Hound13 held a developer live stream today (October 1) ahead of the Version 1.1 update for its buy-to-play open-world action RPG 'DragonSword: Awakening'. Producer Yoon-jin Jang and PM Dong-hoon Kim appeared on the stream, showcasing gameplay and introducing the update's contents, including the new character 'Ryza' introduced in Version 1.1.
Added in the Version 1.1 update, 'Ryza' is one of the Six Heroes in the game. Although her whereabouts had been unknown, she makes her full appearance after coming to the aid of the protagonist's party as they struggle against True Dragon Gauron in the defense of Iron Heart Fortress. In line with this storyline, players can obtain her for free via the main quest 'Reunion' following the update, and those who have already completed the quest will receive her directly in their inventory. Specialized in Electric Shock and Knockdown status ailments, she is expected to shine in party compositions alongside Ornette and Scion, who share the same status ailment abilities.
Ryza's Q skill throws a spear imbued with the power of lightning, and pressing F afterward teleports her to where the spear landed, swinging it to deal area-of-effect Electric Shock damage. When charged, players can aim the throw in a chosen direction during the charge; using it immediately throws the spear in the direction Ryza is currently facing. Additionally, if two or more spears hit enemies, pressing F allows her to dart between spears and deal Electric Shock damage. Her E skill swings her spear broadly, dealing area-of-effect Electric Shock damage. She can use Grab on enemies inflicted with Electric Shock to inflict Knockdown, and upon acquiring her Master Skill, Grab can also be used during physical status ailments.
In addition, Version 1.1 introduces a Rank System to Hunts. The Rank System assigns ranks from S to D based on the score after completion, awarding Awakening Stones or Awakening materials as first-time rewards upon reaching each rank. Scores are calculated comprehensively taking into account clear time, Just Evasions, times status ailments were inflicted, and times Super Armor was broken. Hell difficulty has also been added, giving fully leveled players a fresh challenge.
Beyond this, improvements to UI/UX and various quality-of-life features are being implemented. First, cooking cooldown calculations and displays have been improved to remove any ambiguity, while map icon types have been expanded to display regularly farmed routes in greater detail. An option to toggle Tag Combo animations on or off has been added, acquisition conditions can now be checked directly in the Familiar menu, and purchased DLC items can be claimed directly from that menu. Upon completing achievements, a message will now appear at the bottom of the quest window, allowing players to check and claim rewards immediately.
Furthermore, new costumes for Aileen, Reina, and Othello will be added with the release of Version 1.1. Rather than seasonal costumes, these fit the game's lore; the bunny girl costumes previewed after the swimsuits will be introduced after this costume addition. In addition to these updates, combat balance is receiving an overhaul, including adjustments to formulas for critical hit and defense penetration efficiency.
Meanwhile, after revealing the update details, the developers held an impromptu Q&A session with players. Regarding future plans, they teased the addition of English and Chinese voice dubbing in December and stated that PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 releases are in preparation. However, they made it clear that there are no plans for a mobile version. They also explained that they are working to prepare Japanese dubbing in time for the PS5 launch. The NPC 'Karina', whom players have consistently requested, is scheduled to be introduced as a playable character next year, and a pause function is currently under consideration.
Regarding sales, the team revealed that cumulative sales have currently surpassed 400,000 copies. Explaining why no commemorative artwork or official announcement was released for hitting 400,000 sales, they stated they are currently fully focused on development, adding that if cumulative sales reach 500,000 copies, Producer Yoon-jin Jang will host a stream cosplaying as Johnny, as promised in a pre-launch interview.
The Version 1.1 update for 'DragonSword: Awakening' will go live on October 15, with detailed information to be released on its Steam page in the future.
