANT! :loudspeaker: We've fixed numerous bugs, including issues with key bindings. To do this, we had to rewrite all key-input logic. Unfortunately, this means old save files will no longer be compatible, and you'll need to start fresh. I understand this can be frustrating, and I promise that save resets will only happen again if absolutely necessary.

If you encounter any bugs or have feedback, please share them in the community section, thank you!

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2605920/VOIN_Demo/

If you were among the early adopters during the initial testing, here's what you should expect from the demo this time.

Combine different effects and create your own builds of destruction!

Each weapon type performs and plays differently. They also have different animations, hit range, and speed, so play around with them to find what best suits your play style!

You can now carry two different weapons at a time. Swap them with ease during the fights to quickly adapt to the situation and inflict even more damage!

Dodge the venomous Vipers lurking in the shadows. Tread carefully.
Face Hags - new summoners capable of raining exploding Bombers and other monsters on you (quite literally).

The symphony of upgrades is resounding! Discover new ways to temper your gear! Expect more ways to forge and fuse items and artifacts in the future. If you have any ideas regarding the specific mechanics, let me know on Discord!

You can now level up your character in the Hall of Reflections, each time increasing your power by 5% per level.

Learn the basics of gameplay in a new tutorial that covers the most important aspects of the game (from movement and healing to unlocking and assigning skills), and take a look at juicy in-game cinematics!

I moved the boss dungeon under the main castle tower, making the path to your main objective even more intense and interesting. The watchtower is now an optional point of interest, but I still recommend stopping by it. The level also has more secrets and Motes of Power to find.

You can now customise (levels of suffering) the difficulty of the game. Approach the altar at the portal platform in Amarict to play with the Fate.

Play the game in English, Spanish, German, Russian, Portuguese (Brazil) and Simplified Chinese with more languages to come with the full release!

Choose between several display options (‘retro’ and ‘modern’), set your own frame rate limits or color limitations, enable DLSS, TSR and change other upscaling settings. Rebind controls and enable mouse inversion. The power truly is in your hands. More can always be added, just let me know, and I'll see if that's possible.

---

This demo is my offering to you, and it is here to stay for a bit, while I prepare to release VOIN into Early Access later this year.

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2605920/VOIN_Demo/

I hope you will be pleased with what you see.
If you wish to contribute your sacred feedback or inform me of any bugs, caused by the corrupted dark will, you can do so in Discord[discord.gg].

If you're seeking advice or if you need a good luck blessing, witness a stream hosted by one of my devotees on the game's store page.

Until then,
Keep the cleansing going.

~Nikita.

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Hi everyone,

It’s Nikita Sozidar.
I’ve just unveiled the new music video at Convergence Games Showcase!

As you can see from the trailer above, I'll be taking the updated demo to the Steam Next Fest this October, and YOU ARE ALL INVITED to join me on this exciting next step!

I'll have more details on the new demo in the coming days. I'm still finalising a few things, and as a perfectionist, I want to make absolutely sure that everything I'm planning will make it into the demo.

But as a teaser (not for those who follow me on X. Ha! What a shameless promotion), I can say that item affixes are fully implemented and you'll be able to use the unique powers of EVERY. SINGLE. ITEM. YOU. COLLECT.

You can even stack different effects and create your own builds and playstyles, oh my! I can't wait to see your guides!

As always, thank you so much for your continued support! I’d appreciate it if you join the official Discord server where you could share your feedback with me. It would help a lot! 🙏

Until then, stay safe and take care!

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Hi everyone,

It’s Nikita Sozidar.
So… tinyBuild Connect 2024 just happened, and my new devlog was featured in the show. How cool is that?!

In case you missed it during the show, here it is!
In case you live under the rock missed the news, or just heard about the game for the first time, VOIN demo is currently available to play on Steam!

https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2464530/VOIN/

Experience two (well, technically three if you count the onboarding level!) huge open-world-like levels, learn to wield various swords (including dual-wielding blades), complete three (3, drei, tres, trois, три) quests to fully emerge in the role of Lightning, slay THOUSANDS of otvrats and defeat the terrifying boss on your way to cleanse these sacred lands…

I’d appreciate it if you could share your feedback with me on Discord[discord.gg]; it would help a lot! 🙏

Until then, stay safe and take care!

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https://gtm.you1.cn/storesteam/app/2464530/VOIN/

After the first closed playtest, which took place in February 2024, I spent a lot of time analysing all the data and feedback that players shared with me. I've also been changing various mechanics and aspects of the game, as well as implementing entirely new systems. For example, I completely overhauled the healing mechanics, movement, skill unlock and distribution, and much more.

The result of this is the new demo of VOIN, which will open its doors to everyone today!

Master all major aspects of the game by exploring a special dungeon at the beginning of your adventure! You'll learn to wield your sword, use your abilities, and move around utilising your lightning powers!

Meet Lightning, the protagonist of VOIN, and witness his awakening!

Complete 3 main quests as you explore two giant open-world locations. Experience dynamic weather and day-night cycles. Fight the final boss of the first act and uncover all the secrets I've hidden for you!

VOIN is in active development, and I pay close attention to every comment because I want to create this game with you based on the feedback I get! Share it with me in Discord[discord.gg] or through the feedback form in the game.

I've already shared some details on what I plan to add to future versions of the game on the Discord server[discord.gg]. I'm still determined to add everything that is listed below, and more.

However, I would like to make one extremely important point: the current demo version is far from perfect, but it contains a number of critical fundamental changes that will allow me to implement all of the intended mechanics in the future accordingly.

For example, there's a new system and a menu for unlocking and assigning abilities with a couple of examples of future abilities!

The key binding system, added at such an early stage of development, will allow me not to think about it later and will make the game much more enjoyable because now you can customise the graphical settings AND the controls completely to your liking! You can customize your gamepad controls, too!

There are A LOT of such under-the-hood changes in the game, and I won’t be able to fit all of them in this post to describe each of them. I’ll be happy to answer your questions in the comments or in Discord, so don't hesitate to ask!

For those who wonder - yes, new stuff is also on the way! You can expect working item affixes, difficulty settings and a few new enemy types!

Until then, go slay some otvrats, stay safe and take care!

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