Feedback after my first closed beta play

Dwicktator · July 28, 2026, 8:28am

Im going to give my feedback, from the ~5h I played this closed beta(didn’t play the first, and on this I got invited in the last 2 days).
The overall feel of the game and the idea are solid, but there are some issues, that IMO make or break the game, so let’s discuss them.

GAME INTRODUCTION/TUTORIALS

The game’s introduction/tutorials should be required before you go into the specific mode, eg: for Spires you need to complete the 3 matches against bots, and it also needs to explain the different mechanics(enraged & healing) more clear. I just saw the bar under the HP during gameplay but I had no idea how to activate it and didn’t know that I/my team gets healed from a kill depending on damage(I just read it last night on the forum).
A small text pop-up above my character’s head(same for enemies) when they get them, eg:
ENRAGED / +300 HEALTH

HP/ARMOR BARS

The character you play needs to have the HP/ARMOR bar above his head or under its feet. I’ve read some dev/moderator answered that already, saying it would block the view, I don’t think it will, other games have it, you can do it also, at least give the option to players.
This is how BDO does it(and a lot of players have their Guild/Family name/Title also above, and there is no problem):

It doesn’t have to be big, just something. I cannot watch my hp/armor while fighting 2-3 players, check my team’s hp etc, same for the enraged effects, I am not looking down to check that and no one should.

DASH/DODGE

For me the dash/dodge feels a bit off, I don’t really know how to explain it, just feels flaty I guess ? The speed of the movement tied to the animation don’t match or something, I think a dodge roll would suit it better ? It might just be me though.

SPRINT

The sprint also feels something that can be completely removed and make the normal movement somewhere in between the current movement speed and the sprint speed. It just overcomplicates the game for almost meaningless bonus. Maybe make a consumable that gives you a bonus movespeed for a certain amount of time ?

Now, let’s get into specific gamemodes

SPIRES

The gaming world right now lacks or is very limited when it comes to 1v1/2v2/3v3 etc PvP(pure pvp, not talking about MOBAs), the only game that comes to mind right now where you can log in and just straight into a PvP match is Guild Wars 2, but that game is a lot more complex when it comes to abilities. Other than that, action combat, not shooters, PvP arena games are just not widely available, so you for sure have an audience there.
Now that being said, playing a 3v3 game, winning it on a class/character/build you chose/like, the reward you get is this: the class you just played will get handicapped the next match. Im not talking about strategies of playing the cheapest build, gathering money that carry over and then starting to play the build you want, although I still don’t know/think you can actually go all the next games on the same exact build.
Eg:
I won a spires game(im putting the stats because I cannot upload a second image):

damage dealt: 1018
major elim: 5
minor elim: 2
shared elim: 6
executes: 1
self healing: 246
healing given: 452
healing received: 97
revives: 0
empowered: 2
empowered time: 31
damage taken: 811
deaths: 0

The reward I got for this game was that I couldn’t play the same build the next.
This is like playing Counter Strike with a certain loadout, winning the round, and the reward for it next round is: HA ! You don’t get to play the same loadout. Its just idk…what exactly is the point of it ?
I would recommend letting players play the builds they want if they lose they stay base, if they win they can maybe upgrade 1-2 things, maybe unlock 1 more consumable etc. The players should be rewarded for winning, playing good on a build, not punished. Its an action combat PvP game mode, the fighting is the skill part, not managing scarce resources.
Mixing and matching weapons/skills also feels overwhelming and I get the make a unique build/playstyle, but I think just having the Eternals as playable builds/classes would be better, with upgrades to trinkets/consumables/spells/weapons being the “build crafting” aspect, the way it is right now, mixing and matching spells with weapons, losing the “ultimate” ability from when you transform, again, overcomplicates the game for really no reason.
Examples of spell upgrades(for idk, 500 coins(forgot the name of the currency):

Add 20% movemespeed slow
Add X bleed every 0.5 seconds
Reduce cast time by X seconds(1, 0.5…)
Makes target vulnerable

Examples of weapon upgrades:

Adds stacking attack speed
Every 3rd consecutive attack adds a bleed on target for X seconds
Every attack adds a stacking lifesteal/armor buff for X seconds

TLDR: Let players play whatever build they want, if they win, let them upgrade something and move on to the next floor, simplify a bit the “build crafting”, just leave the eternals as playable classes with upgrades to trinkets/consumables/spells/weapons.

