News
New Trial Engine Update Significant balance changes, improved game stability, and a new Hero Skin.
To the Crown Mages,
This month's update for Astatos includes some big new gameplay changes. Alongside the monthly Hero Skin we’re releasing our new Trial engine.
It’s something we’ve been working on for the last few months alongside Cascade Trial. It's the largest technical change the game has ever had, and it lays the foundation for more reliable online play and faster content going forward.
Along with improved stability, the new framework allows us to quickly author new Hero Cards, passive effects, and gameplay modifiers. (For example, the core functionality of Hero Pack IV could be built in a single day— although that doesn’t include any new UI elements or testing.)
Plus we’ve brought over a bunch of Hero tweaks and balance fixes we’ve had our eyes on for a while now.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.7, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—The New Trial Engine—
We've completely rewritten the systems behind Trials. Most of this happens behind the scenes, but here's what you'll notice:
-More stable online play. Player synchronisation has been rebuilt, greatly reducing desyncs and stalled Trials.
-Host migration. If the host disconnects mid-Trial, the match now continues under a new host instead of ending.
-Player replacement. If a player disconnects mid-Trial, they are replaced with an AI player in their place, allowing the remainder of the match to be played out normally.
-Smoother pacing. Ability animations and turn flow are now kept in step across all players.
-Revised AI logic. AI opponents now take actions faster, and cooperate better with players in Conquest Trials.
-New Hero Stage AI. The Hero Stage AI has been rewritten, with more advanced modelling of the Hero Abilities and the ability to plan longer-term actions on higher difficulties.
While we put a lot of work into testing this update, running through hundreds of Trials in each mode, we can only cover so many bases! Particularly when it comes to rare edge cases, or story content.
As with any change this large, please report anything unusual in the Steam community or our Discord.
Please also give us feedback on AI difficulty, particularly during the Story Trials!
—New Content—
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Cato - The Method of Madness
—Game Changes — Rules—
-[Conquest Trial] Resolve now persists between rounds. The effect now lasts until it blocks a player from Flipping sides. Additionally, undistributed Resolve is banked until it can be distributed.
-[Conquest Trial] Changed player side assignment rules. If there is an odd number of players, the final player is assigned to Mukaki’s side at the start of the Trial. (previously Makari-Hari’s Side).
-Takeover and Story Trial tie-break. When Influence is tied, Mukaki's Side now takes the first turn (previously Makari-Hari's Side).
-Spell - Divine Favour. Will now always draw a Card matching the Trial Card. (i.e. A matching Element or the Exalted Element Spell Card.)
—Game Changes — Heroes—
-Zermes. No longer discards the final pair when Elements don't match; it simply stops.
-Kyros. The hand reveal is now persistent from the moment Kyros is summoned, rather than a one-time reveal at the start of the Trial Stage.
-Alexios. Cooldown effect now excludes all future multi-turn Cooldowns in addition to Mukaki, and Makari-Hari.
-[Conquest] Lysander. You now select the player first, then the Element.
-Nikos. Now costs +1 Energy to Summon. (We intend to revert this change in the future with the release of Hero Pack IV)
—Game Changes — General—
-Sprite compression has been optimised, reducing the game filesize by roughly 100mb.
-AI opponents now act faster under certain circumstances.
—New Features—
-It’s now possible to skip dialogue during Story Trials! This option appears under different circumstances depending on the “Skippable Text” setting.
By default you can only skip dialogue that you have already read that session. (Such as when replaying a Trial after a Game Over.) If you enable “Skip All” text, then the option will always appear when available.
—Game Fixes—
-Drafting system optimisations. It should no longer be possible to ban or pick additional Heroes outside the intended limits.
-Every Hero's Ability description has been reworded in English for clarity.
-Fixed an issue where the animation on the splash screen wouldn’t load in correctly.
-Card artwork is now properly preloaded in Story Trials even if the default skins are not equipped.
-Adjusted some story gameplay content for the changed mechanics.
-Fixed a soft-lock scenario in the Story Trial during ‘Journey to Irinipolis - Part II’.
-Various typo and text fixes in the story.
-The passive UI position of the skin ‘Amicus - Stellar Deliverer’ has been fixed.
This month's update for Astatos includes some big new gameplay changes. Alongside the monthly Hero Skin we’re releasing our new Trial engine.
It’s something we’ve been working on for the last few months alongside Cascade Trial. It's the largest technical change the game has ever had, and it lays the foundation for more reliable online play and faster content going forward.
Along with improved stability, the new framework allows us to quickly author new Hero Cards, passive effects, and gameplay modifiers. (For example, the core functionality of Hero Pack IV could be built in a single day— although that doesn’t include any new UI elements or testing.)
Plus we’ve brought over a bunch of Hero tweaks and balance fixes we’ve had our eyes on for a while now.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.7, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—The New Trial Engine—
We've completely rewritten the systems behind Trials. Most of this happens behind the scenes, but here's what you'll notice:
-More stable online play. Player synchronisation has been rebuilt, greatly reducing desyncs and stalled Trials.
