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Heaven or Hell

  • Red_Nova
  • 12/12/2015 01:23 AM
  • 3412 views
The downloads have been updated to version 2.0 in response to feedback from the last couple of reviews. I'm really sorry it took so long to do so!

So what's new in this version? Well, the biggest addition is a new difficulty setting: Heaven or Hell Mode. This is essentially Survivor mode but with a twist:


No item shop in Haven.

Yep, your only means of survival will come from what you can find in the ground. No loading up with healing items now. You still have the Blacksmiths, so spend your money on armor instead.

Heaven or Hell mode makes your actions in the Childhood Arc a bit more meaningful. By completing optional objectives and finding secrets, you're granted a few goodies to make the Adult Arc a bit easier to get into. This version adds a small, but hopefully appreciated new one: if you can find the secret candy stash in Orias, you're given a First Aid Kit upon starting the Adult Arc. And since each First Aid Kit can be used three times, that should make the lack of an Apothecary a bit easier to get over.

Anyway, Heaven or Hell Mode is for those that have already beaten the game once and want a real challenge. It's tough, but it can be done. I want to do something cool for anyone who beats that mode, but my mind's drawing a blank. If you want, I can make a page for a list of names of anyone who wants to be immortalized for completing the game in this mode!

Outside of Heaven or Hell, there have been a few changes as well. You'll see the nitty-gritty ones by checking the Version Changes document in the game's folder, but they're mostly balance fixes. To prevent you from drowning in healing items, the prices of all restorative items in the Apothecary have jumped up a decent amount. Which means, if you want to load up on healing items, you'll probably have to sell a few more attack items or equipment. Hope you're cool with that! Hee hee hee. But, as this would be incredibly unfair to those just starting out, the Apothecary will give you a discount while you're in Haven for the first time equal to the original price of those items. The idea of the game was to be hard, but fair, and unreasonable prices before you even have a chance to buy anything just isn't fair.

Since I didn't mess with the properties of the items themselves or add/remove new ones, anyone who wants to continue their save file should be able to just transfer them over. Word of advice: Rotate your save files.

... I'm making this sound really evil. And while it's true that every once in a while I have a glass of Saint's Blood with my dinner, this update was more to address some game-breaking issues than the result of a sudden sadistic streak as well as provide a challenge for those that found the game too easy the first time. I ran through the game on Heaven or Hell mode, and I saw a LOT of things I would have done differently if I could go back and do it all again. If I wasn't already fully submerged into Prayer of the Faithless, I might have actually remade the whole thing from the ground up.

Run when you need to, don't forget to check enemy properties before using an item, and don't forget to guard when enemies charge up. If you need help, check the hints and tips tab on the game page or ask a question here and I'll help you. You'll be fine. I believe in you!

So here you go. A more sadistic, evil version of Soul Sunder.





Merry Christmas~

Posts

Pages: 1
CashmereCat
Self-proclaimed Puzzle Snob
11638
Excellent. Although I figure I'm happy enough having finished the game on Survivor difficulty. That was tough enough for me. :)
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
author=kumada
Yesssssssss.

Gooooooood.


Oh, and did I forget to mention no care packages after each Stratum? Truth be told, I completely forgot about that suggestion until I finished the game after playtesting HoH. By then, I was like, "Eh, I still have a surplus of items, I'm sure players won't need it."

Come to think of it, I had just completed my monthly sacrifice of a pure-blood maiden a few days prior to release of this version. Maybe that's why I'm feeling so evil right now?

author=CashmereCat
Excellent. Although I figure I'm happy enough having finished the game on Survivor difficulty. That was tough enough for me. :)


Haha that's totally fine, Cash. I'm super thrilled you played it at least once!
unity
You're magical to me.
12540
Awesome! I'll have to try this mode out at some point ^___^
Red_Nova
Sir Redd of Novus: He who made Prayer of the Faithless that one time, and that was pretty dang rad! :D
9192
That'd be great! I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.
Pages: 1