Hey everyone, To boost role-playing even more, were adding a lot of new player choices and story beats to the game based on your feedback and suggestions. A big thank you to all of the testers on Discord for helping us make these new additions as immersive, tense, and fun as possible! NOTE: there will be spoilers ahead for Act 2 proceed at your own risk! TLDR:

• Yes, you can kill your opponents in both Act 2 duels
• Yes, you can avoid all injury in Act 2 (both the back-stabbing and the spear)

Here are the changes and additions in detail:

1. GLEN BATTLE

There are some changes even before the battle begins. You can now stop Ygrain from leaving the safe spot before the battle. NOTE: There is no penalty if you don't stop Ygrain. Overall, this update respects your progress, so you dont have to replay Act 2 if youre happy with your playthrough. The Rescue Brian scene is now a proper risk chain, with smart choices making the rescue run a little bit easier. You can avoid getting stabbed by Flavius. Your allies, be it your feathered companion Talon, or a former rival like Morl can warn you and help you dodge the cowardly backstabbing. If its Talon who warns you, make sure to feed him afterward You can kill the Roman commander Flavius. The Romans get a more thorough implementation as a beast with many heads. There are multiple Roman commanders leading the punitive raid, some obsessive like Flavius, some more rational. Gaining insights about them is crucial when making choices that will impact who youll be facing in the final battle in Act 3.

2. REST SCENES

The male protagonists playthrough gets three romance beats in Act 2. Clairs is part of her expanded backstory, which is itself full of new choices that can dramatically alter her fate. Etain comes to repay the favor, if you took care of her while she was unconscious at the beginning of the game, and keep you company, while you recover after the safe spot battle. And Morrigan can reveal her softer side after the pivotal royal feud battle if you manage to save her son. She plays a more active role in the courtyard aftermath and saving her son can elevate your status even if your protagonist's heart is already taken.
The female protagonists playthrough gets all the nuanced text variations contributed by the talented Jennie Kong, and a better Leif introduction in the Ygrain questions the threat and Crying girl scene in Act 1. Besides Leif, new romance beats are reserved for Act 3, due to the male characters being introduced a little later in the story.

3. HILLFORT BATTLE

You can avoid getting spear-stabbed by Kean's man. Again, your companions and allies might help to make this easier, or you can just get lucky. Furthermore, you can dodge Wid slamming into you, keeping a zero pre-scripted damage path possible.
You can kill Kean - lets be honest, he had it coming That being said, for certain end goals, there is value in letting him live after defeating him. There are multiple instances when the protagonist can go for the kill; including a trial by combat duel that can prevent the loss of life of your men. Morl can prove to be an extra obstacle if he got banished before.
On the flip side, once Kean is defeated, you can get the raiders to join your ranks. Things go a lot easier if you understand who Clair is and help her in her dilemma. Morl can again prove to be a hindrance. Or, if you managed to turn him into an ally in Act 1, he can help.
This results in two new Act 2 endings 'STRONGER THAN EVER' or 'A DECISIVE VICTORY'. Losses are tracked across each major battle now, affecting subsequent battle risk chains. NOTE: If you got A HARD WON victory in the original Act 2 release version, there is no penalty and you dont have to replay Act 2. Also, based on community feedback, the queen and king dynamic leading up to the battle has now been better explained with the refined motives and behavior of king Uther.

4. OTHER CHANGES

A no mans land community backstory moment was added to Chapter #1. When returning from the hunt the player can better understand their place in the community before they decide whether they want to warn the others or share their prey with them. It also provides context on how the necessity to survive, and a common enemy, motivated the remnants of the Caledonian people originally inhabiting the no mans land to look past their differences and accept slaves escaping the Roman empire, or warriors from subjugated provinces like Gaul, into the resistance.
Thank you for your support and patience while we work on Act 3. In the meanwhile, I hope these changes will make the available scenes even more immersive. Cheers, Andrej
Sacred Fire

• Twitter
• Facebook

Iceberg Interactive

• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Steam Publisher Page