Hey everyone!

So, like an absolute mad lad, I've decided to add local co-op during Next Fest.

It was simply too much fun not to include.

You can now play the entire demo with up to 4 players, and co-op will also be supported throughout the full story and Descent Mode in the full release.

There are still some balancing issues and quality-of-life features I'd like to add. For simplicity, only Player 1 can currently navigate menus, and I've intentionally avoided split-screen. If either of those are features you'd like to see, let me know.

Upgrades and Dwarven Tech unlocks are shared across the whole team, so everyone benefits when something new is unlocked.

Couch co-op has arrived.

Up to 4 players can explore the cave together on a single screen, working as a team to gather resources, survive rising water, and make increasingly questionable decisions involving TNT.

• New co-op lobby system with player slots, skins, and ready-up support.

• Stay together across levels once a session begins.

• Individual nameplates, HUDs, and character skins for every player.

• Dynamic shared camera that zooms out to keep the group in frame.

• Off-screen markers help you track teammates at all times.

• Downed players can be revived, carried, or dragged to safety.

• Individual headlamps and fog-of-war reveal the cave as your team explores.

We've continued replacing placeholder assets throughout the game and refining Drown World's overall presentation. A huge thank you to the artist Rocky for this. As well as Oli for helping with UX. 

• New logo and branding.

• New world map landmasses and biome artwork.

• Improved terrain shapes and environmental readability.

• Updated drill visuals and animations.

• Jetpack effects now react to upgrade tiers and player movement.

Most placeholder AI-generated artwork has now been removed. The remaining element icons are planned to be replaced before full release.

The cave has become a little more chaotic.

• TNT now produces knockback, launching players who stand too close to the blast.

• Lit TNT now flashes as detonation approaches.

• Steam and smoke vents can lift players into the air.

• Resources caught in vents can be launched around the cave.

• Diagonal drilling lets you carve through terrain at new angles.

• Dash has been reworked for smoother movement and chaining.

A huge amount of work went into improving the overall experience for both new and returning players.

• Only pooled water deals damage. Flowing water is now safe.

• New underwater breath meter.

• TNT is now introduced through objectives rather than requiring experimentation.

• First Aid has been expanded into its own skill tree and is easier to unlock.

• Full keyboard-only support.

• Added mouse cursor support.

• Improved corner forgiveness while moving through caves.

• Improved pause menu, settings options, and Element Codex.

• Reduced cost of the Crush upgrade.

• Clearer fuel warnings and lower-volume fuel alerts.

• Improved water splash audio with greater variation.

• Fixed liquids creating huge displacement towers. This was a bug associated with the Fluid Displacement code. 

• Fixed Escape reopening menus in certain situations.

• Numerous smaller bug fixes and polish improvements.

Looking forward to Next Fest, Good luck fellow devs! <3

Cheers, James!