We have been working hard to formally add controller support and Steam Deck support for Bowmen. This game update includes many major changes to the game and UI that adds controller and Steam Deck support, however, there are still a few game bugs and kinks that need to be ironed out over the next few weeks. If you run into issues with this build, please let us know on the official Bowmen forums or here on Steam. Bugs will continue to be removed through minor patches as we find them. Once we feel we have ironed out all the bugs on the Deck, we will have the game reviewed by Valve so it can be Deck verified and provide another update. Until then, note that you may run into issues while playing on a Steam Deck.

What's New?: Release Candidate (RC) v0.1.6.5 from v0.1.6.4

Major Game/Gameplay Changes

• Controller support has been added to the game! In the coming months we will be testing various different controller types and Bowmen on the Steam Deck. Steam Deck support is currently limited, but we hope to iron out any remaining bugs before the winter quarter 2022/2023.
  
• Critical hits and melee attacks will now display damage numbers with a little sparkle animation to give it more flair.
  
• A magic guard ability has been added to the game, which can be activated with the D key or the left bumper. Magic guarding will reduce damage you receive from projectiles and is dependent upon how much fortitude your character has.
  
• A woodlands bear has been added to the game, which will periodically jump out of the forest to help you and attack enemies.
  
• The loading bar now has an outline design to make it pop a little more.
  
• Bombs from Skeleton Knight enemies now substantially increase their damage to the player if not detonated at a safe distance. This damage increase is more substantial on higher difficulties. In addition, other enemies receive less damage from bombs on higher difficulties.
  
• The Skeleton Mage now spawns on earlier waves if the player is playing on Hell or Inferno difficulty. Spawns are the same for lower difficulties.
  
• Projectile damage from the Fel Bats has been increased as a function of difficulty. Their accuracy is reduced on lower difficulties, and increased on higher difficulties.
  
• Gold has been added to the game, which can be used to purchase skins. Players accumulate gold for each minion they kill.
  
• A "low health" animation has been added to the game that plays when your character is below 10% of their maximum health.
  
• A few new sound effects have been added to the game, such as an equip sound effect when the player's skin is changed in the menu.

Item Changes

• The Battleaxe of Kings has been added to the game, which gives your melee slashes life steal.

GUI Changes

• Equip and activation icons have been added to items that drop or are visible within your toolbar.
  
• Game icons will automatically swap from keyboard to gamepad if a controller is detected by the game engine.
  
• The GUI Icons on Onslaught have been increased in size so that they are more easily visible on the Steam Deck.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue whereby the text showing the remaining time on the Mark of the Barbarian would not be positioned properly if the player also had a Spirit Golem and Piece of Balrog Heart active.
  
• Fixed an issue where damage would affect the player but sometimes not display the damage text if the player's health was low.
  
• Fixed an issue where Akash would sometimes not spawn the Wizard under very rare circumstances.
  
• Fixed a bug where the player could pause during the death animation.