Time to Dive Back Into MENACE: Developers Announce Complete Overhaul of Progression System
The development team behind MENACE has announced what they describe as the most significant update since the game entered early access. This massive overhaul promises to fundamentally reshape how players progress through the tactical experience, with the developers going so far as to strongly recommend that all players start fresh campaigns once the patch goes live. The announcement has sent ripples through the game’s dedicated community, sparking both excitement and curiosity about what changes lie ahead.
At the heart of this update is a complete redesign of the OCI points system, which serves as the primary progression mechanic in MENACE. Upon installation of the new patch, all players will have their previously spent OCI points fully refunded, giving everyone a clean slate to work with under the new framework. This decision reflects the magnitude of the changes being implemented – the modifications are so extensive that the developers believe attempting to adapt existing saves to the new system would result in a suboptimal experience for returning players.
MENACE has been building a loyal following since its early access launch, carving out a niche in the competitive tactical gaming space. The game combines elements of strategic planning with real-time decision-making, requiring players to carefully manage resources and develop their capabilities over time. The OCI system has been central to this experience, allowing players to unlock new abilities, enhance existing ones, and customize their approach to the game’s challenges. However, community feedback has consistently pointed to areas where the progression felt unbalanced or limiting.
Early access development has become an increasingly common approach in the gaming industry, allowing studios to gather real-world player data and feedback while still actively developing their titles. This model has produced notable successes, with games like Hades, Valheim, and Baldur’s Gate 3 all benefiting from extended early access periods that helped shape their final forms. For MENACE, this update represents exactly the kind of fundamental improvement that the early access model is designed to facilitate – changes that might be too disruptive for a fully released game but are expected and even welcomed during development.
The recommendation to start a new campaign rather than continue with existing saves speaks to the depth of the changes being implemented. While some players may be reluctant to abandon progress they’ve already made, the developers’ insistence suggests that the new progression system offers a significantly different experience that wouldn’t translate well to characters built under the old rules. This approach mirrors similar decisions made by other early access titles when implementing major system overhauls – Baldur’s Gate 3, for instance, required save resets during several of its major early access updates.
Community reaction to the announcement has been largely positive, with many players expressing enthusiasm about revisiting the game with fresh eyes and a revamped system. The tactical gaming community tends to appreciate when developers take bold steps to improve core mechanics rather than simply adding surface-level content. Forums and social media discussions have been filled with speculation about what specific changes the OCI system overhaul might bring, with players sharing wishlists and predictions based on their experiences with the current iteration.
For those who have been waiting for the right moment to jump into MENACE, this update may represent the perfect opportunity. Starting alongside returning players who are also beginning fresh campaigns creates a level playing field, and experiencing the game with its most refined progression system ensures newcomers will see the developers’ improved vision for the experience. As MENACE continues its journey through early access toward eventual full release, this update marks a significant milestone in its evolution – one that demonstrates the team’s commitment to getting the core gameplay experience right, even when that means asking players to embrace substantial changes.
