A major update to The Book of Plagues!

Steam Next Fest helped me identify the project's weaknesses, which is important.

First of all, a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to try out The Book of Plagues and share their impressions! Special respect to those who, despite the flaws, believed in the game and added it to their wishlist. You are the BEST!

The feedback from players has been invaluable: now I can clearly see which direction to move in. Special thanks to those who pointed out specific problems — your criticism has prompted important decisions.

And today I want to talk about the main Achilles' heel of the project — the graphics.

I know that the use of neural networks is controversial for many. Yes, it's not a “magic pill,” and I understand its limitations perfectly well. I myself started drawing not so long ago, and my skills are not yet sufficient to cover all the artistic needs of the game on my own.

But I am learning — correcting color, light, composition, and I can already see progress. Neural networks help with this: you could say we are learning from each other.

So, point by point:

New art style:

The game has been completely redesigned in the spirit of dark medieval woodcuts — now the world of The Book of Plagues looks as if it were carved on wood. But the recognizable combination of black, white, and red is still there.

Characters:

All characters have received:

-Revised proportions and poses,

-Deep, natural shadows and colors,

-Details free of artifacts (no “neural network scars”!).

An environment:

The infirmary has retained its eerie atmosphere, but has acquired a unique style — no more random “artifacts,” only deliberate gloom.

Interface:

All UI elements are somewhat reminiscent of medical records — as if you were leafing through the diary of a medieval doctor.

News newspaper:

The updated newspaper now features woodcut illustrations so that players can “enjoy” the consequences of their medical practice in a truly historical style.

Raven Bane:

The crowd favorite has left his cage and now sits on his master's shoulder. But his dark jokes and sarcasm are still there — he chatters away as before.

Result: In the full version, 32 patients received a visual upgrade (8 in the demo). Each now looks as if they were taken from a medieval chronicle.

I continue to actively work on the game and will share news as development progresses. If you care about The Book of Plagues, please support me on your favorite social networks and share your opinions and ideas. I'm always happy to chat))

Thank you for staying with me. There's a lot of work ahead, but with your support, everything will work out!