Following an earlier tease of substantial changes coming to the vampiric world of V Rising, Stunlock Studios has now revealed more about Secrets of Gloomrot, the upcoming free expansion arriving in May, including the highly anticipated multi-floor castle building.
A New Biome to Call Home
With Secrets of Gloomrot, the team wanted more than just gameplay content to freshen up the experience in V Rising and conceptualized “a land of equal parts filth, ambition, brilliance and madness,” said Johan Ilves, Marketing Director.
Gone is the greenery in places like Farbane Woods and the Dunley Farmlands, and enter polluted valleys and mechanical atrocities that dot the lands of Gloomrot. A map size similar to Dunley Farmlands is further broken up into the unique Gloomrot South and Gloomrot North, and with the Trancendum engaging in mutated experiments to push the boundaries of science, this is an area where players will face fresh challenges in terrain, technologies, and enemies.
“Expect to face all sorts of nightmares that have been twisted by technology, and obviously new V Blood bosses as well to test your skills; there is a whole lot of content for players to sink their teeth into, so to speak,” said Ilves about Secrets of Gloomrot.
Castle of Your Nightmares
The arrival of Secrets of Gloomrot will usher in a new age of building in Vardoran as well, with newfound verticality at the heart of things. Castles can now have multiple floors, and although that is already a big improvement, Stunlock has beefed things up with other quality-of-life changes.
Stairs, for one, are no longer limited to just ramps, and will have actual use in getting players into the higher levels to a maximum of three floors. Railings remain an automatic convenience, functioning both aesthetically and defensively against enemy attacks.
Most importantly, as castles become grander in scale, getting around them will become increasingly difficult. Secrets of Gloomrot introduces castle teleports that help players travel instantly across their home, as long as the right recipe has been found.
Overall, players will find themselves with expanded options to customize the castle to their liking. Roofing can come in the form of “grand palisades, rooftop gardens, or balconies that allow for entering and exiting through the skies,” while outdoor areas become more welcoming to those with a green thumb thanks to Secrets of Gloomrot.
“We’re also experimenting with major quality-of-life building features and trying to improve the overall experience by leaps and bounds. Instead of having long lists you must scroll through, we’re looking to condense building into a modular design,” said Ilves.
“That means there will be one item with color and style options that you can improve by adding other items to it. Much, in the same way, you can add a set of drapes to a window, you’ll be able to hang blood rose vines on a standing planter.”
The Secrets of Gloomrot expansion is set to release in May for V Rising.