-Host migration. If the host disconnects mid-Trial, the match now continues under a new host instead of ending.
-Player replacement. If a player disconnects mid-Trial, they are replaced with an AI player in their place, allowing the remainder of the match to be played out normally.
-Smoother pacing. Ability animations and turn flow are now kept in step across all players.
-Revised AI logic. AI opponents now take actions faster, and cooperate better with players in Conquest Trials.
-New Hero Stage AI. The Hero Stage AI has been rewritten, with more advanced modelling of the Hero Abilities and the ability to plan longer-term actions on higher difficulties.
While we put a lot of work into testing this update, running through hundreds of Trials in each mode, we can only cover so many bases! Particularly when it comes to rare edge cases, or story content.
As with any change this large, please report anything unusual in the Steam community or our Discord.
Please also give us feedback on AI difficulty, particularly during the Story Trials!
—New Content—
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Cato - The Method of Madness
—Game Changes — Rules—
-[Conquest Trial] Resolve now persists between rounds. The effect now lasts until it blocks a player from Flipping sides. Additionally, undistributed Resolve is banked until it can be distributed.
-[Conquest Trial] Changed player side assignment rules. If there is an odd number of players, the final player is assigned to Mukaki’s side at the start of the Trial. (previously Makari-Hari’s Side).
-Takeover and Story Trial tie-break. When Influence is tied, Mukaki's Side now takes the first turn (previously Makari-Hari's Side).
-Spell - Divine Favour. Will now always draw a Card matching the Trial Card. (i.e. A matching Element or the Exalted Element Spell Card.)
—Game Changes — Heroes—
-Zermes. No longer discards the final pair when Elements don't match; it simply stops.
-Kyros. The hand reveal is now persistent from the moment Kyros is summoned, rather than a one-time reveal at the start of the Trial Stage.
-Alexios. Cooldown effect now excludes all future multi-turn Cooldowns in addition to Mukaki, and Makari-Hari.
-[Conquest] Lysander. You now select the player first, then the Element.
-Nikos. Now costs +1 Energy to Summon. (We intend to revert this change in the future with the release of Hero Pack IV)
—Game Changes — General—
-Sprite compression has been optimised, reducing the game filesize by roughly 100mb.
-AI opponents now act faster under certain circumstances.
—New Features—
-It’s now possible to skip dialogue during Story Trials! This option appears under different circumstances depending on the “Skippable Text” setting.
By default you can only skip dialogue that you have already read that session. (Such as when replaying a Trial after a Game Over.) If you enable “Skip All” text, then the option will always appear when available.
—Game Fixes—
-Drafting system optimisations. It should no longer be possible to ban or pick additional Heroes outside the intended limits.
-Every Hero's Ability description has been reworded in English for clarity.
-Fixed an issue where the animation on the splash screen wouldn’t load in correctly.
-Card artwork is now properly preloaded in Story Trials even if the default skins are not equipped.
-Adjusted some story gameplay content for the changed mechanics.
-Fixed a soft-lock scenario in the Story Trial during ‘Journey to Irinipolis - Part II’.
-Various typo and text fixes in the story.
-The passive UI position of the skin ‘Amicus - Stellar Deliverer’ has been fixed.
Chapter II - Part V [Path Left Behind] The finale of Chapter II’s story, along with new Interlude scenes.
To the Crown Mages,
Thank you to all the Crown Mages who continue to play Astatos, and to those who have just begun their first Trials.
This really is the final bit of Chapter II's main story we have to share!
I worked on this part through many phases of my life. It was pretty hard at times, but in the end, I know the characters convey exactly the feelings I wanted them to.
We put a lot into the chapter finale, so I hope every Crown Mage thoroughly enjoys it.
And more is still in the works. Significant technical and gameplay balance updates are being tested right now. We're also working on the new game mode— and of course, Chapter III! (Hopefully it won't take as long this time!)
I’m really eager to hear what everyone thinks of the chapter now that it’s over.
— Compymono, Producer & Director at Studio Klondike
—Path Left Behind—
The chapter concludes, Path Left Behind— the fifth and final part of Chapter II.
Three new Interlude topics have been added. These will be available after the completion of the previous story, In Their Wake.
-Kyros
-Nikos
-???
—[ SPOILER ] Everything With You—
The Chapter II credits theme, produced by Adapt 9. It was a long journey to finish this track, but we’re all proud of it.
NOTE: This video contains minor spoilers for Chapter II Part V! We recommend you finish the story in its entirety before viewing.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.6, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario In Path Left Behind.
-New character sprites, music tracks, and CGs have been added.
-Three Interlude topics have been added. [Kyros] [Nikos] [???]
—Game Fixes—
-Corrected several typos in Chapter II.
Thank you to all the Crown Mages who continue to play Astatos, and to those who have just begun their first Trials.
This really is the final bit of Chapter II's main story we have to share!
