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As development of ‘flop’ winds down.
Image credit: Harebrained Schemes/Paradox Interactive
The Lamplighters League might have officially flopped according to publisher Paradox Interactive, but that hasn’t stopped developer Harebrained Schemes from making improvements to the pulp strategy adventure since its arrival – and its latest free update is perhaps its biggest yet, adding a new playable character and a new Events system.
The Lamplighters League, which launched to a mixed reception back in October, blends tactical turn-based action and real-time stealth in a globe-trotting adventure inspired by the classic pulp stories of the 1930s, putting players in control of a disparate group of rogues as they attempt to thwart an occult-obsessed cabal known as the Banished Court.
And as of today, with the launch of The Lamplighters League’s 1.3 update, the number of available playable rogues has swelled by one thanks to the arrival of Isaac Greymoor. Described as a “hot-headed, lead-slinging mercenary who wields a deadly light machine gun to devastating effect”, Isaac is the son of former Lamplighters League leader Lord Greymoor.
Despite slotting into the melee-focused Bruiser category of characters, Isaac is armed with a light machine gun that spits out a hail of bullets and generates Heat – plus additional damage – as it fires. However, the more Isaac lets rip, the greater his chance of Overheating, and if that happens, he’ll start to take damage himself.
After installing the free Isaac DLC – which, it’s worth noting, must be downloaded from your storefront of choice seperately from today’s 1.3 update – Isaac will become available via the next Agent Recruitment mission you find. He can also be selected as one of a player’s four starting Agents when beginning a custom game.
Elsewhere, The Lamplighters League’s 1.3 update introduces a new Events system that comes into play after a mission, when reviewing Activity on the World Map. Most in-game weeks, players will recieve a Fate Event, offering up a mini-story highlighting the League’s adventures outside of Missions and Expeditions. Each one includes a choice on how to resolve the event, determining the reward players receive to help them on their quest against the Banished Court.
Occasionally, however, players will encounter House Events, which are different from Fate Events in that they usually cost resources to be resolved. Doing so provides an opportunity to slightly sway the balance of power between the three Banished Court houses – but opting to do nothing will see them gain a little ground instead. And rounding out today’s 1.3 update are a range of bug fixes as detailed in Harebrained’s patch notes.
It’s unclear how many further updates The Lamplighters League will receive after today’s release before development officially comes to an end; Paradox announced it was parting ways with Harebrained back in October, shortly after admitting the game was a commercial failure, and said the studio would only continue to support The Lamplighters League until the end of 2023.
For my part, I thought The Lamplighters League was a deeply uneven experience when I looked at it for Eurogamer earlier this year; at its best, it’s a “sublimely atmospheric, richly rewarding tactical adventure” – as I wrote in my 3 out of 5 review – but it’s too often let down by bland maps, uninspiring mission objectives, and woefully underdeveloped real-time stealth. Still, I enjoyed it a lot in the moments it found its groove, and I’ve been eager to return following a raft of updates to see just how things have improved.