Add different challenges to climbing, eg: Flawless run (no losses), Immortal run(no deaths), Legendary run(basic build, no upgrades) etc..give players something to aim for.

Ascension

I didn’t get to play too much because of the time it started, but the few games I played, it felt okish(actually more enjoyable then the current spires format), the only problem was landing spots, what I mean if multiple teams chose to land on you it was pretty unenjoyable to fight them straight away or try to run away, I know that’s a BR issue, but maybe add more interest points, with decent loot.

OVERALL(SPIRES/ASCENSION)

Additionally, like some other pots mentioned, the 1v2, 1v3 doesn’t really seem possible, again, I didn’t play that much but the few times I got in a 1v2/1v3 or in a 2v1/3v1 (us being 2-3 and the enemy alone), them trying to fight us or me trying to fight them always ended in the solo player insta dying. Which is fair(kind of) I don’t think you should win a 1v2 or 1v3 if the enemies also know what they are doing but I also think, especially in the Ascension mode, there should be a way to escape a 1v2/1v3(more thinking of 3rd parties). In that sense, im going to go back for inspiration to BDO(Black Desert Online), they have what is called an “emergency escape” - basically you press 1 button it makes you into an invisible/invulnerable ball for about 5 seconds, time in which you can reposition away from the fight. I think that would be a nice addition to the Ascension kit also, by default(you just get it as soon as you land) - 1 time use per floor. Maybe even in Spires, add it as a buyable trinket/activable.

Those are my 2 cents, if I think/remember something else, I will add another comment. Please do no take the things I said as facts or insults or anything malicious, all i’m trying to do is share my thoughts(and some of my friends concerns also) and what I would like/enjoy to see come to this game. Feel free to disagree/correct me if Im wrong in certain cases.

eduardotekken · July 28, 2026, 10:50am

I agree with quite a lot of what you said.

I think the point I agree with the most is the economy. I can understand wanting to add an economic layer to Spires and make it part of climbing the tower, but I do not think it feels good when, after winning with a particular build, the reward is making it harder to continue playing that same build.

In a PvP game, I think part of building an identity is learning how to play a particular character or playstyle properly. I do not think everything should be based entirely around reacting, adapting and going with whatever the game gives you. I think there should also be room for specialization.

Another important part of the economy is that I did not notice any way to earn more money based on how well you performed. Maybe there is one and I missed it, but I think playing well should give you some additional purchasing power. Getting three kills should probably not have exactly the same economic result as getting zero, and perhaps damage or other meaningful contributions could also be considered.

Counter-Strike might be a useful reference here. Its economy does not reward every aspect of individual performance, but players can earn additional money through kills and certain actions, while round results and loss bonuses also affect what they can buy. I think Arkheron’s economy could similarly reflect player performance to some extent and allow a limited amount of snowballing, although it would obviously need to be balanced carefully.

I also agree with what you said about Eternals being the core of the build, with upgrades that complement that class or playstyle.

Right now, items and playstyles feel mixed together in a way that does not fully convince me. I think I would prefer to choose an identity, such as an assassin, a poke-focused character or a bruiser, and then add build improvements or modifications on top of that.

I will let you mi feedback post if you want to comment or post ur opinion

Melitzana · July 28, 2026, 12:50pm

I feel like some kind of item restriction in spires is a necessary measure. As of now it’s not like in traditional MOBAs that you have a draft phase banning and counterpicking items/Eternals. You are going in blind same as your enemy. This will lead to metapicking the strongest items in general. If there will be robust MMR system with ranks, ladder and so on there will be a meta of the same few builds running into each other every game and this gets tedious after a while.

As for invidual items vs full Eternals I feel like crafting custom/shattered builds are way more fun than playing full Eternal and I’d say that transformations are too strong in general but I guess thats a deliberate choice with ascension mode in mind

Dreadlord_Fluff · July 28, 2026, 1:40pm

I agree with OP that the sprint could be removed entirely as an option and is the default. I understand walking is useful for being quiet, but the game at this point doesn’t seem to have enough moments that a player would use it.

For Spires, once I understood that the gear you used prior gets more expensive, I liked the mode more. If the intention is to have a “good” player know many build sets to “be the best” and not rely on the same loadout, then some blurb (text/audio) in the beginning saying something of the sort would help direct the player on their choices and the mode intention.

