Unsung Warriors: a Story Driven Action-Platformer

Devlog - Entangled Pinnacle
28 days ago – Sun, Mar 08, 2026 at 03:15:34 AM

Hey all,

In today’s update, we’re taking a closer look at the systems behind our Chase/Pursuit sequences (for players interested in the game’s technical side) and we showcase one of the boss fights we’ve completed since our last update.

Remember the Crypt Collapse?

In our little prologue, players encounter a section of the game known as Crypt Collapse. It was a chase sequence with fixed camera movement where you had to dodge traps in order to make it out alive.

Although we don't want to stuff the full game with chase-like levels, a few chases here and there are present. We already demonstrated the Winter slide, and in this update we'll showcase a new section, called the Wolf chase.

The wolves are hungry and a bit too numerous to fight by hand. So forget about fighting, you'll have to flee in order to survive!

Technicalities of a chase scene

When making a chase-like level, there's a few things that we have to take into account. On one hand we want the player to have some freedom to move ahead or fall behind, but on the other hand you have to ensure that you can still telegraph incoming traps. Because our game is couch co-op, we also have to take into account that 2 players may be in different places on screen, and lastly you would like to accommodate speedrunners to be able to lower the completion time of the level.

There's several solutions to these requirements. In the prologue for example, you get a little bit of a speed boost when you're falling behind. 

And we only activate certain traps when both players are in a certain range. 

The mechanics from the Prologue served as a good starting point for new chase scenes, but we saw room for some improvement. For example, we had many people dashing their way to the right side of the screen, giving them little time to respond to obstacles. That's why we came up with an improved chase mechanic. Now, the camera speed will start increasing when you run too far ahead.

This has several advantage over the prologue. Players will have a tendency to converge to the sweet spot, because when player 1 is ahead, the camera speed will increase, pushing player 2 in the yellow area, and increasing their speed. 

During testing, we noticed that some players enjoy fooling around and getting their companion into trouble, there’s still room to accommodate that. Additionally, speedrunners can complete the level faster by leveraging the dash to their advantage. The wolves are very hungry though, so don't expect to be able outrun them.

This approach certainly isn't perfect. Players may experience somewhat unreliable velocity when they're far apart. In the end, we felt that this effect was acceptable.

The Towers

The final section of the game has 4 towers which are guarded by powerful beings. 
3 of these towers have boss fights in them. 

Since our previous update, we've completed development of the boss encounter for the Entangled Pinnacle tower.

That's all we have to show for now. We'll post another update in two months!

Cheers,
Mikel & Ramon

2026 - Roadmap Update, Otherworld Sneak Peek
3 months ago – Fri, Jan 09, 2026 at 05:14:43 AM

Hi all,

2026 has just started, and we hope you all had awesome holidays. This also means it's time to go over the roadmap again and share what we've been working on.

Roadmap update

In 2025 we made a lot of progress on the game. The game now has an Otherworld, with new mechanics and it's own distinct ambience. The main quests already provide a solid few hours of gameplay, and for those looking to do some things on the side we'll have a modest amount of sidequests available, and we’re continuing adding more.

It's all shaping up pretty nicely. That's why with a mix of excitement and apprehension we're pledging: in 2026 you as backers will be getting to play this!

What does this mean? Ideally we publicly release the game this year, but it's we're not sure if we get all the polishing, testing, marketing and publishing affairs done. So likely it'll be in the form of a updated playtest near the end of the year. Nevertheless, you'll get to play the game first before the rest of the world does. 

We might ask you to not publicly show footage of it, but more on that when the playtest is actually there. And for those that are not backers reading this: public release will then follow soon after, though we're not yet putting a date on that.

For those interested, you can view the updated roadmap progression chart here (spoiler warning: contains global outline of the game).

Progress update

And with that said, we'll continue this update with some of the things we worked on past months!

The Dormant Gate

The Dormant Gate is a important location during the late game. The towers on the islands (seen in the distance) are somehow connected with this gate.
 

Goblins at it again

During one of the sidequest you come across goblins engaged in the worship of a twisted deity. Their leader (a goblin reaver) sees your entry into their cave as a good opportunity to make a sacrifice.
 

