Merge Games, the developers of Smalland, has been teasing us with its newest update, and now it is a reality, so welcome to the Amber Valleys.

The Amber Valleys Update continues the narrative left off by Malik, who told us about the Aetherin Tribe nearby. Now we can go deeper into the Aetherin lands and discover even more wonders. North of the Forbidden Monuments, the lush grasslands we are used to fade away, and we are left with the scorched sands of the Amber Valleys, along with the rugged roads and corroded caves that mark the landscape, but there is even rumored to be a beautiful oasis in the land as well.

In such a harsh landscape, there are also tougher creatures that inhabit the land, such as the Scorpion. It’s one of the most feared and fabled creatures, with its tough chitinous armor, being extremely agile, and being equipped with two massive pinchers and a huge poisonous stinger. If you are lucky or skilled enough to take on the Scorpion, then you might be able to tame it and make this tanky monstrosity a worthy mount.

Up next are the huge, scary tarantulas that are lurking amongst the rocks and cliffs. They are not picky eaters and will eat almost anything about the right size, up to and including lizards and Smallfolk. But if they weren’t enough, you will also encounter the Tarantula Hawk Wasps, whose primary source of food is Tarantulas, and if they can take on the mighty beasts, you might want to stay clear. There is even rumored to be a large slithering foe as well, who might be looking for a little ssssnack about your size.

Aetherins also inhabit this land, as you will see by the many Aetherin turrets that mark the landscape. The Aetherinians know that travel through the lands is treacherous, and flight is the best way to get around, but the Aetherin are suspicious folks, and these mighty turrets have their sights set to the skies and will down any flying creature with shrapnel-filled blasts into the sky.

So it’s best to keep your flying as low as possible and take out the turrets on foot, for once you take out the Aetherin guards, the skies will be clear in the area.

These tough lands also require tougher equipment as well. With the new resources around the zone, such as sulfur, salt pepper, and pyrite, you will be able to make a new concoction called firesand, which will allow you to bring a much-needed bang to the battlefield. With firesand, you will be able to make firesand grenades, which explode on contact and cause burning damage to all within their radius.

The Hand Cannon is a powerful and creative contraption that shoots devastating iron ammo, but it also functions like a musket of old and takes time to reload, so you will have to find creative ways to use this new powerful weapon. If you prefer melee weapons, you can use the new Telson Hammer, which is a strong weapon, that can crush stones and creatures alike.

But to defend yourself in such an inhospitable environment also requires new armor. With the Scorpions being such fearsome opponents, it was only logical that the use of their impenetrable chitin would bring forth a new armor, the Scorpiolaminate Armor.

However, in order to survive in these lands, it takes more than just brawn, but intelligence as well, and the new Gear Rarity System will emphasize that, as a highly intelligent Smallfolk, when crafting new pieces of weapons or armor, you will have a chance to create an upgraded version of that item with improved damage, resistance, and durability. There are 5 tiers to ascend: Standard, Superior, Exceptional, Rare, and Legendary.

And lastly, they have added beetle herds as well as introduced a new emote system that you can access by pressing the “Q” button.

With so many new things to discover in these new lands, what are you most excited about? Let me know in the comments below.