I worked on this part through many phases of my life. It was pretty hard at times, but in the end, I know the characters convey exactly the feelings I wanted them to.
We put a lot into the chapter finale, so I hope every Crown Mage thoroughly enjoys it.
And more is still in the works. Significant technical and gameplay balance updates are being tested right now. We're also working on the new game mode— and of course, Chapter III! (Hopefully it won't take as long this time!)
I’m really eager to hear what everyone thinks of the chapter now that it’s over.
— Compymono, Producer & Director at Studio Klondike
—Path Left Behind—
The chapter concludes, Path Left Behind— the fifth and final part of Chapter II.
Three new Interlude topics have been added. These will be available after the completion of the previous story, In Their Wake.
-Kyros
-Nikos
-???
—[ SPOILER ] Everything With You—
The Chapter II credits theme, produced by Adapt 9. It was a long journey to finish this track, but we’re all proud of it.
NOTE: This video contains minor spoilers for Chapter II Part V! We recommend you finish the story in its entirety before viewing.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.6, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario In Path Left Behind.
-New character sprites, music tracks, and CGs have been added.
-Three Interlude topics have been added. [Kyros] [Nikos] [???]
—Game Fixes—
-Corrected several typos in Chapter II.
Caelius - Ranger of the Heartland is out now! Astatos v0.9.5
To the Crown Mages,
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes various typo fixes and a new Hero Skin for Caelius.
—Development Notice—
Please note: This update does not yet contain Part V, the conclusion to Chapter II. However, the last materials for the update were completed just a day ago— meaning we’re on track to finalise it soon!
Look forward to further news about the update on our socials, and a new Steam announcement when the story update releases this month.
—New Content—
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Caelius - Ranger of the Heartland
—Game Fixes—
-Fixed various typos in Chapter II.
-[English] Fixed a typo with one of Aristotle’s Hero Skins.
-[Simplified & Traditional Chinese] Fixed store text issues.
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes various typo fixes and a new Hero Skin for Caelius.
—Development Notice—
Please note: This update does not yet contain Part V, the conclusion to Chapter II. However, the last materials for the update were completed just a day ago— meaning we’re on track to finalise it soon!
Look forward to further news about the update on our socials, and a new Steam announcement when the story update releases this month.
—New Content—
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Caelius - Ranger of the Heartland
—Game Fixes—
-Fixed various typos in Chapter II.
-[English] Fixed a typo with one of Aristotle’s Hero Skins.
-[Simplified & Traditional Chinese] Fixed store text issues.
Amicus - Stellar Deliverer is out now! Astatos v0.9.4
To the Crown Mages,
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes various fixes and a new Hero Skin for Amicus.
—Development Notice—
Note: Chapter II - Part V has been delayed to a mid-May release! Due to the unexpected illnesss of one of our team members, we were unable to complete this part of the story on time.
While the story and artwork is complete, we decided to delay instead of releasing it in an unfinished state. We hope all Crown Mages look forward to the conclusion of Chapter II later this month!
—New Content—
-Season XIII of the Takeover Trial leaderboard has concluded. The top 100 players will receive a new player title sometime after the release of this patch.
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Amicus - Stellar Deliverer
—Game Fixes—
-[Story Mode] Resolved an issue where the visuals would become vertically mirrored during cross-dissolve transitions.
-[Conquest Trial] Corrected the English Hero Ability description for The Monitor on Makari-Hari’s side.
-[Conquest & Takeover Trial] Corrected text related to Cassius’s Hero Ability.
-Fixed an issue where acquired Hero Skins would be displayed when first unlocking Hero Pack I.
-Fixed various typos in Chapter II.
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes various fixes and a new Hero Skin for Amicus.
—Development Notice—
Note: Chapter II - Part V has been delayed to a mid-May release! Due to the unexpected illnesss of one of our team members, we were unable to complete this part of the story on time.
While the story and artwork is complete, we decided to delay instead of releasing it in an unfinished state. We hope all Crown Mages look forward to the conclusion of Chapter II later this month!
—New Content—
-Season XIII of the Takeover Trial leaderboard has concluded. The top 100 players will receive a new player title sometime after the release of this patch.
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Amicus - Stellar Deliverer
—Game Fixes—
-[Story Mode] Resolved an issue where the visuals would become vertically mirrored during cross-dissolve transitions.
-[Conquest Trial] Corrected the English Hero Ability description for The Monitor on Makari-Hari’s side.
-[Conquest & Takeover Trial] Corrected text related to Cassius’s Hero Ability.
-Fixed an issue where acquired Hero Skins would be displayed when first unlocking Hero Pack I.
-Fixed various typos in Chapter II.
Chapter II - Part IV [In Their Wake] Astatos v0.9.3
To the Crown Mages,
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes new story content, fixes & optimisations, and a new Hero Skin for Neferu.
—In Their Wake—
The story continues, In Their Wake— the fourth of five parts of Chapter II.
