Developer Harebrained Schemes (Shadowrun series, Crimson Skies) has released a free update today for Necropolis that adds a new outdoor environment to explore called The Black Forest. In the forest, players encounter new enemies and are challenged with varying weather conditions like snow and rain.
Titled Necropolis: Brutal Edition, Version 1.1 also includes a new playable Brute character, a new loot-stealing enemy Bandit, plus additional loot and weapons. All of the Brutal Edition updates are listed in the release notes by the developer as follows:
- Added a new playable character, The Brute, with 7 unique armor sets including the fearsome Raider’s Garb which offers increased damage at some hefty costs.
- Added a new outdoor environment, The Black Forest, with 36 new modules!
- Added a new starting module to reduce the time needed to get back into the action.
- Added 7 more new enemies including the Bandit – watch it, he’ll steal your loot!
- Added 16 new weapons, with unique abilities such as the Arcane Shadow – a devastating maul that deals incredible amounts of damage, but its curse strips the player of most of their defenses, use at your own risk.
- Added new traps, the Necropolis wasn’t deadly enough so we added some spinning blades and even deadlier spike traps. The Black Forest has its own traps, too.
- Added 5 new consumable items (potions, scrolls, etc.) including the Multiplayer focused Resurrection scroll! All your fellow adventurers in danger and downed? Revive them from a safe distance!
- Added new loot! Recipes are now part of loot drops, you can find them throughout the Necropolis. Buying is now just one way to expand your potion and crafting potential!
- Improvements to blocking and shield bashing. Stamina costs for successful blocks has been reduced, as well as the threshold for shield breaks has been increased, meaning it will happen less often. Lastly, damage bleed through (in the event of shield break) has been lowered.
- General performance improvements
- Localized all text
Necropolis: Brutal Edition is designed to address player feedback after its launch on PC to mixed reviews this summer. Based on the feedback received, Jordan Weisman, chief creative director at Harebrained Schemes, expressed the studio’s commitment to providing an extensive post-launch update at no cost to players in a statement to the press. “A lot of player and critic reviews said that they really wanted to like Necropolis, so improving the game based on direct feedback has been the entire focus of the Necropolis team in the two months since launch. We believe that the Brutal Edition is the best version of Necropolis yet, and we’re excited to release it as a free update to the game.”
The console version of Necropolis on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One was expected to release this summer courtesy of publisher Bandai Namco Entertainment. An updated release date has not yet been confirmed.
