Skills & Raids Updates

Latest Update

Version 1.0 — Launch Day (July 27, 2026)

Skills & Raids is live on Steam. After months of demo iterations, open beta feedback, and Steam Next Fest polish, Storypaintings shipped the full 1.0 build on schedule.

Launch highlights

• Complete story campaign in a handcrafted dark fantasy world
• Three playable characters: Shelldon (Tank), Clawrk (DPS), Owlivia (Healer)
• Real-time party combat with full pause planning at any moment
• Extraction loop with safe pocket, sendback nodes, and quest-driven progression
• Crafting across five rarity tiers: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary
• Skill combination system and enemy skill drops for build variety
• 12 Steam achievements tracking story, extractions, and crafting milestones
• Launch pricing: $9.99 base, $7.99 (20% off) until August 10, 2026
• Supporter Pack bundle available: base game + Official Artbook + Soundtrack by Tomas Palazzi ($12.13 at launch discount)

Balance changes from demo/beta

• Early-game difficulty curve softened for new players
• Skill cooldown pacing adjusted for clearer combat rhythm
• Improved Common item drop rates in opening zones
• Reduced pressure in The Sinking Graves and Cold Peaks

Bug fixes shipped at launch

• Extraction timer display corrected on several map nodes
• Skill animation glitches resolved for Shelldon taunt abilities
• Performance improvements on lower-end GPUs
• Quest log and node entry UI fixes

Day 2 Notes (July 28, 2026)

Forty-eight hours after launch, the picture is still early but informative:

• Steam reviews: Approximately three user reviews posted — too few for a reliable aggregate score, but enough to show players are reaching mid-campaign content rather than refunding immediately
• Achievements: All 12 launch achievements are live and unlocking normally; no widespread sync issues reported on Discord
• Launch sale confirmed: The 20% introductory discount remains active through August 10 on both the base game and Supporter Pack
• Supporter Pack DLC: Artbook and soundtrack entries appear correctly in Steam libraries for bundle buyers
• Community feedback themes: Praise for pause combat, Tomas Palazzi’s score, and Mike Mignola–inspired art; recurring requests for clearer inventory tutorials and softer spikes between zones
• Developer activity: Eddie H. Hinestroza is monitoring Discord and the Steam Community Hub for hotfix candidates; no day-two patch posted yet, but QoL tuning is expected post-launch

Day 3 Notes (July 28, 2026)

Three days of live data paint a clearer launch-week picture:

• Steam reviews: 12 user reviews with a Mixed aggregate at 66% positive — enough volume for a directional score as more buyers push past opening zones
• Global achievement unlock rates: Steam stats show a steep difficulty curve. Early milestones unlock for nearly everyone — Corrupted (first enemy) at 95.7% and Focus Points at 85.0%. Mid-campaign gates cluster near half the player base: Extract (return to Emberwatch safely) at 51.7%, Crowy! (send items via Crow services) at 53.7%, and Questing at 50.7%. Late zones remain rare — Discover The Eternal Dunes at 5.0% and Discover The Edge of the Abyss at 3.7%. Only 2.7% of players have Pet Crowy, defeated The Corrupter, or finished the final quest
• Launch sale confirmed: The 20% introductory discount remains active through August 10 on both the base game and Supporter Pack
• Supporter Pack DLC: Artbook and soundtrack entries continue to appear correctly in Steam libraries for bundle buyers
• Community feedback themes: Praise for pause combat and art direction holds; criticism still centers on inventory tutorials and difficulty spikes between zones — now backed by achievement data showing fewer than 6% of players reaching Eternal Dunes or Edge of the Abyss
• Developer activity: Eddie H. Hinestroza continues monitoring Discord and the Steam Community Hub; no day-three patch yet, but achievement skew suggests early QoL around zone transitions is likely

Day 5 Notes (July 29, 2026)

Five days after launch without a hotfix patch:

• Steam reviews: Approximately 15–18 user reviews, Mixed near 66% positive
• Achievements unchanged: Eternal Dunes near 5%, Edge of the Abyss near 3.7%
• Launch sale active through August 10, 2026 on base game and Supporter Pack
• Community themes: combat speed options, inventory tutorials, zone difficulty spikes
• No v1.0.1 patch on Steam Community Hub as of July 29

New buyers should read Free Skills and Supporter Pack before checkout.

For a full purchase breakdown, read the Launch Review.

Skills & Raids Gameplay Walkthrough by Wanderbots

Development Timeline

Steam Next Fest (June 2026)

• Demo v1.4.8.1 released with major QoL improvements
• Skill targeting indicators added above characters
• Improved enemy loot feedback and hit reactions
• New sort-inventory and transfer-to-stash buttons
• Renamed Fading Core Skills to Free Skills

Open Beta (May 2026)

• Public beta testing phase opened to wishlist holders
• Crossed 10,000+ wishlists milestone
• Community feedback implemented on extraction timers and UI
• Performance optimizations for mid-range PCs

Demo Release (March 2026)

• First public demo on Steam
• Limited campaign slice and crafting preview
• Player feedback collection for difficulty tuning

Developer Notes

Eddie H. Hinestroza (Storypaintings) has outlined post-launch priorities:

• Hotfixes and QoL — Inventory clarity, tutorial prompts, and UI polish based on launch-week data
• Balance passes — Ongoing tuning to extraction risk and early elite encounters
• Future content — New areas and enemy types under consideration after stability window
• Console ports — Possible only if PC sales justify the investment

Developer inspirations publicly cited include Darkest Dungeon, Loop Hero, Mike Mignola’s art, and World of Warcraft party rhythm — useful context when comparing feedback to player expectations.

Stay Updated

• Steam Community Hub — Official announcements and discussions
• YouTube Channel — Devlogs and short gameplay clips
• Discord Server — Launch support and balance talk
• Newsletter — Direct updates from the developer

Related Guides

• Getting Started — First-hour checklist for new buyers
• Launch Review — Strengths, weaknesses, and who should buy
• Character Builds — Party setups after balance changes
• Tier List — Early meta rankings at launch
• Crafting — Gear tiers, recipes, and material routes