The remaining three interlude topics for Chapter II will be added next month. We recommend reserving your Mementos from the current story until then. You will not gain more Mementos in the story content next month.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.3, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario In Their Wake.
-New CGs and backgrounds have been added.
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Neferu - Mortal Obsession
—Game Fixes—
-Reduced the sensitivity of the high-ping detection system. Additionally, this system is now disabled when playing against non-human opponents.
-Fixed an issue where the Log and Pause menus could be open simultaneously in Story Mode.
-Fixed a dialogue branching error in the sub-chapter "Misericordia”.
-Fixed various typos in Chapter II.
-Fixed various missing font characters in Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes new story content, fixes & optimisations, and a new Hero Skin for Neferu.
—In Their Wake—
The story continues, In Their Wake— the fourth of five parts of Chapter II.
The remaining three interlude topics for Chapter II will be added next month. We recommend reserving your Mementos from the current story until then. You will not gain more Mementos in the story content next month.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.3, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario In Their Wake.
-New CGs and backgrounds have been added.
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Neferu - Mortal Obsession
—Game Fixes—
-Reduced the sensitivity of the high-ping detection system. Additionally, this system is now disabled when playing against non-human opponents.
-Fixed an issue where the Log and Pause menus could be open simultaneously in Story Mode.
-Fixed a dialogue branching error in the sub-chapter "Misericordia”.
-Fixed various typos in Chapter II.
-Fixed various missing font characters in Traditional and Simplified Chinese.
Chapter II - Part III [Absolvo] Astatos v0.9.2
To the Crown Mages,
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes new story content, bug fixes, and a new Hero Skin for Alexios.
—Absolvo—
The story continues in Absolvo— the third of five parts of Chapter II.
Three new Interlude topics have been added. These will be available after the completion of Absolvo.
-Herclaus III (Available after viewing Herclaus II)
-Mukaki II (Available after viewing Mukaki I)
-???
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.2, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario Absolvo.
-New CGs have been added.
-Three Interlude topics have been added. [Herclaus III] [Mukaki II] [???]
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Alexios - Rogue Agent
—Game Fixes—
-Fixed various typos in Chapter II.
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes new story content, bug fixes, and a new Hero Skin for Alexios.
—Absolvo—
The story continues in Absolvo— the third of five parts of Chapter II.
Three new Interlude topics have been added. These will be available after the completion of Absolvo.
-Herclaus III (Available after viewing Herclaus II)
-Mukaki II (Available after viewing Mukaki I)
-???
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.2, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario Absolvo.
-New CGs have been added.
-Three Interlude topics have been added. [Herclaus III] [Mukaki II] [???]
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Alexios - Rogue Agent
—Game Fixes—
-Fixed various typos in Chapter II.
Chapter II - Part II [Arcana Imperii] Astatos v0.9.1
To the Crown Mages,
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes new story content, bug fixes, and a new Hero Skin for Neferu.
—Arcana Imperii—
The story continues in Arcana Imperii— the second of five parts of Chapter II.
Three new Interlude topics have been added. These will be available after the completion of Arcana Imperii.
-Makari-Hari II (Available after viewing Makari-Hari I)
-Zermes III (Available after viewing Zermes II)
-???
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.1, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario Arcana Imperii.
-New backgrounds and CGs have been added.
-Three Interlude topics have been added. [Makari-Hari II] [Zermes III] [???]
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Neferu - Pound Pumper
—Bug Fixes—
-Fixed an issue where Sulpicius’ Passive Ability would draw an extra card for the Consul Player.
-Cato’s Passive Ability now correctly hides all of the Hero Card Energy change animation from your opponent.
-Fixed an issue where some Pick Player and Pick Hero menus would not function correctly during Trials.
-Fixed an issue where the Hero Skin ‘Makari-Hari - Home Run Performer’ was missing from the store.
-Fixed an issue where the Hero Skin ‘Makari-Hari - Home Run Performer’ could not be previewed from the Deck Menu.
-Fixed an issue where certain profile pictures for Regulus and Timaios displayed at a lower resolution.
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes new story content, bug fixes, and a new Hero Skin for Neferu.
—Arcana Imperii—
The story continues in Arcana Imperii— the second of five parts of Chapter II.
Three new Interlude topics have been added. These will be available after the completion of Arcana Imperii.
-Makari-Hari II (Available after viewing Makari-Hari I)
-Zermes III (Available after viewing Zermes II)
-???
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9.1, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario Arcana Imperii.
-New backgrounds and CGs have been added.
-Three Interlude topics have been added. [Makari-Hari II] [Zermes III] [???]
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Neferu - Pound Pumper
—Bug Fixes—
-Fixed an issue where Sulpicius’ Passive Ability would draw an extra card for the Consul Player.
-Cato’s Passive Ability now correctly hides all of the Hero Card Energy change animation from your opponent.
-Fixed an issue where some Pick Player and Pick Hero menus would not function correctly during Trials.
