Demonic Episode – Version 1.0 (Final Release)

New Content

Playable Intro & Tutorial Overhaul

• Completely new intro map
• Classic tutorial removed
• The intro is now fully playable and integrates all tutorials directly into the gameplay

New Story & New Branding

• The story has been completely reworked
• The new story is reflected both in the in-game texts and in the updated Steam store presentation

New Demon

• A new werewolf-like demon can now appear
• Like all other demons, this enemy features a unique ability and AI
• If the werewolf is present on the map, no flying demons will spawn, as its special ability already provides enough challenge

New Maps & Adjustments

• The brand-new map “Lost Cathedral”, including its variations, is now playable
• “New Hope Cemetery”: Level design has been adjusted in certain areas

Perk System

• Fully implemented perk system
• Perks can be purchased in multiple tiers; each tier requires soul coins to unlock
• The type and percentage bonus of a perk are selected randomly (e.g. a level 2 perk may increase a character’s stamina by 20%)
• Perks can be sold again for soul coins depending on their quality

New Riddle & Riddle Improvements

• The new “Stone Cage” riddle can now appear in Phase 1
• Circle riddle redesigned to be easier to understand and more multiplayer-friendly

Lobby Overhaul

• Completely new UI for player selection and server settings
• New player selection
• Character skills are now showcased in a short video.
• Full UI redesign for players and servers
• Integration of the new perk system
• Significantly improved usability

New Minion

• In Phase 2, a new minion can now appear, which must be sacrificed at the ritual site as usual

Level-Up System Overhaul

• XP distribution completely reworked: lower levels require less XP to level up, higher levels require more
• You now receive 15 soul coins per level-up, which can be used to unlock new perks

Twitch Integration

• Streamers can directly connect their Twitch channel to the game
• Viewers can trigger in-game events via chat commands
• Commands can be individually enabled or disabled
• Thresholds can be defined to determine when an event is triggered
• All available commands and their current status (available, unavailable, cooldown) are displayed in-game

Match End Outros

• A short outro is shown at the end of a match depending on victory or defeat

Subtitles & Options

• Subtitles implemented (tutorial)
• Separate subtitle option available in the settings menu

Gadget Improvements

• The speaker’s gadget now displays distances as numbers instead of an unclear distance curve
• The gadget’s range has also been increased
• Light technicians now visibly carry their light on their back, providing a clear visual indicator for other players that the standing light is available

New Achievements

• A total of 7 new achievements have been added alongside the new content

Engine Upgrade

• Upgraded to the latest version of Unreal Engine 5 (5.7.1)

Improvements

• Extensive performance optimizations
• UI hints are now easier to read thanks to new fonts and various other adjustments
• DLSS updated to the latest version and improved
• Improved performance of all playable characters
• Speaker gadget: Search area increased to make clues easier to find (depending on difficulty)
• Demon sounds: Slightly increased range and volume of several sound effects
• Weather effects disabled on medkits for better visibility
• Gameplay music volume slightly reduced
• Improved team car textures (mud, dirt, wear, etc.); the car is now cluttered with team equipment
• Improved German localization
• Dryland map: New jump-off points added on bridges for players and demons
• The mystical cloud appearing after the demon is awakened is now less bright
• Revised “How to Play” texts
• Slightly adjusted item highlighting
• Respawn time of flying demons increased
• Stamina recovery time significantly reduced and overall stamina duration increased
• Visual escalation: Many more small hell portals now appear on the ground, gradually covering the map in red sparks over the course of the match
• Item spawn rate for 1–2 players increased to make batteries, matches, and medkits easier to find
• Weather improvements: Vegetation now reacts more realistically to weather changes
• Medium class: Ritual sites are now much more visible thanks to ash spots that can only be fully seen by the Medium
• Locked doors that initially blocked access to additional areas are now unlocked by default which leads to more action-packed gameplay but can be disabled in the server settings
• Goat demon: Breathing sounds can now be heard from a greater distance
• Thought Devourer: The slowdown skill now has a slightly increased range
• Minion movement speed reduced to make them easier for players to catch
• Countdown timer at match start was reduced to 30 seconds

Bug Fixes

• Fixed various navigation issues for all demons
• Torch light flickering from a distance → fixed
• Witch missing footstep sounds in certain animations → fixed
• Gameplay music continued playing despite the end screen → fixed
• Goat demon unable to jump → fixed
• Weather effects affecting indoor areas → fixed
• Corrected incorrectly placed meshes in buildings
• Abandoned Factory: Players could spawn out of bounds after being grabbed by the witch → fixed
• Pickup particle effects were too bright → fixed
• How-to-play overview missing on Dryland and Forgotten Village maps → fixed
• Demon briefly continued moving during phase transitions before being reset → fixed
• Forgotten Village: Outdoor wind effects affected plants inside the cave → fixed
• Cameraman class could bypass the flying demon debuff by toggling night vision → fixed
• Flying demon could still attack players while they were downed → fixed
• In some situations, demon kill cutscenes played without sound → fixed
• Witch grab cutscene duration varied between maps → fixed
• In some maps, demon attack sound effects played during map loading → fixed

Thank you to all demon hunters, mediums, and survivors who have accompanied Demonic Episode on this journey.

Version 1.0 is not the end — it is the beginning of a new chapter.

Now go… and banish the evil!