Hi Everyone!

As you probably already know, Hellcard II is coming later this year. In this post, I want to focus on how the lessons we learned while making the first game led directly to the new features in the sequel.

We had plenty of ideas for extra content for Hellcard 1, especially after Bruja: The Blood Witch was so warmly welcomed. However, we hit a wall with our old custom engine.

As some of you remember from our roadmap post last year, we decided to switch to UE5. Sustaining our own tech became, sadly, too much for a small team like ours. With UE5 came both challenges and massive opportunities for growth.

We needed a project that would let us get proficient with the new tech before focusing full-time on Book of Aliens. And since we already had all those ideas that didn't make it into Hellcard... This was the obvious choice.

First of all, we wanted 4-player co-op. This is something the game has to be balanced for from the get-go; while we could have "shoehorned" it into the first game, it would have been a poor experience. And we don't like making shoddy stuff. So that's the first big one: Hellcard II will support four-player co-op!

When making the first Hellcard 1, we assumed that controlling the whole party while playing single-player would be overwhelming and that no one would like it. Welp, we were wrong ːarchduckː. Gradually, we added ways to manage AI companion decks, but giving full control in our old engine and UI system was complex and destined to be clunky.

Hellcard II is designed from the ground up to have 4 heroes in the party. When playing solo, you will have full control over each character. What's more, when playing co-op with fewer than 4 players, players get to control more than one hero. It's always four.

Title says it all. Our engine was 2D, and we had to go to great lengths to fake some effects and make the game look good. While we are still learning, Hellcard II already looks much better than the first installment. Suffice to say, we can have the action take place in an actual pop-up book with pages flipping and everything!

This, of course, comes with trade-offs. Modern 3D renderers will never be as lightweight or as fast as our purpose-built 2D engine, but we strive to keep hardware requirements as low as possible.

The first Hellcard was quick and fun, with battles telling the story. But we always envisioned a "cozier" atmosphere, not unlike a tabletop RPG session with friends. Most of this had to be cut originally due to time, budget, and tech constraints.

This time, we can do it and lean into the dungeon-crawling-with-friends aspect. There will be events with choices for party members. You'll have to decide: put the team before personal needs, or do quite the opposite? A larger story will also unfold slowly across multiple runs.

Unlocking new cards and artifacts is fun, but it doesn't always convey a sense of character growth. Same with cosmetics - Hellcard outfits did a great job, but you often asked about tying them to specific artifacts. All this stuff couldn't be done in Hellcard, as it would flip the table and become a different game. It can be done in Hellcard II, though.

In Hellcard II, achievements truly matter. For heroic feats, you will earn specific gear that you can equip in future runs, altering your hero's look, base mechanics, and starting decks.

Enjoying fiery havoc? Probably best to take the Brimstone Mace and start the game with fire-based cards while looking the part ːarchduckː

The list of stuff we can do now is much longer. I will make sure to cover it all in future posts. For more info, check out (and, hopefully, wishlist) Hellcard II:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3106270/HELLCARD_II/

As Always,
Stay Safe in Paper Dungeons ːarchduckːKonstanty

This small update focuses on adding oft requested modding functionality.

Full changelog:

Version 1.1.260203 - 3 Feb 2026

• Mod Support: Fixed SetCounter function execution order for influences created via AngelScript

• Mod Support: Fixed InitCharacterHitController function signature in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added DrawCards function to AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added possibility to iterate through m_Targets from BCCGCardContext in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added possibility to iterate through characters in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added possibility to iterate through Cards on specified CardPiles in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to CardType in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to character DetailedIncomingDamage in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to character IncomingDamage in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to character Block in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to character HP in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to character MaxHP in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to character Mana in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to character Gemstones in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to monster HP in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to monster MaxHP in AngelScript

• Mod Support: Added access to monster Block in AngelScript

As Always,
Stay Safe in Paper Dungeons ːarchduckː

Konstanty

Hi Everyone!

As you surely noticed strange things were afoot at Hellcard this week.

We had a Free Weekend type of sale scheduled for the next week but it glitched in the backend and started early. This led to a confusing window where the free to play and the discount periods weren't quite in sync, followed by the event ending abruptly when the error was discovered and corrected by Steam.

I'm sorry about the commotion, I know some of you already made time to play with friends and others were planning on jumping on board with that sale.

The silver lining is that the actual sale is still happening. It will be 70% off and will kick off at 10 AM Pacific Time (which is 7 PM for us in Europe) on 4th Feb. It will be accompanied by a free to play period which should start at the same time and last 5 days.

As Always,
Stay Safe in the Paper Dungeons ːpaperheartː

Konstanty

Finally, Hellcard is launching right this moment on PS4, PS5, Xbox, and Switch. I know most of you already play it on Steam, but if you have friends who are console-first? Now is the time to let them know ːArchduckː Or if you would like to play on the go with Switch.

