Another quick patch after player feedback:

• The 'Widescreen Black Bars' can be turned off in the pause menu under 'Graphics'
  
• The Death Cutscenes are now skippable
  
• Cutscenes skippable with gamepad
  
• Graffiti has been added to show the first button pressed for sequence puzzles
  
• Better animations for the Sawn-Off Shotgun
  
• Better animations for the Crude Rifle
  
• Better gamepad support on 'Level Selector'
  
• Misc bugs fixed in "The Bunker"
  
• Misc bugs fixed in "The Core"
  
• Misc bugs fixed in "Toxicity"

Jawbreaker has been launched for all to play on Steam! Come enter a world of criminal survival horror:

It's been less than 24 hours since the launch and after hearing your initial feedback I have already released a patch to fix + modify some things players have pointed out:

Enemy AI
I've heard that the enemies are too difficult, the original concept was that they have the same attributes as the player to make it more realistic and punishing. After some feedback I've decreased their detection and stamina:

• Enemy 'Field Of View (FOV)' decreased by 30%
  
• Enemy 'Sight Range' decreased by 30%
  
• Enemy 'Chase Time' decreased by 30%

Boss Health
Some early players noticed a bug where if you injure one of the bosses and die, the bosses health doesn't reset back to 100 after the level restarts:

• Boss health bug has been fixed on all levels (a good catch, though now the bosses are harder hah)

Mini Boss: Darktooth
Some edits to the level "Darktooth's Lair" that makes evading or fighting the mini boss 'Darktooth' more manageable:

• Darktooth's 'Field Of View (FOV)' decreased
  
• Darktooth's 'Sight Range' decreased
  
• Lighter item has more range
  
• Additional lights added in key areas

Misc
Assorted fixes spotted by keen players:

• Missing floor panel collider on "The Arena" fixed
  
• Missing animation from "Spider's Web" fixed
  
• Missing animation from "Crash Pad" fixed
  
• UI fix for menu selection with gamepad on Main Menu
  
• UI for Item Shortcuts improved

(Level: The Jump)

On another note: I've been seeing players struggle on "The Jump", the first stealth part of the game with 3 gang members.

This level is intentionally difficult for 2 reasons: You don't have any weapons yet and it's intentionally punishing if you don't use stealth, this is to let the player know you can't just run or shoot your way through every situation.

If you're struggling with this level try to get through it as you get the Sawn-Off Shotgun in the next level and enemy patrols are less difficult afterwards, just wanted to point out that the game 'punches you in the face' straight away, but then gets more tame! So please stick with sneaking through that level using the Radar, Vision Item, peaking around corners, etc. as I'm sure you'll enjoy everything in the game past that point

Please don't negatively review the game because of the difficulty! It's a hard game and I'm patching it to be more forgiving to find the right balance. To reiterate: "The Jump" is the 7th level and it's a lesson in stealth, but it's 100% worth beating to continue your journey

I'll be continuously updating the game so don't forget to leave your feedback!

VL
@VincentLade

Jawbreaker is almost here! The launch of the full game will on April 23rd at 2:00pm(CST)!

In only 3 weeks you'll be able to enter a survival horror game that will have you running, hiding, and fighting in a terrifying gang-infested society on the verge of collapse. Though that’s not all, once the sun goes down the true fear begins...

After the devastating "Great Economic Collapse of 2028," survival is the only thing that matters. The average person is compelled to join armed groups, engaging in battles for resources and control over what were once the cities and towns of the United States.

You belong to a small gang based in New Citadel City, and your bunker's supplies are dwindling. You've been chosen to venture into the concrete ruins on rumours of an unlooted police station on the edge of town—a high-risk, high-reward mission.

After breaking in through an unguarded entrance, a sense of dread fills your mind as you realise who has taken refuge in this station and question whether the entire thing was a setup by your own gang…

• Run, hide, or kill those in your way to stay breathing
  
• The “Faceless Gang” will hunt you in teams or on their own
  
• Push through the station while scavenging for supplies and a way to escape
  
• Once the sun goes down the real danger begins…

• Deep exploration into a dystopian vision of the United States
  
• Hide under tables, in lockers, between shelves, or shadows to stay unseen
  
• Search for weapons to defend yourself, though gunshots draw attention...
  