-Fixed an issue where the Hero Skin ‘Makari-Hari - Home Run Performer’ was missing from the store.
-Fixed an issue where the Hero Skin ‘Makari-Hari - Home Run Performer’ could not be previewed from the Deck Menu.
-Fixed an issue where certain profile pictures for Regulus and Timaios displayed at a lower resolution.
Chapter II - Part I [Republic Without End] Astatos v0.9
To the Crown Mages,
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes a new story, Hero Pack III in collaboration with Adastra, Amicus’ first Hero Skin, and gameplay optimisations.
—Hero Pack III - Astatos x Adastra—
From the distant land of Adastra, new Heroes join the Trial! Unlocks 6 new Hero Cards for use in non-story Trials. Featuring original card illustrations by HAPS.
-Amicus
-Cassius
-Alexios
-Cato
-Neferu
-The Monitor
Each Hero Card has a corresponding profile picture. Unlockable player titles may be added in the future.
This Hero Pack can be redeemed for free as a part of the Game Pass! Please remember to bind your Steam account to your Studio Klondike account to redeem it.
—A New Story Begins!—
The story continues in Republic Without End! This is the first part of Chapter II— with five parts to be released.
Two additional Interlude topics have been added. These will be available after the completion of Republic Without End.
-Krokos II (Available after viewing Krokos I)
-???
—Hero Pack I - New Artwork—
New card artwork and profile pictures have been added for Hero Pack I. New players will see this artwork by default. Existing players can swap to the new artwork in the Deck Menu.
The original designs remain equippable as Hero Skins in the Deck Menu.
—Upcoming Content—
As mentioned in our previous announcements, the story for Chapter II will be released across multiple updates. We look forward to seeing speculation of the plot in Sator Fonsia as it unfolds.
Do keep this in mind: The effects of certain choices may not be evident until sections of the story that have yet to be released— including Chapter II and beyond.
As previously announced, Cascade Trial is planned to be added in a later patch! While the gameplay systems and artwork are done, the story team had their hands full completing the main scenario, so we need a little more time to work on the first iteration!
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario Empire Without End.
-New character sprites, backgrounds, music tracks, and CGs have been added.
-Two Interlude topics have been added. [Krokos II] [???]
-Hero Pack III has been added, featuring six new Hero Cards in collaboration with Adastra.
-New title screen artwork has been added. The artwork is unlocked by beginning the Chapter II story scenario for the first time. Note: Once unlocked, the title screen artwork can also be changed manually from the Settings menu.
-Season XII of the Takeover Trial leaderboard has concluded. The top 100 players will receive a new player title sometime after the release of this patch.
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Amicus - Radiant as the Sun
—Story Mode Changes—
-The Story Mode interface colour now changes based upon your alignment at any given point in the story. It is no longer possible to change the Story Mode interface colour directly.
-Skipping dialogue in the Story Mode is now faster when holding down the skip key.
-Additional animations have been added to characters when changing expressions and in reaction to the camera position.
-Various minor typo fixes and dialogue edits in Chapter I for consistency.
—Game Changes—
-New artwork and profile pictures have been added for Hero Pack I.
-The Astatos logo has been revised to improve legibility.
-The descriptions of several existing Hero Abilities have been revised for consistency and clarity. However, the mechanics remain the same.
—Bug Fixes—
-Fixed a soft lock when clicking the "Skip Trial" button in Story Mode under certain circumstances.
-Fixed various animation issues when skipping dialouge in Story Mode.
Note: A large amount of new content has been added with this update. While we’ve done our best to test extensively, please be on the lookout and report new bugs, typos, or errors, either here on the Steam Community or on our Discord!
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes a new story, Hero Pack III in collaboration with Adastra, Amicus’ first Hero Skin, and gameplay optimisations.
—Hero Pack III - Astatos x Adastra—
From the distant land of Adastra, new Heroes join the Trial! Unlocks 6 new Hero Cards for use in non-story Trials. Featuring original card illustrations by HAPS.
-Amicus
-Cassius
-Alexios
-Cato
-Neferu
-The Monitor
Each Hero Card has a corresponding profile picture. Unlockable player titles may be added in the future.
This Hero Pack can be redeemed for free as a part of the Game Pass! Please remember to bind your Steam account to your Studio Klondike account to redeem it.
—A New Story Begins!—
The story continues in Republic Without End! This is the first part of Chapter II— with five parts to be released.
Two additional Interlude topics have been added. These will be available after the completion of Republic Without End.
-Krokos II (Available after viewing Krokos I)
-???
—Hero Pack I - New Artwork—
New card artwork and profile pictures have been added for Hero Pack I. New players will see this artwork by default. Existing players can swap to the new artwork in the Deck Menu.
The original designs remain equippable as Hero Skins in the Deck Menu.
—Upcoming Content—
As mentioned in our previous announcements, the story for Chapter II will be released across multiple updates. We look forward to seeing speculation of the plot in Sator Fonsia as it unfolds.