The console version includes all the content from Steam along with Bruja. The only stuff missing is the mod support, for obvious reasons ːarchduckː

Stay safe in paper dungeons,

Konstanty

Version 1.1.250807 - 7 Aug 2025

• Fixed Modding Tools not launching for users with non-Latin characters in their system paths

• Fixed angelscript registers for Card Context in Modding Tools

• Improved property descriptions in Modding Tools for increased clarity

As Tinkerer would put it, it's time for the community to control the means of production ːarchduckː

We present you with mod support for Hellcard. This includes our toolset along with documentation and a sample mod, The Hexer, available in the Steam Workshop.

Hellcard was developed on our in-house engine called CUG. This means it features unique editors and workflows. And unique bugs. We tried documenting the process as much as possible, but there is a non-zero chance you will stumble upon weird behaviour.

As far as the support goes, please keep in mind that we have since moved with development to UE5. This means that while we will gladly fix any issues in CUG editors that might block you from creating your content, we won't be able to polish all the roughness out of them.

• Cards (that use preexisting mechanics with new logic).

• Classes.

• Outfits.

• Enemies.

• Arenas.

• Torment modifiers.

• Artifacts.

• Influences.

• Locations.

• Particle effects.

What can't be modded in? Completely new mechanics, unless they can be scripted in. This is because mechanics are coded in C++, and we couldn't find a feasible way to expose them to modding stably and securely.

This is the first mod for Hellcard. While it was created as a proof of concept and a starting point for modders, it also offers a playable class along with a hefty number of new cards, artifacts, and monsters. While it contains a playable new class, it also reuses some content from the base game to show how new content can be modded in.

Training from early childhood, honing his body for combat with potions like blacksmith hones a blade with a whetstone, when asked for the purpose of this lifelong perseverance, the Hexer has only one answer:
"Well, monsters ain't gonna kill themselves."

Itemized contents

• New Character Class: Hexer.

• Character Look for Hexer.

• 32 new Cards.

• 3 new Artifacts.

• New Location.

• New Monster.

• New Emoticons.

In order to play modded Hellcard in co-op, you will have to ensure that other players have the same set of modes active and use direct invites to create a party. Public matchmaking is disabled for modded versions of the game.

Runs played with mods enabled won't qualify for achievements or leaderboards. Some mods could either make selected achievements super easy or impossible to complete, breaking the experience.

I thought you would never ask. Modding tools are available as a free DLC. Once subscribed to, it will add an option to start modding tools directly from the Steam Library. You can find it here:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3039290/HELLCARD__Modding_Tools/

Full documentation, along with guides, sources, and assets for tools (and this mod) can be found here[github.com].

We are also available in the Steam community on our modding subforum.

Lastly, but by no means least, thanks to our amazing community translators, we are adding Ukrainian support to the game.

As always,
Stay safe in the paper dungeons ːarchduckː

Konstanty

• Disabled the anonymous data collection system, which occasionally caused crashes

• New monster family: Gargoyles with their unique mechanics. You can encounter them in Torment games and Endless mode after the 13th floor
  
• Mage Frostmancer outfit is now unlockable!
  
• Bruja Folk Healer outfit is now Legendary (was Rare)
  
• Removed subsequential warning messages when skipping Endless modifiers
  
• Fixed multiple Jack traps sometimes breaking the stun
  
• Fixed Vendetta not granting other players bonus damage in multiplayer
  
• Fixed crash when entering a friend's Endless or Torment lobby without having that Torment unlocked
  
• Fixed Double-edged Sword self-damage being affected by certain damage-increasing influences
  
• Balance: Adjourn - changed increasing Reckoning from 150% to 50%
  
• Balance: Atone - changed from reducing Reckoning to 50% to gaining Block equal to 50% Reckoning
  
• Balance: Atone - removed Strain effect
  
• Balance: Bargaining - cost reduced to 1. Mana gain reduced to 1
  
• Balance: Cabrit sans Cor - damage reduced to 3 and Reckoning gain increased to 6
  
• Balance: Channel Wrath - changed damage from 100% to 50% of Reckoning, mana cost set to 1
  
• Balance: Choir of Agony - strength reduction for damaged monsters is no longer dependent on killing the target monster
  
• Balance: Corrupt Offering - changed increase in Reckoning from 50% to 150%
  
• Balance: Curry Favor - cost reduced to 1. Exhaust replaced with Strain. Mana gain reduced to 2
  
• Balance: Double Cut - increased extra damage to +5, changed HP level threshold to 60%
  
• Balance: Echoing Whimper - added strength reduction for damaged monsters effect
  
• Balance: Embrace Ire - set to draw 2 cards and 2 mana per 10 Reckoning for 2 mana with strain
  
• Balance: Haruspicy - removed mana gain effect, now it gives only cards
  
• Balance: Ill Intent - increased cost from 1 to 2
  
• Balance: Ill Intent - reckoning gain increased to 10
  
• Balance: Malfeasance - changed radius from large to medium, mana cost set to 0
  
• Balance: Mind Fracture - reckoning gain increased to 15
  
• Balance: Patience - changed from reducing Reckoning to 75% to gaining Block equal to 75% Reckoning
  
