Hello!

Another day another huge update for Phantom of the Grove! After gathering feedback and refining key mechanics, Alpha v2 is now live with tons of improvements, fixes, and new content. If you’ve been following our progress for Pirate Software Game Jam 16, now’s the perfect time to jump back in and try the latest version.

What’s New in Alpha v2?

Gameplay & Mechanics

• 🟢 Increased Possession Hitboxes – Based on feedback that the Drogs were too tiny to click on a big screen, we've considerably increased the size of the hitboxes for the possession mechanic. Now you can click anywhere near a Drog to take control.
• 🌳 Aya Tree Defense System – The final tree now has a root system with multiple layers of defenses. Enemies must breach them before reaching the heart of the tree.
• 🎶 New Dynamic Music & SFX – Enjoy background music during the day, which fades into frog croaking at night for immersive atmosphere.

Fixes & Improvements

• 🔧 Fixed Clipping Issues – No more weird visuals behind trees.
•  🌊 Guards Now Drown Correctly – They’ll now display the proper animation when taking an unexpected swim.
• 👀 Fixed Invisible Water Patch – Invisible water is now no longer wet.
• 🌑 Dead Drogs Now Darker – Visually distinguish fallen enemies from the living.
• 🖥️ Fixed UI Alignment in Fullscreen – The interface now displays properly.
• 👮 Idle Guards Positioned Further Back – They won’t awkwardly hover near the tree anymore.

New Screens & Polish

• 🏆 Game Now Ends After Wave 10 – Survive all 10 waves to claim victory!
• 📺 Game Over & Victory Screens – Proper endings for both success and failure.
• 📜 New Instructions Screen – Includes multiple screenshots and explanations to help new players get started.
• 🎬 Main Menu & Logo Intro – Every good game needs one, eh?

New Drog Animations!

• 💀 Pickup & Throw Animations – Drogs now look more natural when interacting with objects and attacking.

Try It Out & Let Us Know!

With these updates, we’re getting closer to a polished version of the game, and we’d love to hear your thoughts! Does the Aya tree defense add an extra layer of strategy? Are the instructions clear and easy to follow? Are the controls more manageable with larger hitboxes? Let us know in the comments!

🔗 https://survansix.itch.io/phantom-of-the-grove

Thanks for your support, and may the forest’s wrath continue to grow! 🌲🔥👻