*This post is written by Mia, our gameplay designer.* Hello there! With 1.0. release on the horizon were digging in and trying to polish the game on as many fronts as we can. A big part of this is in the hands of Will, our VFX artist, as hes got a plate full of going over all the abilities and status effects and giving them a fresh face. As we did not have a dedicated VFX artist before, theres plenty of room for improvement and adding new effects to those we considered good enough as is with animations alone. The Hand of Merlin is more sci-fi orientated than fantasy - the heroes that you select are still only human. The Mystic, for example, is not a wizard or a mage, theyre more of an alchemist or a shaman who can create these effects not through magic but through knowledge. We want the VFXs to properly communicate this difference as well. The first thing we did now was to go over all the abilities and try to categorize them depending on 3 factors.

• Gameplay Effect Eg: Damage, Buff (damage, movement, evasion, etc), Debuff (damage, movement, evasion, etc), Movement, AP, DoTs, etc.
• Manifestation An in-character look at how the ability works (eg: physical, emotional, alchemical, corruption..)
• Animation Used

Next, we set some visual expectations on certain categories. The best example being the difference between Physical and Emotional manifestation. Physical we want to keep as grounded and realistic as possible while still looking good and distinct. This includes motion blurs and lines, sparks of metal hitting metal, blood splashes and such. Emotional on the other hand has more liberty in its visualization since it would not be possible to try and detect which facial expression a unit has (not that we show emotions on their faces or plan to) due to their size. Here the Gameplay Effects influence which color pallet should be used. The abilities should mostly end up looking quite grounded, but not dull. We hope. Its the status effects which will pose a real challenge, as we need to make them stackable, readable, and recognizable while keeping the color pallets consistent. If youve got any questions or are interested in the game feel free to drop by the steam forums or join us on our Discord server! Mia P.S. here are some gifs!

[ 2022-01-19 12:16:15 CET ] [ Original post ]

The Hand of Merlin is a turn-based rogue-lite RPG in which Arthurian legend clashes with cosmic horror. Recruit a company of up to three mortal heroes and guide them in spirit on a desperate journey from Albion to Jerusalem. Explore a richly-imagined medieval setting on the brink of apocalypse. Trade with merchants, improve your heroes and unearth ancient relics. Search for the lost fragments of your soul, scattered across the multiverse - and save as many worlds as you can.


Enjoy a compelling story inspired by Arthurian legend, the Matter of France, and the history of Al-Andalus - with an unusual twist. Make choices in interactive encounters that change every time you play. Written by Jonas Kyratzes (The Talos Principle, Serious Sam 4) and Verena Kyratzes (The Lands of Dream, Serious Sam 4).


Master the tactics of squad-based and turn-based combat to conquer both human and demonic foes. Your enemies will be tough and ruthless; make use of cover, set up ambushes and coordinated attacks, harness synergies between different Hero classes and skills.




Carve a path across the lands of Albion, Marca Hispanica and Al-Andalus. Will you take a dangerous route, risking life and limb in pursuit of a legendary relic? Or will you choose a safer path? Plan and prepare. Negotiate, barter, fight. Tackle challenges. Suffer losses. Recruit new Heroes. Earn Gold, Supplies and Renown. Be careful: your choices are permanent, as is death. But don't tarry - evil never rests.


Use Renown to level up your Heroes, and choose between a randomized set of new skills or improved attributes. But choose wisely! Select skills with great synergy and balance your party for the road ahead.




As you jump from one parallel dimension to the next, history is reshaped. Different kings rule the land, changing the encounters, characters, and events. No two worlds are ever quite the same, and each journey will be unique. And should your heroes fall, remember: defeat is not the end, only a new beginning.


Seek out towns to improve your arms and armor, or stumble upon hermit artisans in the wild. With every day that passes, the world plunges deeper into darkness, and you will need all the equipment gold can buy.


From a peasant's humble luck charm to the legendary sword wielded by Arthur himself, items imbued with magical power are scattered about the world. Some you will be able to purchase from merchants and collectors, but others will have to be earned through acts of heroism - or displays of wit.



Rain thunder and brimstone upon your foes! Seek out and gather Soulstones to restore your power and unlock new Spells. Even if defeated, your spirit will retain all of your collected arcane knowledge as you jump into the next dimension.


There are as many worlds as there are stars in the sky. In each stands Camelot; in each there is a Grail. But there is only one Merlin, and his eternal burden is to stand against the horror from beyond. Each world that is saved is saved forever; each world that is lost is lost for good.

https://store.steampowered.com/app/600610/The_Hand_of_Merlin/