• An interactive environment encourages looting for supplies
  
• Multiple endings prove if you are a true survivor or not

Genre: Survival horror with stealth, puzzle, and combat mechanics.

Demo available now

VL
@VincentLade

Jawbreaker is reaching the end of its development and the final levels are in production!

Some of the new levels are part of 'The Streets Of Citadel City' where the game begins. Walk the streets of a city completely fallen to crime and looting, navigating your way to the NCPD where the demo begins.

Roaming gangs, wild dogs, and vagrants are the least of your worries after you discover a massacre perpetuated by the 'Faceless Gang' introducing the enemies encountered through the rest of the gang

'The Streets Of Citadel City' introduces the player to just how terrible 'The Great Collapse of 2028' truly was for the morals of society.

Demo available now

VL
@VincentLade

Jawbreaker has some big updates! The new trailer reveals 2 epic boss battles, a menacing mini-boss, brand new locations, and a new weapon:

Prepare to face the "Faceless Speaker" boss in Jawbreaker. This nightmare-fueled foe boasts three intense attack phases:

• Conveyer Belts / Saws / Machine Guns
  
• Rocket barrages
  
• Flamethrowers

Luckily it's prone to overheating, afterwards you can break open one of five wall panels. Inside, you'll find the lever for two maintenance hatches with fuel tanks. Blast away all 10 tanks to destroy the machine completely.

A truly chaotic boss fight that will have players on their toes the entire duration.

Along with the new boss fight there's new areas to explore in Jawbreaker, such as: The Faceless Bunker, Underground Parking, IT (a cryptic puzzle-filled zone), Darktooth's Lair (home to a challenging mini-boss), and new areas of the New Citadel Police Station.

The entrance to "The Faceless Bunker"

Encountering Darktooth in "IT"

The demo has received an update too. Some extra features, fixes, and a couple hidden Easter Eggs have been added.

VL
@VincentLade

The developer of Jawbreaker, Vincent Lade, will play through the Jawbreaker demo during Steam Next Fest, giving insight into its development while running for his life.

Come join the livestream and I'll try to answer all your questions in chat!

VL
@VincentLade

The developer of Jawbreaker, Vincent Lade, will play through the Jawbreaker demo during Steam Next Fest, giving insight into its development while running for his life.

Come join the livestream and I'll try to answer all your questions in chat!

VL
@VincentLade

The first boss battle for Jawbreaker is now complete, featuring "Bob's Big Boy" a Faceless Gang member with a stolen tank and rage issues:

Bob's Big Boy will use the tanks turret, mounted machine gun, and the tank itself to explode, shoot, or crush our protagonist.

The battle takes place in the underground parking lot of New Citadel City's Police Department, full of tunnels, storage rooms, gated parking, and 'laboratories' made by the gang. These laboratories can be used to make powerful (but highly unstable) IEDs to aid in the fight against Bob's Big Boy.

To defeat a fully armoured and armed tank will require a mix of endurance, deception, ingenuity, and bravery to go face-to-face with one of Jawbreaker's toughest and most merciless enemies.

VL
@VincentLade

Two brand new areas, a new kind of enemy type, as well as collectables have been added to the full game (coming soon).

The two new areas are "Reception" and "Underground Parking", the former containing the Faceless Gang patrolling an open area full of security, and the latter being the first boss fight of the game (that will be another news update coming shortly).

The new enemy type are called "Faceless Cameras." These cameras are scattered throughout the areas and will scan the environment for the protagonist, players will need to use their stealth skills to avoid detection and progress through the area. There's three types of Faceless Cameras: one that sets off an alarm alerting the Faceless Gang, another armed with a remote controlled gun to shoot at the player, and another armed with explosives to detonate if it detects the players presence. I'm also working on a mechanic for players to 'disarm' or 'break' the cameras if desired.

In the spirit of looting and exploration, collectable dolls called "Freaky Friends" have also been added to the game. There's one hidden in each level and finding them unlocks achievements.

A third new area called "IT Basement" is also in the development with cryptic puzzles and new horror elements (but more about that later)

Not a massive update but wanted to share that development is strong and steady. I'm hoping to make Jawbreaker a truly unique and unforgettable gaming experience that will keep you fully engaged and on the edge of your seat!

VL
@VincentLade