The good folks over at Alvios Games have been working on Vellum diligently since it launched into Early Access this year, with a regular cadence of updates and lots of new stuff introduced to the co-op action-roguelite in that time.
Now the developer is back with another content drop and this one is big enough to warrant its own chapter heading, as it introduces a whole new playstyle to the game, among other things. Welcome to Chapter VIII: Hard Cover!
As part of the update, the studio has shared its ongoing roadmap for the project, giving us an insight into the development journey of this magic-infused third-person shooter. There’s also a new “story so far” trailer from last week, and I’ve included that below, too.
Scroll down to the foot of the article for to see the infographic for the roadmap, or head over to Steam for the full patch notes if you want to dig into the finer details of the update.
Having said all that, if all you want is the highlights then I can save you a click. The Hard Cover update includes a barrier-focused signature ink colour (teal), plus a new boss and new “torn pages” to further mix up your narrative adventures.
The new playable Teal Scribe is the major addition. The class is built around strengthening your shield, building so-called “plot armour” until the moment is right to convert your armour into “plot twists”. As ever, Alvios’ dedication to the storytelling theme is admirable!
Finally, before I sign off, I should like to mention that Vellum is currently on sale on Steam PC (Win), so if you’re interested in taking a look, now would be a good time.
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Still with us? Of course you are! If you want to keep reading about great hand-picked rogues, the following articles represent a huge collection of the best roguelike games ever made.
Next, there are genre-specific lists that delve into the best roguelike games of all types. I’ve pulled out the best examples from each category, alongside the links to more in-depth articles!
The best turn-based roguelikes: Caves of Qud | There are some seriously incredible turn-based roguelikes out there. Of all the modern games, these are the closest to the original Rogue.
Awesome first-person rogues: Gunfire Reborn | We almost went with Blue Prince for this spot, but most people checking out first-person rogues probably want to wield a gun, you know?!
Cool roguelike deckbuilders: Balatro | Sorry, Slay the Spire fans, but this poker-solitaire deckbuilder has stolen Mike’s heart and won’t give it back.
Exciting roguelike platformers: Spelunky | Now, don’t get us wrong, Dead Cells is an incredible game, especially with all the DLC switched on. But when it comes to impact, you just can’t beat Spelunky.
Amazing action-roguelites: Hades 2 | And finally, let’s wrap things up with our favourite of them all. There’s no beating the original Hades, although Hades 2 comes pretty close!
