Encased tells the story of a disastrous research project inside an anomalous zone - the Dome - built in the middle of a desert by an unknown civilization.

The events of the game happen under the Dome - an artificial construction of unknown origin that is shaped like a sheer half-sphere with a small aperture at the top. The Dome is indestructible. Technology, items, and relics can be extracted from it, but people who enter the Dome cannot leave. Beneath the earth, yet more mystery awaits, as the Dome is just the cap of an enormous complex hidden under the sands. Ancient underground labyrinths contain bountiful artifacts, weapons and artificial intelligence systems that control the whole complex… not to mention lethal traps and curious anomalies that guard these riches.

Research and exploration of the Dome are conducted by staff of the C.R.O.N.U.S. Foundation - an international corporation and a state-within-a-state. To the outside world, little is known about the inner workings of C.R.O.N.U.S. Those that sign up for a life within the Dome do not speak of their experiences, and those managing the Foundation from outside speak even less. Thanks to the bounty extracted from the Dome, C.R.O.N.U.S. have become powerful enough to hold sway over the leaders of the world. Now, the fate of the entire planet rests in the hands of the soldiers, businessmen, scientists and even criminals who comprise their ranks.

However, within the Dome, something is changing. Another power has arisen - something never faced by explorers before. As a direct result of actions performed by the expedition of the player’s character, an intelligent entity has awakened in the depths of the underground complex - an unstable AI nicknamed Maelstrom. Upon breaking loose, it will change the world under the Dome beyond recognition - all connection to the outside world is lost, and the denizens trapped within the Dome become desperate and split into warring factions.

Encased takes place in an open world consisting of more than 200 locations, with over 100 side-quests and 75 random events. During the main story, featuring 30+ hours of gameplay, players can choose to join one of the five main factions or remain neutral. The player’s every action, decision and criminal act will affect our hero’s reputation and the development of the plot.

Today Dark Crystal Games are pleased to present the second content patch for Encased. The world under the Dome was changed a lot. The game got day and night cycle, new locations, additional quests, characters and a mysterious companion with the fox mask.

We worked hard on an updated combat system, redesigned balance, added new weapons and weapon effects. Variability of the playthroughs was also increased thanks to new dialogue choices, an expanded skill system and additional encounters.

After the release of the December patch, we received a lot of feedback that made us rethink the game balance and how it feels. While developing the second patch, we tried to make Encased more stable, intuitive and friendly game that won't force you to restart your playthrough because of a "broken" character build or guess what you need to do in your new quest. We have also added tactical diversity to battles by implementing cover system and strategic points. We've also introduced grenades with an area of effect. Because of that, battles in Encased feel completely different.

RPG systems have been also changed a lot: skill trees (for example, "Psionics" and "Medicine") are starting to come to life. Abilities for certain types of weapons were added. There is no need to study them, they are weapon-related. That allows us to emphasize the difference between a pistol and a revolver. The outcome of the battle is also influenced by the time of day, the tendency of opponents to attack in packs or alone, and many other factors, which we will talk more about in one of our updates.

As avid RPG fans, we know that RPG is more than just a good combat system and a set of stats, skills and perks. RPGs are famous for a great atmosphere, and a lot of changes in Patch 2 are made with that in mind. Almost all locations have been reworked. We added a lot of new 3D models, worked with materials and light, making Concord look completely different from Magellan, and Magellan looks like no other bunker scattered across the desert. In addition to the bunkers, in the desert you will find separate dialog branches for a character with low intelligence (right now they are in a test mode, and present only in a few locations of the prologue!), new random encounters and a slightly revised storyline of the New Committee, preparing the player to meet with the other factions that will appear in the next patch.

Encased is now available through Early Access (Steam or GOG) for $29.99.

And now, a list of new content, fixes and improvements v0.17.415.1748

Menu and interface

• Reworked main menu scene;
• Reworked character creation scene;
• Reworked ability tooltips: now tooltip shows a formula for calculating skill values based on the character attributes;
• Enhanced inventory item tooltip;
• Minor interface changes;
• Updated character portraits;

Story and plot

• Expanded the main quest of Act I;
• Added more than 15 new lore notes;
• Changed intro voice-over and text;
• We’ve integrated dialogs for characters with only 1-2 points in Intellect (partially, in test mode!);

Characters and enemies

• Smokers now have pipes, cigars and cigarettes;
• Fox now has her mask;
• Church adepts now have teleglasses;
• Added new enemy type: hyena;
• Added new enemy type: cyberhyena;
• Added new enemy type: toxic cockroach;
• Mutated rabbit enemy is now called Volper;

Companions

• Crump attributes were rebalanced;
• Yoko attributes were rebalanced;
• New recruitable character added — Fox;
• Fixed Crump recruitment dialog;

