Hey everyone. This big update introduces environment weapons, along with a level strike system and overall improvements to the whole game. Sew Lovely's combat has evolved :) 

introducing environmental items 

Four new toys to elevate the combat. Environmental items can be sewn or thrown for multiple interactions. The intent with these are to create more player opportunities and make you rely less on your main  sewing mechanic for defeating enemies.  

Glitter Bomb, textile explosive barrel

Sew it to blow up your enemies for 3 damage or throw it to make it explode on impact with walls or the enemy. Enemies can even trigger the explosion by attacking the bomb...such as enemies charging into it to commit sewicide

Pommel, fluff juggernaut 

Throw pommel to make it bounce around the map, trampling any enemy or player thread in it's path. You can also sew it up to unlock a spikes power up that lets you leave a trail of spikes wherever you sew to control the map

Button Skulls...its getting real dark

When you defeat a button you can now throw their corpse at enemies, like a projectile, for 2 damage! you can also sew the skull up for bonus time. Enemies can also throw the skull when they move over it which can hit you!

Throw pillows to knock enemies out

Pillows are a non-lethal item. Throw them at enemies to put them to sleep or wait until an enemy moves onto it where they will fall asleep themselves. Sleeping enemies wont move or detect you. Pillows will also drop from Pins when they are defeated. Take them out first for a pillow advantage.

New Strike system

A lot of you were really committed to beating the game and reported that you would attempt a level 3-5 times to beat it. I commend that, and wanted to relax the rampant retries with this strike system. 

• Losing a level gives you a strike for that level
• Losing or winning on the third attempt of the level will unlock the next level, regardless of the outcome 
• Winning or passing via strikes will reset the strikes

This will help relax any difficult levels and allow you to keep progressing if you can persevere. You only need to attempt a level 3 times at most before passing it. This gif also shows off the new fail screen...red curtains close in to make it more distinct that you failed.

AI

• Baad now makes a baa sound when hit 
• Reduced Baad’s attack charge time by 20%
• Pin drops a pillow when it is defeated
  • Boo's and Pins are not affected by the pillow
• Button’s drop a Button Skull when defeated
• Thrown items will go through Boo. Another phantom middle finger to you! 
• Enemies now leave a decal on the floor when they are defeated. Such as Baad leaving a pile of fluff on the floor
• Knight will no longer regain it’s shield after hitting a wall, I was not keen on this. 

UI

• Pressing Esc while in a level will bring up the pause menu
• Curtain animation when you fail
• Added bookend buttons to help select levels. You can quickly scroll to the first level or your furthest unlocked level in one button.
• More camera shakes for feedback! the camera will now shake when:
  • You get hit
  • You sew into a wall (normal difficulty)
  • A glitter bomb blows up 
• The pink colour thread was very dark and has now been lightened with some other colours

Bugs

• Fixed the RGB effect for level 19 Raveyard
• Realized that beating any level would unlock the latest level. This has been fixed 
• Level will now remove PomBom’s missiles when opening a new level

Parting Notes

This update will hopefully make Sew Lovely feel more like a sandbox with creative ways to take out enemies. I am keeping the game's focus on sewing up enemies with the main mechanic, but to stomp out monotonous gameplay and ease the difficulty I find new mechanics like the environmental items great to elevate the game. 

With the new mechanics I have started presenting a new art style. The skull button looks HD and detailed for example. This is a step towards the game having a art overhaul with a new cosy style. I will be remaking the enemy art next update, making the game far more presentable. 

Thanks for reading :)

Rocket Simp