Hi, Ells&Pills is here!

This update includes the following changes:

• The Polish localization of the game and store page has been updated.
  A huge thank you to the translator, Mateusz 'StanleyNovak' Szymański!
  
  
• ∞ difficulty: checkpoints have been added to the level, so instead of restarting the entire level you can now warp to the nearest checkpoint close to where you fell.
  Same as before — hold R to warp; a full level restart is still available through the menu button.
  
  
• Further polished the difficulty-select screen.
  All mode names have been rewritten and a new hint now clarifies the difference between settings.
  
  
• HARD difficulty has been removed. I’ll try to explain the reasons for these changes below.

The latest Steam discussion got me thinking about all these "difficulty levels" and what they really mean in their current form.

Originally, before the game even came out, we had no plans for any difficulty levels at all. They were only added later, trying to find some balance and make the game accessible to more people, since the controls take a bit of getting used to before you can really enjoy racing down the ramps. Basically, it was always about making the first steps easier — apart from that, there's no real difference.

That’s why in the last update I turned off UNREAL, and today HARD is gone too. It might come back later in some new form, but no promises. For now the game is stripped of anything extra and there’s zero confusion: you’ve got the regular game in its original, settled state; the same thing tuned for a “peaceful” run; and a “practice” mode with no timer and no Steam features (and without the constant ticking in your ear, ha!).

Player Mute_Jack also suggested an easy mode with 15 minutes on the timer instead of 10. Adding that would be trivial, but slapping on extra minutes feels like a lazy fix, so I’m handling the whole time-pressure thing a different way in the next update.

Best Regards,
Ells&Pills

Hi, Ells&Pills is here!

Recently in the Steam Community we had a useful discussion about how scary the game is. On the one hand (personal opinion, of course), the game has literally one and a half truly scary moments that can frighten because of their suddenness. On the other hand, we’re all different people with our own quirks and life experiences. Plus, far from all players like scary games. So, charged up by that feedback, we decided to make the game a little better and more accessible.

This update includes the following changes:

• The difficulty-select screen has been reworked. Instead of the old three tiers (NORMAL/HARD/UNREAL), the game now offers four: EASY (no timer), NORMAL(no enemies), NORMAL, HARD.
  
  
• EASY (∞) difficulty lets you play with the timer disabled — no rush. Achievements are disabled on this difficulty so the game’s challenges remain meaningful.
  
  Last summer and autumn we received feedback asking for a mode like this, but we hadn’t added it until now. A strict timer can be frustrating and stressful, that’s true, but it’s also part of the game’s identity. The content was designed for a 10–20 minute session; the entire experience is built around that pace. Still, some players may want to explore the location at their own speed, get comfortable with the controls, and then try the higher difficulties. Now you can.
  
  
• NORMAL (☺) difficulty lets you play with no enemies at all — basically a “peaceful” mode. You can still earn every achievement and appear on the leaderboards.
  
  We added this for people who don’t play horror titles and don’t like jump-scares or being chased.
  The experience is a touch easier than the original vision, but it’s still an honest game and reaching the finale remains no cakewalk.
  
  
• UNREAL difficulty is disabled (it no longer makes sense). NORMAL and HARD difficulties remain unchanged.
  
  Also, in the two previous news posts I forgot to mention something. If you happen to like our game, it doesn't have a translation into your native language, and you'd be happy to see one added, we have a prepared document with all the in-game text that needs translating: Google Drive[docs.google.com]
  
  Best Regards,
  Ells&Pills