Do keep this in mind: The effects of certain choices may not be evident until sections of the story that have yet to be released— including Chapter II and beyond.
As previously announced, Cascade Trial is planned to be added in a later patch! While the gameplay systems and artwork are done, the story team had their hands full completing the main scenario, so we need a little more time to work on the first iteration!
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.9, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-New Story Mode scenario Empire Without End.
-New character sprites, backgrounds, music tracks, and CGs have been added.
-Two Interlude topics have been added. [Krokos II] [???]
-Hero Pack III has been added, featuring six new Hero Cards in collaboration with Adastra.
-New title screen artwork has been added. The artwork is unlocked by beginning the Chapter II story scenario for the first time. Note: Once unlocked, the title screen artwork can also be changed manually from the Settings menu.
-Season XII of the Takeover Trial leaderboard has concluded. The top 100 players will receive a new player title sometime after the release of this patch.
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Amicus - Radiant as the Sun
—Story Mode Changes—
-The Story Mode interface colour now changes based upon your alignment at any given point in the story. It is no longer possible to change the Story Mode interface colour directly.
-Skipping dialogue in the Story Mode is now faster when holding down the skip key.
-Additional animations have been added to characters when changing expressions and in reaction to the camera position.
-Various minor typo fixes and dialogue edits in Chapter I for consistency.
—Game Changes—
-New artwork and profile pictures have been added for Hero Pack I.
-The Astatos logo has been revised to improve legibility.
-The descriptions of several existing Hero Abilities have been revised for consistency and clarity. However, the mechanics remain the same.
—Bug Fixes—
-Fixed a soft lock when clicking the "Skip Trial" button in Story Mode under certain circumstances.
-Fixed various animation issues when skipping dialouge in Story Mode.
Note: A large amount of new content has been added with this update. While we’ve done our best to test extensively, please be on the lookout and report new bugs, typos, or errors, either here on the Steam Community or on our Discord!
Astatos Chapter II trailer coming soon! Astatos v0.8.6
To the Crown Mages,
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes Krokos’ latest skin, along with bug fixes.
The trailer for Astatos Chapter II arrives on December 16th! (PST time) A huge continuation of the story is finally ready!
This trailer will also mark the 4th anniversary of Astatos’ release into Early Access. Thank you Crown Mages for your support— we hope to deliver an experience that all of us can be proud to love.
Alongside the trailer we’ll announce further details regarding the content included in Chapter II along with the release schedule.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.8.6, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Krokos - The Final Remedy
—Game Fixes—
-Fixed a display issue with the profile picture associated with the skin, ‘Timaios - Gunslinger of the High Moon’
-Fixed a display issue with the skin ‘Aristotle: Four-Field Explorer’
The latest update for Astatos is here! This update includes Krokos’ latest skin, along with bug fixes.
The trailer for Astatos Chapter II arrives on December 16th! (PST time) A huge continuation of the story is finally ready!
This trailer will also mark the 4th anniversary of Astatos’ release into Early Access. Thank you Crown Mages for your support— we hope to deliver an experience that all of us can be proud to love.
Alongside the trailer we’ll announce further details regarding the content included in Chapter II along with the release schedule.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.8.6, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—New Content—
-A new Hero Skin has been made available as the monthly reward. The previous month’s Hero Skin has been added to the in-game store.
-Krokos - The Final Remedy
—Game Fixes—
-Fixed a display issue with the profile picture associated with the skin, ‘Timaios - Gunslinger of the High Moon’
-Fixed a display issue with the skin ‘Aristotle: Four-Field Explorer’
Journey to Iriniopolis Story Update Astatos v0.7
To the Crown Mages,
Story Trials are finally here just in time for the Steam Visual Novel Fest! You can now play through the entire story with all the intended gameplay scenarios included. This has been a monumental task for our team, and we’re glad to finally be back to releasing new story content.
In addition, this update includes a completely revised story mode, including new story scenes, character sprites, backgrounds, music, and various scripting improvements.
This update is also considered the third and final of the PvE content updates we announced last year. While our sights are now set on completing the development of Chapter II, and the release of Hero Pack III, we hope to be able to share more announcements regarding PvE content for the game in the future.
For those interested in keeping up to date on our latest developments, we release detailed blogs about our development progress over on our Patreon. www.patreon.com/studioklondike
Since this is just the first update including the story trials, we’ll be on the lookout to see player feedback on the community hub, our Discord, or even in reviews! We love to hear from you all, Crown Mages.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.7, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—Story Trials—
Playable scenarios have been added to the entire story, including the prologue (Ab Initio) and Chapter I. These scenarios feature a new game mode designed for single player gameplay.
While the core gameplay is the same as the other game modes, we recommend you play through the prologue (Ab Initio) for tutorials regarding the new mechanics.
In summary, the following scenarios have been added:
- [Ab Initio] 6 Story Trials including 10 variations based on player choices.
- [Chapter 1] 16 Story Trials including 23 variations based on player choices.