Equipment

• Rebalanced the grenade launcher;
• Grenade launcher now deals AOE damage;
• Added frag, stun, flash and incendiary grenades;
• Raven pistol was rebalanced, added additional variations of that weapon;
• Added APS pistol, added additional variations of that weapon;
• Changed Andromeda energy pistol attributes, added additional variations of that weapon;
• Added Boreas cryolaser gun, added additional variations of this weapon;
• Changed МС110 SMG attributes, added additional variations of this weapon;
• Added LPD-66 machine gun;
• Changed Horizon machine gun attributes;
• Changed Kamyshin machine gun attributes;
• Added Matilda revolver;

Technical changes

• Improved lighting on locations;
• Added “Fog of war”;
• Fixed location grid;
• Reworked leader tracking system;
• Reworked pathfinding system;
• Characters no longer stuck in doors;
• You can now switch places with companions;
• Reworked state machines;

Game mechanics

• Added day and night cycle;
• Some character act differently depending on the time of a day;
• Revolvers got Fast Hand unique ability;
• Pistols got Double Shot unique ability;
• SMGs got Stuff with Lead unique ability;
• Shotguns got Slam Fire unique ability;
• Rifles got Pinpoint Burst unique ability;
• Sniper rifles Sniper Shot unique ability;
• Pulverizers got Chemical Shower unique ability;
• Penetrators got Lodge unique ability;
• Emitters got Charged Shot unique ability;
• Added Marking Shot ability;
• Fixed how Laceration and other similar statuses work on turrets and other inanimate objects;
• Added additional level of hacking, stealing and lockpicking;
• Psi damage increases when player levels up and is linked to the Psycho attribute;
• Fixed Medicine skill tree abilities;
• Player reputation with a faction now affects the value of items while trading;
• Drops from opponents and containers now depend on the player’s level;
• Ability to deactivate traps was added;
• Added new status effects;
• Added new effects when you miss;
• Changed hit rate formulas;
• Changed evasion formula, added Evade attribute;
• System for calculating armor hits has been changed: an attack can now be completely blocked by the armor;
• Added Cool, Marathon Runner, Optimizer, Tactic, Jackal and Prowler perks;

Animations

• New animation for character in the main menu;
• Enemy animations: hyena;
• Fixed door animations;
• Fixed rifle holding animation;
• Small animation fixes;

Audio and music

• Added new music theme in the main menu;
• Fixed the sound of the character's steps on different surfaces;
• Added sound effects in most story vignettes;
• Added sound effects in some dialogs;

Visual effects

• Fixed burning fuel barrels;
• Updated smoke VFX;
• Updated gun shots;
• Added psy powers VFX;
• Frozen VFX;
• Gravitational Debuff VFX;
• On Fire VFX;
• Electricity Stun VFX;
• Blind VFX;
• Near Death VFX;
• Love Power VFX;
• Falling Shells VFX;
• Sphere Shining VFX;
• Ceiling Collapse VFX;
• Flickering Beacon VFX;
• Death of Holo Target VFX;
• Water in a Sink VFX;
• VFX to indicate the range of effect for anomalies;

Global map

• Fixed Birds on Branches encounter with illustrations;
• Added Blisters encounter;
• Added Broken Robot encounter with illustrations;
• Fixed bugs in combat random encounters: now players can face MOBIOS and fight hyenas and rats; players can also use Survival abilities now;
• Added Beggar encounter;
• Added Abandoned Armor encounter;
• Added Ingrown Human encounter with illustrations;
• Added Scream encounter with illustrations;
• Added Stains encounter;
• Fixed text in the Frank Talk encounter;
• Added Rusted Car encounter;
• Added Salt Marsh encounter;
• Small visual changes to the global map: different icons added to objects, cell exploration logic fixed;

Concord station locations

• Added Nelson Cunningham character (undertaker);
• Added Dennis Catch character (guard);
• Added Tuen Yun character (engineer-communicator);
• Added Darren Niles character (guard);
• Added vignettes with coffins;
• Added a vignette with a giant dead cockroach;
• Added a vignette with a cargo capsule in loading area 1;
• Added an ability to kick open the door in the cargo pod;
• Fixed dialogs with cargo capsule passengers;
• Fixed interaction point with video communication terminal;
• Completely remade dialog with Leticia Rivares, partially redesigned her AD;
• Fixed script errors in the dialog with Margarita Tkachenko;
• dialog with Andriy Mikhai was changed significantly;
• Fixed script errors in the dialog with Dean Reichet;
• Instruction quest can now be taken correctly, psyonics are also included in the quest now;
• “Concord” Station was redesigned, additional decorations and effects added;
• Added table model with holographic map;
• Added an opportunity to register Monty James in Orange Wing;

