Hardcore mode

[Citronvand]

Nice, definitely what this game needed. I honestly stopped playing because it was so easy.

Hard Core Mode is a new difficulty setting for the main “Shantae” mode in Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. This mode is designed to provide an old-school, tough-as-nails challenge to players who miss the days of rage-quitting and throwing controllers. This mode offers a stiff challenge to any player daring to test their mettle. The same studio that developed such unforgiving brutal bliss as Contra 4, Bloodrayne Betrayal, Double Dragon Neon, and the original Shantae has returned to its roots, preparing for you a scalding hot platter of anger food. Trust us, there is no mercy to be found in this new mode, and if you want to survive you’ll need to master the game completely. There is no mercy to be found here – it’s Hard Core!

Warning! This new mode is not for everybody! On the other hand, it IS for everybody since it will be FREE to Backers, and anyone who bought the game.

What to expect in Shantae: Half-Genie Hero HARD CORE MODE:

Pain and suffering!
Harder hitting enemies!
Faster enemy patterns!
Faster scroll speeds!
Remixed enemy locations, and more of ‘em!
New Boss patterns, attacks, and stats!
Healing Items capped at six!
Re-balanced magic items!
Poor Shantae!

[purpleharmony]

I didn't mind the difficulty usually but yeah, Hardcore Mode is coming up! Hype!!!

[BROLY 32]

Any idea when ? In 5 hours or sooner ?

[Zixinus]

Originally posted by BROLY 32:

Any idea when ? In 5 hours or sooner ?

Today at 9 AM Pacific standard time. SO about 2-3 hours.

[JeanBison]

Oh yeah !
I'm already dead 3 times in the first level

[Garket Mardener]

i mean, i would like a bit of a polish for this, you basically HAVE to rush armor and then it's ok

[JeanBison]

the crabs one shot Shantae

[Geno]

The cocodriles and electric bat also oneshot you, maybe i should really get the bikini armor first

[Square man]

And me who tought half genie hero was kind of a let down, I was disapointed by the lack of difficulty, but this gamemode added the challenge that HGH needed to be a really good game.
More enemies that actually hurt you even with the bikini armor, which actually forces you to use more the items in the game. Definitely a good addition to the game, now I'm actually hyped up for the Risky boots addon.
Oh and now I'm a 100% sure Shantae Half Genie Hero is much better than Mighty n°9.
Not only HGH got much better graphics (inspiration, variety coupled with smooth animations) and music,
but now it has definitely a superior gameplay.
Glad to see the kickstarter was a success in the end.
WayForward OWNS !

[Seven Fates]

What I find interesting is that since the update, the slot Hardcore Mode occupies in the mode select is the very slot that was previously occupied by the 'Coming Soon' Risky Mode. Is this a sign that Risky Mode is no longer on its way? Or is that being shunted into DLC?

[Mr Groovy]

Originally posted by Seven Fates:

What I find interesting is that since the update, the slot Hardcore Mode occupies in the mode select is the very slot that was previously occupied by the 'Coming Soon' Risky Mode. Is this a sign that Risky Mode is no longer on its way? Or is that being shunted into DLC?

Second one more likely

[Seraphita]

There is supposedly a mode for different characters that will come as DLCs. Risky being one of them if it's even still intended. I also heard about Skye being another and etc like that.

[Seven Fates]

Originally posted by Zero:

There is supposedly a mode for different characters that will come as DLCs. Risky being one of them if it's even still intended. I also heard about Skye being another and etc like that.

Here's the thing. Two of the chapters we got in the game, the ones that took you to the races and to the desert ruins? They too were stretch goals, rather than DLC. In fact, they were later tier stretch goals than the Risky Mode, which was the first stretch goal. Sit on that fact for a moment. Can you imagine how upset backers would have been if those two chapters were paid launch-DLC rather than a part of the game as a whole?

Scratch all that. Looking at their latest Kickstarter blog, it's confirmed that Risky is now listed among the ranks of DLC, despite no prior hinting in-game or on the kickstarter stretch goals that it would be the case. The more I look at how the game was handled, the more I think they were rushed for early launch or they ran out of the kickstarter funds sooner than expected, and are now tapping game sales to fund the DLC that might otherwise have been funded in the Kickstarter. Just doesn't feel like a complete game, and knowing that 'stretch goal' content was picked over for what could/should be used as at-launch padding just doesn't give me any warm fuzzies about the game or Wayforward, which is a real shame because I love the Shantae franchise..

[Seraphita]

Yeah, the game was released as very short instead of done with enough playtime to please players. The fact that some story chapters were in fact "added as bonus" makes it even worse. I like the game and the graphics and all that but playtime wise, Wayforward look lazy. Shame.

Now instead of actually adding content, they just add a hardcore mode... It's nice and cute but how about adding story to make the game feel more complete? At least we got that for free... The game was very expensive for how long the game really is. That disappointed me a little.

[Ruro]

They didn't replace anything with this, this is just an apology for the Risky mode taking longer than expected and they wanted to give us something rather than nothing while waiting, at least that's how i interpeted their Kickstarter post.

They have a mode planned for each of the main cast (four extra in total, Risky being the first) and since they are an established studio i find it unlikely that they wouldn't follow through, especially since it's a long running first party title

[Zixinus]

The main problem was allowing Kickstarter to influence too much of the game design. Extra, unnecessary forms, the final level being lackluster due to lack of funding, the Risky mode DLC and so on. They've should have focused more on the core game and less on optional stuff.

BTW, I recall that kickstarter funders will get the DLCs for free. Just keep that in mind.