Combined, these Story Trials contain almost 20,000 words of dialogue alone! We hope that players enjoy the debates that fill in the missing gaps in the story.
If you wish to experience the story from the beginning, you may use your existing save to replay scenes, or use a new save slot to begin again. You can manage your save data from Trials > Save Data
Note: Story Trials are in active development and their content and mechanics may change in future versions of the game. If you have any feedback or find any bugs please let us know!
—New Content—
Along with this update, the entire story has been revised in detail. Along with the addition of Story Trials, we recommend players try the updated experience.
- Revised the scripting of all story scenes for a more consistent experience.
- [English Version] Revised hundreds of dialogue lines for continuity and polish.
- Added sprites for the following characters: Janus, High Priest, The Tallest, The Broadest, The Strongest, The Thinnest.
- Added new sprites to existing characters.
- Added new music.
- Added new sound effects.
- Added new backgrounds.
Note: Due to the significant changes to the story, your bookmark progress will be reset when loading a previous save. While your overall story progression will remain the same, your progress will be reset to the beginning of the current scene you were on.
Additional scenes have been added to Chapter 1.
- The Art of Benevolence.5 – Blood from the Stone
- Pro Bono Publico.5 – Vive Ut Vivas
These scenes will be available automatically if their unlock conditions have been met.
New Hero Cards: 8 new Hero Cards have been added to the game to represent the side characters present throughout the story. Please note that these Hero Cards are only accessible in the story mode, and are not planned to be made available for use in multiplayer Trials.
—New Features—
Cut-In Sprites: Several scenes now have new cut-in sprites where no sprites were shown previously.
Ability Order UI: When toggling multiple Hero Card Abilities in a turn, the activation order will now be displayed on the card.
Colour-Blind Mode: This mode adds additional element indicators on cards during gameplay.
—Game Changes—
Story Changes
- A notification now appears when the game has successfully saved your story progress to the server.
Trial Changes
- The mid-Trial pause menu has been updated to allow you to restart or leave a story / tutorial Trial.
- The game now confirms with the player before they leave or restart a Trial.
- Improved feedback to the player if the game can’t connect to Steam when launched.
- Optimised the AI opponent behaviour to be less aggressive, but more varied.
General Changes
- The splash/login screen artwork is now animated.
- The settings menu has been updated with new settings related to Story Trials, and Accessibility.
- A hidden player title for Season III of Takeover Trials has been added.
Technical Changes
- The compression method used for character sprites has been updated, resulting in higher quality artwork than the previous version.
- The game now uses less RAM under certain conditions.
Game Fixes
- Fixed an issue when the “Trial begin” screen appears during story mode while the skip button is held.
- Fixed an issue where the game would not load the “fade to black/white” state when loading a saved bookmark in story mode.
- Fixed an issue where activating a Hero Ability and quickly ending the Hero Stage would cause players to desync.
Additional Notes
- As of this update, the minimum system requirements for Astatos have been revised.
Story Trials are finally here just in time for the Steam Visual Novel Fest! You can now play through the entire story with all the intended gameplay scenarios included. This has been a monumental task for our team, and we’re glad to finally be back to releasing new story content.
In addition, this update includes a completely revised story mode, including new story scenes, character sprites, backgrounds, music, and various scripting improvements.
This update is also considered the third and final of the PvE content updates we announced last year. While our sights are now set on completing the development of Chapter II, and the release of Hero Pack III, we hope to be able to share more announcements regarding PvE content for the game in the future.
For those interested in keeping up to date on our latest developments, we release detailed blogs about our development progress over on our Patreon. www.patreon.com/studioklondike
Since this is just the first update including the story trials, we’ll be on the lookout to see player feedback on the community hub, our Discord, or even in reviews! We love to hear from you all, Crown Mages.
For the detailed list of changes implemented with Astatos v0.7, please read on below.
- From the team at Studio Klondike
—Story Trials—
Playable scenarios have been added to the entire story, including the prologue (Ab Initio) and Chapter I. These scenarios feature a new game mode designed for single player gameplay.
While the core gameplay is the same as the other game modes, we recommend you play through the prologue (Ab Initio) for tutorials regarding the new mechanics.
In summary, the following scenarios have been added:
- [Ab Initio] 6 Story Trials including 10 variations based on player choices.
- [Chapter 1] 16 Story Trials including 23 variations based on player choices.
Combined, these Story Trials contain almost 20,000 words of dialogue alone! We hope that players enjoy the debates that fill in the missing gaps in the story.
If you wish to experience the story from the beginning, you may use your existing save to replay scenes, or use a new save slot to begin again. You can manage your save data from Trials > Save Data
Note: Story Trials are in active development and their content and mechanics may change in future versions of the game. If you have any feedback or find any bugs please let us know!
—New Content—
Along with this update, the entire story has been revised in detail. Along with the addition of Story Trials, we recommend players try the updated experience.
- Revised the scripting of all story scenes for a more consistent experience.