Also, a small hover tooltip or something near the econ at the top explaining what income you have next round would help folks with some choices. I didn’t quite understand if I could econ a round (not buy anything) to get plenty of currency to win the next.

SarchIsClutch · July 28, 2026, 1:48pm

I agree with you about the dash/dodge. It does feel like something isn’t quite right with the animation, and it ends up looking a bit off or unnatural.

Dwicktator · July 28, 2026, 1:55pm

Hello,

META issue - I don’t think you can really get rid of it anyway, there will be META no matter how you “organize” it.
Individual builds - are/will also be harder to balance, once you play enough, again the META will be some certain skills combinations and weapons, my point was to simplify the builds a bit, would be easier to balance, give diversity from match to match by using the economy to upgrade 1-2-3(?) of the abilities with extra stuff(bleeds, slows, CC maybe ? being way more expensive, cooldowns), so you get way more playstyles and strategies, same for trinkets and consumables. This can have restrictions, eg: you buy a bleed for an ability, you cannot use that for the next X matches(depending on how strong it is, maybe even if you won/lost, if you wont lets say you can’t buy that for 3(?) matches, if you lost 1 match etc.. there’s a lot of creative and not punishing ways to make the build crafting better).

META avoidance is needed, but the way it is right now will not fix that. And for me personally it was frustrating not being able to play what “class” I wanted. Its not like if you play the same build every match you will win, at the end of the day, its a 3v3 PvP arena, skill is a big part of winning, and if for some reason 1 “class” can dominate all, that’s a balance issue.

Dwicktator · July 28, 2026, 1:57pm

Yeah, I think the speed of the travel, the distance and/or the animation itself are idk, not in sync I guess.

Domojo · July 30, 2026, 4:42am

First off, thanks for taking the time to write such detailed feedback. It’s always valuable to hear the perspective of someone experiencing the game with fresh eyes. I wanted to share some of the thinking behind a few of the areas you brought up.

Tutorials: I agree there’s room for improvement here. We recently added the Learn tab with a glossary that explains many of the game’s mechanics, but I think we can do a much better job of teaching players through gameplay and making those systems easier to discover naturally.
Combat readability: We intentionally moved the player’s HP bar away from the center of the screen so your focus stays on the action. Another benefit is that your health, cooldowns, consumables, and other combat information all live in one dedicated area instead of being in the middle of the screen. That said, your feedback is valid. I can definitely see why some players would prefer their HP and armor closer to their character, especially during hectic fights.
Movement: We’ve gone through several iterations before arriving at the current system. Walk and sprint serve different purposes. Walking lets you strafe freely, while sprint commits you to a direction. Combined with dodges, they create two separate mobility resources that players can manage depending on whether they’re engaging, escaping, chasing, or repositioning. If sprint were removed resulting in a faster walk speed, those situations would rely on dodge charges and items, which we think would make combat more lethal and leave less room for outplays. That said, I understand the system can take some time to get used to since you’re managing two different movement mechanics. There could be a UI solve here to make it clearer and easier to manage.
Spires economy: I understand where you’re coming from. Arkheron’s mastery isn’t intended to be about finding one build and sticking with it. It’s about learning a variety of builds and adapting to what you’re facing. Since Arkheron is designed more as an item-driven game than a hero-driven one, we want players to experiment and discover combinations they might not otherwise try. It’s natural for newer players to gravitate toward complete Eternal builds, and that’s a great place to start, but we’ve also seen shattered builds become just as powerful while enabling different team synergies. You’re right that every competitive game develops a meta, balance is something we’ll continue to iterate on as players discover what’s strongest.
Solo survivability: We do have the Empowered mechanic, which becomes easier to trigger when you’re taking or doing sustained damage. In outnumbered situations like a 1v3 or 2v3, the underdog has a higher chance of entering that state, giving them an opportunity to turn the fight around. We’ll definitely continue monitoring how this feels, but we’ve already seen some pretty incredible comebacks including a recent 1v7 during a beacon fight in Ascension. Regarding an emergency escape mechanic, there are a few Anchors that can provide comeback or disengage opportunities. Did you happen to get a chance to try any of those?

