Hello everyone, Brokenshield here. We've been hard at work on Bowmen this summer/fall, but most of that work has been largely invisible. We had noticed at the start of the summer the game's cheat detection system was lacking in a lot of areas, and so we decided to overhaul that system and implement a new one. With the most recent update this October, this system is now live. The game will scan itself for changes and attempts at hacking / manipulating the leaderboards, and will send a report to us (as well as close the game) if there is any detection of cheating (note: the game does not monitor the rest of your system, nor does it collect any data whatsoever about anything outside of the game itself). We implemented this to hopefully maintain the integrity of the leaderboards, and keep your hard earned scores where they should be: at the top! If you notice any issues with the latest version of the game while you are playing, please let us know in the support forum on our main website or here on Steam. Because a lot of this work was on the back end focusing on game integrity, we haven't made too many changes to Bowmen's gameplay itself. Over the next few months, we are going to shift gears back to gameplay tweaks, focusing on marketing and getting the game's name out there, while also listening to feedback as it rolls in. While you play the game, consider how the game feels and plays and provide us with feedback on our forums or here on Steam. We appreciate any and all feedback you can give us: even if you think it is a minor tweak or game suggestion, as this feedback makes the game more fun and enjoyable for all players. Anyways, I look forward to what we will be doing and bringing to you in the coming months. Perhaps even a Christmas event is in order! Stay tuned! Thanks, The Ethereal Gem Bowmen Team

[ 2021-10-02 17:27:54 CET ] [ Original post ]

HOW LONG CAN YOU SURVIVE? Lord Pain has summoned his infernal minions once again to wreak havoc on the realms of men... As one of the last of the Bowmen, a long forgotten but elite Elven race that once guarded the living against this malevolent evil, you must conjure up your courage and venture forth toward the portal of doom to save mankind once again. With a bit of skill, a dash of luck, and the help of unusual accomplices, you may hold these demons off just long enough for the living to be saved and mankind to emerge victorious once again!

SURVIVE THE ONSLAUGHT OF A CARTOON HELL

Fight against Lord Pain's relentless armies in a single game mode called "onslaught", whereby enemies spawn in progressively more and more difficult waves the longer you stay alive. To succeed, you'll need to call upon allies for aid, equip unique items, use health potions, and decimate your foes by detonating powerful explosives.

Leveling up your character after each encounter will allow you to invest in player attributes that will improve your character's damage throughput and survivability, slowly allowing you to progress into more daunting and brow-sweating difficulties.

EQUIP UNIQUE ITEMS

Bowmen comes "equipped" (heh, see what I did there?) with a plethora of items that drop from enemies that have succumbed to your inescapable wrath. These items can improve your player's stats, grant you extra experience per kill, heal your character, or empower you with unique skills and abilities. Will you stick with a scroll that gives you some additional health regen, or will you drop it in favor of that sick legendary sword that will allow you to do maximum damage? The choice is yours!

EARLY ACCESS EXCLUSIVES

Completing specific objectives, performing feats of strength, or reaching high global ranks in Bowmen will unlock unique skins that will allow you to customize your character for a more personalized gaming experience. Starting with RC v1.04, as a token of our gratitude for supporting Bowmen during its early stages, players that purchase the game before its full release will be given the Panda skin, a unique skin that makes a menacing face whenever you get a double kill or greater during onslaught. Early Access backers will also unlock the Vanguard achievement, forever solidifying your Steam account as an Early Access supporter.

Early Access backers will also be providing key feedback to the developers that will shape how the game plays and feels. Those that provide us feedback during development will be given specific recognition in the game's credits once it launches.

FIGHT YOUR WAY TO THE TOP

Lastly, you can fight your way to the top of our leaderboards to earn exclusive bragging rights among your fellow archers! After each session of onslaught on Inferno difficulty, your score will automatically be submitted to Steam along with your character's name and your current level. If your score is higher than any of the scores within the top 1000 for that season, your score and rank will be shown in-game so that everyone will know their place relative to YOU in the Bowmen hierarchy!

Disclaimer: Bowmen is currently available through Steam Early Access, but is considered a work in progress and not representative of the final product. If you wish to play Bowmen in its current state and provide us with feedback, you may do so by purchasing a copy of the game and providing feedback on the Steam forums. For more information about Early Access, please see the Early Access Q&A above.