Strolling through the Otherworld

This segment is part of the Otherworld, a swampy area centered on a tower known as 'The Tangled Pinnacle'.


That's it for now. We'll be posting a new update around the end of February. If you have any questions or remarks, be sure to let us know.

Cheers,
Mikel & Ramon

Game Structure, Side Quests and more..
5 months ago – Mon, Nov 03, 2025 at 05:23:29 AM

Hi all,

Autumn is well on its way here in the Netherlands. The perfect time to cozy up indoors and make progress on Unsung Warriors.

In this update, we'd like to share some insights into the structure of the game; how the game is organized, and how players progress through the world.

* We have included examples from the game, so please be aware that there are some minor spoilers ahead.

A Look at Game Structure and Player Progression

Unsung Warriors throws you right into the action from the very start. The game opens with your village commander kicking down your door and shouting at you to grab your sword and shield (FYI, we are still considering having the command kicking down every door as a habit)

Shortly after, you're learning the basics of combat on the battlefield, and you'll soon face your first boss, the Gatebreaker.

This entire village section of the game acts as a kind of tutorial, without lengthy texts.
It is designed like a quest system, where you'll gradually learn movement and combat skills, You'll learn how to jump, double jump, dash, and make use of your secondary ranged weapon.

After a while (without spoiling too much), the world opens up and the world map becomes available. From here, several new locations can be explored.

Our main story follows a fairly linear path, but there's still plenty of room for exploration and discovery, and players are free to decide the order in which they want to tackle these different areas.

Random Events

While traveling on the map, you encounter all sorts of random events, from wandering merchants, unique encounters or caves to explore.

Special Characters / Side Quests

Some of the more memorable events unlock special characters, who offer their own side quests and rewards. These side quests play out like short stories, usually with a twist or two to keep things interesting.

So if you get stuck on the main quest or aren't ready to face a difficult boss, there is always the option to visit these characters, and take on a few side quests to earn extra gold to buy better weapons, or collect more skill shards before heading back into the fray.

Here are a few examples:

Side quests come in different flavors like investigations, combat challenges, and sometimes the occasional boss fight. 

Final Part / Otherworld

In the last part of the game, we follow the same structure, but with fewer limits. The Otherworld exists as a collection of islands. Where instead of walking across the worldmap, you'll travel between locations by boat.

The Otherworld is the area that we're focusing on in the coming months. We often alternate between this area and side quests to stay motivated, since the best ideas seem to emerge after we’ve let things cook for a while.

We hope we’ve given you some insight into what to expect, and if you have any questions, please let us know in the comments. In the next update, which we'll post in two months, we'll take a step back to go over the progression chart. If things keep moving smoothly, we’re aiming to include some concrete deliverables towards backers we’re targeting for 2026.

Cheers,
Mikel & Ramon

Devlog - Deep in the Otherworld
7 months ago – Wed, Sep 03, 2025 at 06:47:49 AM

Hi all,

We're gradually approaching the end of summer here in the Netherlands, and we made quite some progression on Unsung Warriors. In this update (without spoiling too much) We would like to take you deep into the darker parts of our game: the Otherworld. And there's some other nice things as well.

The Otherworld

At a certain point, the player will end up in the Otherworld, a place comparable to the Greek underworld and inspired by Gaul mythology.

The environment

The player will be wholeheartedly welcomed by a character that you may have seen before. It'll take place in a save haven in this barren world.

Upon leaving the safe haven, the Otherworld is revealed as a dark and desolate place.
Some of it may bear some resemblance to the real world, but looks can be deceiving.

You'll soon learn that you are stuck on this island, and you’ll need to explore it more to find a way out of here. 

The Shadows

The Shadows are remnants of old souls, fragments of lives long forgotten. They attack anyone who crosses their path, in an attempt to drag their victims into the darkness and swell their ranks with yet another lost soul.

These enemies are fast, capable of striking you from multiple distances, and become especially dangerous when they attack in large numbers.

Something else: weapon toggling

Our game gives quite a lot of different items at your disposal. That's why many (even playing the Prologue) asked for some way to quickly alter the loadout of the player. We can see why: different enemies/puzzles/environments require different tools, and it's annoying to open the inventory menu every time, especially when playing couch co-op.