Dwicktator · July 30, 2026, 8:54am

Combat readability: We intentionally moved the player’s HP bar away from the center of the screen so your focus stays on the action. Another benefit is that your health, cooldowns, consumables, and other combat information all live in one dedicated area instead of being in the middle of the screen. That said, your feedback is valid. I can definitely see why some players would prefer their HP and armor closer to their character, especially during hectic fights.

I understand what you are saying, but there’s a reason why most of 3rd person PvP game out there (Black desert, New World, Lost Ark, League of legends, The Division 2, Dota 2, Throne and Liberty, Aion 2, Albion Online, and the list can go on) have it displayed above the character or at least gives you the option to show/hide it. I know there are some that don’t, like Guild wars 2, but they have better indicators to when you are low HP and even then, there HP is still more visible. If the challenge is to check your HP from time to time, then I guess you can argue having it down and pretty small, but other than that for me(and for others I’m sure) is just not good.

Movement: We’ve gone through several iterations before arriving at the current system. Walk and sprint serve different purposes. Walking lets you strafe freely, while sprint commits you to a direction. Combined with dodges, they create two separate mobility resources that players can manage depending on whether they’re engaging, escaping, chasing, or repositioning. If sprint were removed resulting in a faster walk speed, those situations would rely on dodge charges and items, which we think would make combat more lethal and leave less room for outplays. That said, I understand the system can take some time to get used to since you’re managing two different movement mechanics. There could be a UI solve here to make it clearer and easier to manage.

I can get behind that. I would prefer different resources around movement rather than holding a button to sprint.

Spires economy: I understand where you’re coming from. Arkheron’s mastery isn’t intended to be about finding one build and sticking with it. It’s about learning a variety of builds and adapting to what you’re facing. Since Arkheron is designed more as an item-driven game than a hero-driven one, we want players to experiment and discover combinations they might not otherwise try. It’s natural for newer players to gravitate toward complete Eternal builds, and that’s a great place to start, but we’ve also seen shattered builds become just as powerful while enabling different team synergies. You’re right that every competitive game develops a meta, balance is something we’ll continue to iterate on as players discover what’s strongest.

I get the idea, it sounds cool on paper(and it is) but you need a lot more work and balance, and better ways of explaining it, also actual builds that are relevant with different weapons. Im not saying there aren’t a few right now, there are, but overall the full Eternals just feel better(one more full “ultimate” ability, that in most eternals complements the overall build/kit is just too good), more intuitive for everyone. That being said, if you manage to make the “build crafting” feel really nice and rewarding, I can see that being fun. But for now it doesn’t(mostly because you lose an entire ability).

Solo survivability: We do have the Empowered mechanic, which becomes easier to trigger when you’re taking or doing sustained damage. In outnumbered situations like a 1v3 or 2v3, the underdog has a higher chance of entering that state, giving them an opportunity to turn the fight around. We’ll definitely continue monitoring how this feels, but we’ve already seen some pretty incredible comebacks including a recent 1v7 during a beacon fight in Ascension. Regarding an emergency escape mechanic, there are a few Anchors that can provide comeback or disengage opportunities. Did you happen to get a chance to try any of those?

Yes, my point was an active, intended way to disengage(again, with limited use, mostly for third parties in Ascension), not getting killed to then revive. Last Wish is the closest thing to that, but then again, they would have to kill you, in the 7 seconds you have it active(they can see it also). That was not my point, my point was:
– You are fighting a 3v3, and from one side you see another team(or 2) that come in, activating Last Wish in this case does mostly nothing, especially if they see it and they don’t kill you. I want to activate something to reposition safely, it is a BR, you can’t really control other teams from 3rd party-ing, which is one of the most frustrating things in BRs. Apex Legends has ways to deal with that (legends that have portals/teleports, ultimate abilities that help reposition/deter enemies from engaging further etc.) Also finding Last Wish is part of the big IF on it working as what I was proposing.

And even for Spires, I used Last Wish most of the time, the problem was the enemies would just stop attacking me(most of the time, sometimes it worked) and focus my team, during that time you have 2 choices, remain low HP and try to help your team, or heal yourself, but for both of those, the enemy sees what you are doing, they also see your position because Last Wish didn’t activate.
There are just too many ifs with Last Wish, it is a powerful Anchor but I would remove it, add it as an emergency escape for everyone, once per floor in Ascension, once per game in Spires. That way, you would have to force it out of key players and play based of that. It just adds more gameplay creativity overall in my opinion.