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The Black Pool
In the forest outside of town, four friends discover a mysterious black pool that transports them to an unknown world. To fight their way home, they must unlock and master supernatural abilities. Play cooperative or solo in this high-paced action game of skill that varies each session.
All Reviews:
Positive (27) - 81% of the 27 user reviews for this game are positive.
Release Date:
Aug 29, 2023
Developer:
Publisher:
Smug Marmot Studios

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Features
Languages:
Interface Full Audio Subtitles
English ✔ ✔ ✔
Includes 41 Steam Achievements
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all 41

Early Access Game

Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it develops.

Note: This Early Access game is not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“We are striving to make the ultimate skill-based and co-op roguelike. Early Access is the next step on this journey. Getting players in the game and providing feedback on existing functionality, as well as new features to be implemented, is critical to pushing the game to the next level. Prior to Early Access, we have been running in a closed beta with two dozen players, as well as running an open beta for one week that had over 1400 players. We are ready for the volume of feedback and suggestions that can only be achieved through Early Access.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“It is challenging to say— this is largely dependent on the community's feedback. The ultimate release goal is to have the game feeling like it is full and complete, where we would still continue to develop additional content and functionality. Update: Based on Early Access progress, we are targeting full release Summer of 2024.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“While the core game is developed, and playable start to finish, there is much to add prior to release. The first primary focus is expanding on already developed core features. This means adding additional worlds, levels within worlds, enemies, bosses, upgrades, elemental schools and abilities, etc. While the end-game frameworks have been created, there is much to be added to reach the level of replayability we desire. The second focus is to add additional features to the game. This includes ideas such as ability augments, powerups dropped on enemy death, and new features suggested by the community.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Nearly all the planned base features of the game have been developed. Arrows below denote our progress since initial Early Access release. Currently, the game features:
  • The fully developed playthrough sequence, allowing the game to be played start to finish in both single player and multiplayer up to 4 players.
  • 8→10 unique worlds, 6→8 of which are utilized in the random portion of the playthrough sequence.
  • 29→45 unique levels which dynamically adjust based on procedural selection.
  • 7→8 different elemental schools (Fire, Light, Ice, Decay, Terra, Wind, Lightning, Void) consisting of 42→80 unique abilities.
  • 77→88 unique upgrades for the various abilities.
  • 12 upgradeable device powers which enhance player progression across playthrough attempts.
  • 31→44 unique enemies, including 8→11 unique multi-stage boss encounters.
  • Original musical score consisting of 6 dynamically arranged tracks which progress with the playthrough sequence, and 7 shuffled music tracks for the Temple hub world.
  • 2 multi-tier endgame challenge modes (3 options for each).
  • Recovery for disconnected/uncompleted playthrough sessions in both single and multiplayer.

Notable Post-Early Access development
  • Addition of in-playthrough Flux collectible system and redeemable upgrades, with 6 unique Flux events.
  • Enhanced new player experience with informational popups and curated starting sequences
”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“There will possibly be a one time price increase upon release.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“Discord is our primary mechanism to interact with our game community. We use our Discord server to gather feedback, post polls, and have general discussions on new and upcoming game features.”
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JOIN OUR DISCORD

Help us build the ultimate skill-based and co-op roguelike! If you have ideas, questions, feedback, or just want to say hi, please join our our Discord server.

About This Game


The Black Pool has taken you to a remote and unknown galactic system. Make your way across a number of diverse and randomized worlds to try and make it back home.

Throughout your journey, you will learn to master supernatural elemental abilities. Carefully select powers from a large pool of possibilities, complimenting existing abilities and those of your friends. Strategically upgrade these abilities to maximize your potential. There are thousands of possibilities, can you become powerful enough to face what lies ahead?


The Black Pool is a 3d action roguelike to be played solo or preferably with up to 3 of your friends. Each attempt to make it back home will take you through a gauntlet of different worlds. You will discover different elements, abilities, and upgrades. Striking visuals, an electrifying soundtrack, and high pace / skilled action will plunge you into each attempt to battle your way out.

THE JOURNEY HOME

In each attempt to return home, you will traverse across a random sequence of highly diverse worlds. Throughout the journey, you will unlock supernatural abilities from randomly selected sets of elements, and upgrade these selected abilities from a set of randomly offered options. This procedural sequence of worlds and offerings of abilities and upgrades yields a highly replayable roguelike sequence. Each playthrough presents a randomized set of choices that ensures that every session is completely unique. Committing to decisions and improvising an effective build is core to the game.

IMPROVE WITH EACH ATTEMPT

With each attempt you will learn how enemies behave and what their weaknesses are. You will learn how each of these supernatural abilities work and synergistic ways to use abilities together. In addition, you unlock enhancements that are permanent and persist across playthrough attempts.


BRING A FRIEND

While you can try and make it on your own, it may be more fun to bring a friend or three. The Black Pool has been designed to maximize the cooperative multiplayer experience. Many of the abilities contain game mechanics that deliver fun and rewarding interactions between players. Redirect friendly attacks, amplify team spells, coordinate stuns and team buffs, create barriers, and much more. In The Black Pool, co-op play can be much more than simply playing the same game together— you are rewarded for actually working together to be successful.

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • OS: Windows 10
    • Processor: Intel Core i5-7600 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600
    • Memory: 8 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1050 or AMD RX 560
    • Storage: 21 GB available space
    Recommended:
    • OS: Windows 10
    • Processor: Intel i5-10600k / AMD R5 3600
    • Memory: 16 GB RAM
    • Graphics: GeForce RTX 3060 or Radeon RX 6600
    • Storage: 21 GB available space
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What Curators Say

6 Curators have reviewed this product. Click here to see them.

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