That's why we came up with the Quick Toggle. It's a small in-game menu that you can call on controllers (default: left trigger) as well as keyboard/mouse (default: left shift). In order to use it, you should first assign weapons from the Inventory menu.

Next, when you're out in the field and you spot an enemy that begging for an arrow, while currently you have something selected, just use the Quick Toggle to get what you need.

Killing enemies has never been this user friendly.

Another awesome song by John

Now occasionally, you’ll be up for a big fight in our game. Of course that needs an accompanying sound track that lives up to the moment. We think John (the composer on Unsung Warriors) has nailed it. Have a listen at this:

And that's all we have to show for now. As always, feel free to leave your replies, and we'll see you again in two months!

Cheers,
Mikel & Ramon

Roadmap Progress, Arena Update & Kickstarter Statues
9 months ago – Mon, Jul 07, 2025 at 02:27:50 AM

Hi all,

It's mid summer here in the Netherlands. In today's update we want to show you what we've been working on in the past two months, but we're starting with the roadmap.

Roadmap update

We've made a lot of progress. We're nearing the point where all environments are created, and we can focus on creating the remaining levels. 

For context, this roadmap highlights key areas and main story content, rather than game mechanics. The mechanics have already been developed, but to avoid spoilers, they're not included here. The same goes for optional quests and random encounters, these elements are intentionally left off the map.

Questions? Remarks? Please let us know.

Arena Updated

Those of you that played the beta/playtest may remember the arena. It's a place where fighters come to test their combat skills to their limits. While the arena itself was in a good state, it was missing some essential surrounding areas. Those are now done.

The Arena Lobby

Entering the Arena from the world map now brings you to the lobby. Where players can learn about the arena rules, rewards and statistics.

Players who reach certain wave thresholds can earn prizes, which will be displayed and awarded in the lobby. (note: there may also be some special prizes for those that get very, very far).

Arena Basement

After each arena run, the player is sent to the recovery room (in the basement) to regain strength.

Here you'll meet your friendly neighborhood bureaucrat, who’s got plenty of attitude but is also highly pragmatic about getting the most out of your performance in future arena runs by offering useful upgrades.

Arena persistent upgrades

While we've had plenty of fun with the arena in its current state, we also noticed a few annoyances, like spending hard earned silver on similar starting gear multiple times.

A big update to the Arena is the addition of persistent upgrades, giving players the chance to unlock permanent progression and become stronger with every run.

So now, when you are defeated in the arena, you get to spend all the silver you've earned to buy permanent upgrades in the lobby. There will be cheaper options to get you started, and more expensive options for those that want to get the most of out of their runs!

When you spend coins on companions, these NPCs begin to populate the basement area, transforming it into a training area.

Arena heroes

As you may remember from our Kickstarter campaign, some folk choose a statue of themselves to be placed in the game. We already rolled out those statues to the Prologue of the game (hint: check the super secret area). But where to place them in the full game? Because many of the statues are warriors, we figured the Arena Lobby would be the best.

And for equal visibility, the statue placed at the entrance of the Arena gets rotated every month.

All in all, we believe the Arena is now complete, and we hope that both combat enthusiasts and dedicated completionists will have plenty of fun unlocking all the expansions.

Music: village soundtrack

Our composer John has been hard at work creating a suitable soundtrack for the game. This serves multiple purposes. Firstly, we keep the copyright of the music in our own hands, which will benefit people who try to stream the game on YouTube/Twitch. But more importantly, you can't beat the atmosphere of a handwritten soundtrack by a skilled composer. The track below is - in our opinion - the living proof of that.

And what's even more awesome: some of the tracks that John creates, will crossfade to a different track to set a different atmosphere. The track playing in the Arena Lobby can crossfade at any moment with the Village Base track. 

Now working on: the Otherworld

Without spoiling too much, we've now started working on the Otherworld. Those that want to know a bit more about it, can probably find something when searching for Gaul mythology. Although we don't aim to be historically accurate, we're borrowing some elements from this ancient civilization.

That's it for now. We'll be back in September with a new update.

Cheers,
Mikel & Ramon