- [English Version] Revised hundreds of dialogue lines for continuity and polish.
- Added sprites for the following characters: Janus, High Priest, The Tallest, The Broadest, The Strongest, The Thinnest.
- Added new sprites to existing characters.
- Added new music.
- Added new sound effects.
- Added new backgrounds.
Note: Due to the significant changes to the story, your bookmark progress will be reset when loading a previous save. While your overall story progression will remain the same, your progress will be reset to the beginning of the current scene you were on.
Additional scenes have been added to Chapter 1.
- The Art of Benevolence.5 – Blood from the Stone
- Pro Bono Publico.5 – Vive Ut Vivas
These scenes will be available automatically if their unlock conditions have been met.
New Hero Cards: 8 new Hero Cards have been added to the game to represent the side characters present throughout the story. Please note that these Hero Cards are only accessible in the story mode, and are not planned to be made available for use in multiplayer Trials.
—New Features—
Cut-In Sprites: Several scenes now have new cut-in sprites where no sprites were shown previously.
Ability Order UI: When toggling multiple Hero Card Abilities in a turn, the activation order will now be displayed on the card.
Colour-Blind Mode: This mode adds additional element indicators on cards during gameplay.
—Game Changes—
Story Changes
- A notification now appears when the game has successfully saved your story progress to the server.
Trial Changes
- The mid-Trial pause menu has been updated to allow you to restart or leave a story / tutorial Trial.
- The game now confirms with the player before they leave or restart a Trial.
- Improved feedback to the player if the game can’t connect to Steam when launched.
- Optimised the AI opponent behaviour to be less aggressive, but more varied.
General Changes
- The splash/login screen artwork is now animated.
- The settings menu has been updated with new settings related to Story Trials, and Accessibility.
- A hidden player title for Season III of Takeover Trials has been added.
Technical Changes
- The compression method used for character sprites has been updated, resulting in higher quality artwork than the previous version.
- The game now uses less RAM under certain conditions.
Game Fixes
- Fixed an issue when the “Trial begin” screen appears during story mode while the skip button is held.
- Fixed an issue where the game would not load the “fade to black/white” state when loading a saved bookmark in story mode.
- Fixed an issue where activating a Hero Ability and quickly ending the Hero Stage would cause players to desync.
Additional Notes
- As of this update, the minimum system requirements for Astatos have been revised.
Welcome to Astatos System
The Trials begin again, Crown Mages!
Here's a few tips to get started in Astatos:
- Head to the Story, or face-off in multiplayer card-battles from the Trials menu.
- Unlock more Heroes! Be sure to bind your Steam account so you can access your Game Pass. You can bind your account or check your bind status from the Game Pass button in the Store.
- Learn anything you need to know about Astatos from the user manual, accessible from Trials > Training > Tutorials.
We really hope you enjoy the game!
- The team at Studio Klondike
Here's a few tips to get started in Astatos:
- Head to the Story, or face-off in multiplayer card-battles from the Trials menu.
- Unlock more Heroes! Be sure to bind your Steam account so you can access your Game Pass. You can bind your account or check your bind status from the Game Pass button in the Store.
- Learn anything you need to know about Astatos from the user manual, accessible from Trials > Training > Tutorials.
We really hope you enjoy the game!
- The team at Studio Klondike
Early Access System
To the Crown Mages,
With the launch of Astatos into Early Access, please be aware that you may encounter unexpected issues. While we've done our best to make sure everything works, we'll be monitoring our Discord, Twitter, and other communities to keep an eye on issues and resolve them as soon as we can.
Give your thoughts about the game, tell us about bugs, or anything else you'd like to say by using the Give Feedback button on the Main Menu and the Pause Menu.
We're also working on a bunch of new long-term content and features!
– Controller Support
– Offline Story Mode
– More Heroes
– New Skins
– More Story Content
– Balance & Gameplay Tweaks
Please note the above is not shown in any particular order.
Be sure to keep an eye on our social media pages for announcements on updates to the game!
Consider supporting us on Patreon for access to exclusive scenes artwork and development blogs: www.patreon.com/StudioKlondike
We really hope you enjoy the game!
- The team at Studio Klondike
With the launch of Astatos into Early Access, please be aware that you may encounter unexpected issues. While we've done our best to make sure everything works, we'll be monitoring our Discord, Twitter, and other communities to keep an eye on issues and resolve them as soon as we can.
Give your thoughts about the game, tell us about bugs, or anything else you'd like to say by using the Give Feedback button on the Main Menu and the Pause Menu.
We're also working on a bunch of new long-term content and features!
– Controller Support
– Offline Story Mode
– More Heroes
– New Skins
– More Story Content
– Balance & Gameplay Tweaks
Please note the above is not shown in any particular order.
Be sure to keep an eye on our social media pages for announcements on updates to the game!
Consider supporting us on Patreon for access to exclusive scenes artwork and development blogs: www.patreon.com/StudioKlondike
We really hope you enjoy the game!
- The team at Studio Klondike