• Balance: Patience - changed Reckoning reduction from 50% to 75%
  
• Balance: Repent - changed cost from 1 to 0, changed Reckoning reduction from 15 to 30
  
• Balance: Seeping Wound - increased extra damage to +10, changed HP level threshold to 40%
  
• Balance: Sinister Chant - damage set to 20 (previously 25)
  
• Balance: Soul Swap - cost reduced from 2 to 1
  
• Balance: Thousand Cuts - completely new effect to distinguish it from Reap Rewards. It deals 2 damage to a random monster repeated the number of times equal to HP lost
  
• Balance: Veer Anger - changed radius from medium to small, mana cost set to 1, removed Strain
  
• Balance: Backpack Ballista - increased radius to large
  
• Balance: Brilliance - reduced cost to 3
  
• Balance: Brilliance - reduced the cost to play to 3 screws
  
• Balance: Changed additional effect cost from 1 core to having any cost requirement
  
• Balance: Chill - Reduced the cost to 1 Screw
  
• Balance: Clippings - Added "Gain 1 Screw." effect, changed added cards destination from draw pile to discard pile
  
• Balance: Cold Fusion - Reduced the cost to 1 Screw
  
• Balance: Compact Catapult - increased radius to medium
  
• Balance: Cookie - Changed from "If you use 1 Core, gain 1 mana and draw 1 card" to "If you have any Cores, draw 1 card."
  
• Balance: Core Dump - reduced increased damage cost to 2 Cores. Changed Exhaust to Strain
  
• Balance: Eureka!, Idea, Magnum Opus - set the cost of all these cards in the chain to 2 and
  
• Balance: Exponentiation - changed the cost to 0 mana
  
• Balance: Feathertouch - reduced the cost to 1 Screw
  
• Balance: Field Flux - Removed strain when having cores already
  
• Balance: Fire Sprinkler - clarified description to At the end of monsters' turn, deal 2 unblockable damage in a long medium cone towards the nearest monster per stack. Use a single Core to increase the damage to 4
  
• Balance: Force Multiplier - reduced the cost to 2 Screws, increased damage to 6
  
• Balance: Grid Srike - reduced the cost to 1 mana
  
• Balance: Home Alone - reduced the cost to 1 Screw, increased damage to 4
  
• Balance: Overpressure - changed the card to be in line with other cards using cores for stronger effects. Reworded the description to "At the end of the monsters' turn, deal 8 unblockable damage in a long medium cone towards the nearest monster per stack. Use a single Core in total to increase the damage to 10."
  
• Balance: Quantum Flow - Removed strain when having 2 or more cores already
  
• Balance: Redox Reaction - clarified description to At the end of monsters' turn, deal 4 unblockable damage in a long medium cone towards the nearest monster per stack. Use a single Core to increase the damage to 6
  
• Balance: Science! - Removed card discarding effect
  
• Balance: Solidarity - changed the card to be in line with other cards requiring possession of cores for stronger effects. Reworded the description to "Attack cards of every hero deal +3 damage, if you have any Cores, make it +4 damage."
  
• Balance: Spider Gun - reworded the description to "At the end of monsters' turn, use 1 Screw per stack to deal 15 damage to 3 nearest monsters."
  
• Balance: Stable Influx - Removed strain when having 2 or more cores already. Changed from gaining 1 core and giving 2 mana to gaining 2 cores and giving 1 mana
  
• Balance: Tabletop Trebuchet - increased radius to medium
  
• Balance: Tough Tabard - changed the card to be in line with other cards using cores for stronger effects. Reworded the description to "At the start of your turn, gain 5 block per stack, Use a single Core to make it 20."
  
• Balance: Trapper Delight - reduced the cost to 1 mana
  
• Balance: Unionize - changed the card to be in line with other cards requiring possession of cores for stronger effects. reworded the description to "Attack cards of every hero deal +1 damage, if you have any Cores, make it +2 damage."
  
• Balance: Mechamimic - removed strain
  
• Balance: Lathe and Cookie Cutter swapped their rarity status (Lathe is now rare, Cookie Cutter is now Legendary)
  
• Balance: Hex - increased Reckoning gain to 5
  
• Balance: Chanelling Wrath - removed Strain
  
• Balance: Spring Blade - reduced the cost to 0 Mana
  
• Balance: Junk Trap - increased Screws gain to 2
  
• Balance: Magnet Trap - reduced the cost to 1 Screw
  
• Balance: Acid Trap - reduced the cost to 1 Screw
  
• Balance: Jack Trap - reduced the cost to 1 Screw
  
• Balance: Tripwire Trap - now Marks a random monster in the section instead of marking monsters entering the section
  
• Balance: Paint Trap - now Marks a random monster in the section instead of marking monsters entering the section
  
• Almanac Completion now shows counters based on DLCs owned by the player
  
• Almanac Completion now shows a basic Warrior outfit