Roadside Picnic locations

• Added Inactive Brass Apple item;
• Added effect on the microlux stone;
• Added side quest to fix the turret;
• There are new options for completing the clash with bandits;
• Added consequences of completing the event at the Roadside Picnic Transfer Point;
• Added the ability to mine the bandits’ car;
• Added a short puzzle on the roof of the gas station;
• The gas station, cafe and both cellars are redone and additionally decorated;
• Picnic event reworked and fixed;
• Added Travis Brightman character (black market relic trader);
• Added Rabindranath Krishnaswami character (hippie);
• Added Swallow character (hippie);
• Aaron Melville dialog (refueling supervisor) is completely redone;
• Fixed anomalies and radioactive areas at the gas station;
• Fixed dialog with Clara Morgan (driver);

C-12 Nashville locations

• Nashville Parking location and Nashville station floors (and the cave itself) are reworked and decorated additionally;
• Nashville Residential Floor turrets position is fixed;
• Generator interaction fixed;
• Triskele relic event fixed;
• Vega Drinks vending machine interaction fixed (on station’s floor -1);
• Servoshell armor helmet material missing fixed;
• Minor fixes in Nashville station dialogs;
• Afflicted avatars created;
• Nashville station floor -3 attacking Afflicted vignette illustrated;
• Louise Dekker-Schulz character dialog significantly revised;
• Ronald Steele character dialog significantly revised;
• Nashville station Afflicted dialogs slightly fixed;

Junktown locations

• The main quest of the New Committee faction has been supplemented;
• Church sermon added;
• Fixed errors and inaccuracies in the quest log;
• Emulator Project location reworked and additionally decorated;
• Junktown location reworked and additionally decorated;
• Arena location reworked and additionally decorated;
• Added standings vignette illustrations;
• Added bets vignette illustrations;
• Added Arvydas Mazhulis character (doctor in the arena);
• Added Andy Vazquez character (viewer);
• Added Gail Summers character (viewer);
• Added Mikhail Belyaev character (viewer);
• Added Taylor Dunn character (ransomware guard);
• Added Thomas O’Connor character (guard);
• Added Thomas O’Connor character (guard);
• Added Jason Wormbeard character (guard);
• Added Lin Wang character (guard);
• Arena events fixed;
• Added Nina Orbelli character (deputy sheriff);
• Added Umar Hazred character (deputy sheriff);
• Added Oliver Kid character (suburban);
• Added Theresa Goddard character (resident of Carmine Heights);
• Added Sam Bossman character (city dweller);
• Added Barry Robinson character (pimp);
• Added Strange Cave location;
• Added Tarja Berger character;
• Added Trevor Penn character;
• Added Junktown Jail Basement location;
• Added Maelstrom Border Camp location;

Picnic neutral zone locations

• Added Galina Baskanova character;
• Added Peter Zinchuk character;
• Added Dora Paulson character;
• Added Albert Green character;
• Added Poisoned Water quest;
• Added swamp clearing quest;
• Added Abnormal Essence item;
• Added Well location;
• Added graveyard;

Magellan station locations

• All of the Magellan station inner locations completely redesigned;
• New loading screens the Magellan station inner locations created;
• Heat's Coming Up quest fixed;
• MINERVA Acting Up is a separate sidequest now.

Key Features:

• Combat: The combat mechanics of Encased are turn-based and battles have a wide variety of tactical options. The player will be able to target the enemy’s key fighters or the enemy’s support, exhaust the enemy, attack using the environment, use non-combat skills to weaken the foes, and more. In developing Encased’s combat system, we are guided by the following principles: battles should be brief, dynamic and complex, each one a tactical puzzle with multiple solutions.
• Role-Playing: Experienced players will quickly notice similarities with Fallout and other classic RPGs. This will let the player quickly figure out the role-playing system of the game without reading manuals or failing builds. Layered on top of the familiar, we add our own system of perks and skills, forcing the player to make a complicated and interesting choice every time they gain a new level.
• Maelstrom: The unstable AI Maelstrom is one of the unique features of the game. Maelstrom is intelligent, it can interact with the player and even fulfill their wishes (but everything comes at a price, of course). However, Maelstrom is more than just a character: it’s an enigmatic power that destroys the minds of intelligent beings. Its influence is especially potent within the center of the Dome, so wise players will stick near the borders in the beginning of the game. In addition to the above, Maelstrom affects the performance of some skills and perks.
• Crime System: When committing crimes against society, the player character receives various penalties and begins to accrue a reputation: from ‘Petty Thief’ to ‘Enemy of the State #1’ or even ‘Threat to Humanity.’ Crime begets punishment. The player character can be fined, imprisoned and even executed. There are options to bribe judges, organize a jailbreak or pass the trial in the ‘Labyrinth of Death’ (needless to say, surviving this is a challenge).
• Character Creation Prototype: Although the game isn’t ready to play yet, you can already take a sneak peek at character creation and make a lasting impact on the finished game in the process. Our character creation system includes choosing stats and making a biography for your character. Each and every character created in the Encased character creation prototype will be added to the records of the C.R.O.N.U.S database, leaving a permanent mark on the finished game. The best biographies will also be used as prototypes for C.R.O.N.U.S. employee NPCs.

Encased is in development for PC and will be available in 2020.