HellCleaners — Dev Blog: Demo Build 0.2.1

Coverage window: May 6, 2026 – May 19, 2026
Build: Demo Build 0.2.1 (public)

A note from the team

These last two weeks have been packed. This build is probably the biggest jump we've had so far in terms of feel, polish, onboarding, and overall direction, and we're excited to finally get it into players' hands.

We also officially gave the project its proper name: HellCleaners. Same hellish cleanup job, same vacuum gun, just a stronger identity.

Below is everything included in Demo Build 0.2.1.

New Player Onboarding

• Brand-new tutorial system. First-time players are now guided through the core gameplay loop step by step instead of being thrown straight into the game. The Goo Gun is now part of the tutorial flow as well.
• New Main Menu. Cleaner layout and properly connected into the game flow.
• Intro Screen added to give the game a proper opening.
• Loading scene and loading UI added so transitions between scenes feel smoother and less abrupt.

Sucklers — Major Feedback & Animation Pass

Sucklers got a huge feel and readability pass this update. They react much more clearly to the player's actions now.

• New jump, pop, and absorb animations to better communicate their different states.
• Indicator globules added as visual cues for what they're about to do.
• Eye polish including bouncy eyeballs, idle eye movement, and updated colors to make them stand out more.
• Purifier absorb animation added so they react properly when pulled into the Purifier.
• Overall, Sucklers feel way more alive and responsive than before.

Doombas — Smarter and Less Frustrating

• Phase 1 grab fix so Doombas grab more reliably.
• Phase 2 pop animation added for clearer feedback during state changes.
• Performance lag fixed around Doombas.
• Fixed stuck Doombas getting caught on floating objects.
• Player collision disabled while grabbed so carrying them feels smoother.
• Doombas are now rebuyable if destroyed.
• Idle sound effects added to give them more presence.

Purifier Updates

• Stage 1 Purifier feedback added and polished further.
• Deposit animation trigger added when depositing materials.
• Purifier dirt visuals updated to lava.
• Dynamic tile colors added for Purifier zones.
• Emerge sound fixed and rewired.
• Limb sign moved to a clearer location.
• Purifier level loading bug fixed.

Grinder & Skill Tree

• Grinder upgrades and Skill Tree UI added.
• Skill Tree progression is now gated behind purchasing the Grinder.
• Upgrade cost scaling implemented.
• Grinder spawn fixes to prevent spawning inside walls or falling through the map.
• Portal rotation fixed alongside Grinder spawning.
• Grinder stop sound added.

Vacuum Gun, Goo Gun & Tether

• Vacuum Kick added to give the gun more weight and recoil feedback.
• Grab animation now plays directly on the gun.
• Tether indicator and UI sprite added for lock-on feedback.
• Updated tether crosshair and multiple tether movement fixes.
• Press R to swap to the Goo Gun replacing the old T-grab input.
• Goo Gun projectile and VFX heavily updated.
• Gunk-wave rain effects and screen shake added on impact.
• Vacuum gun audio delay issue fixed.

Cathedral Level — Environment Pass

The Cathedral got a major environment and traversal update.

• Cathedral interior received a large visual and gameplay pass.
• Higher ground areas are now accessible.
• New ramp connecting Zone 1 and Zone 5.
• Added Zone 5 ground, the new Hand Mountain landmark, and a poison flow shader for environmental storytelling.
• Background objects were consolidated into prefabs, and Cathedral zones are now prefab-based for easier iteration and consistency.
• Day/Night cycle added.
• Fixed stair holes, doors, occlusion, and collider cleanup on metal props.
• Removed hidden objects and stray piles to tighten up the level.
• Arrow signage repositioned for better navigation.

HUD, Book & Field Manual

• HUD updates across the game.
• New Book icon and updated Book UI.
• Field Manual now includes rendered images of the Purifier, Grinder, Suckler, and Doomba.
• Endless Book added.
• Limb Counter and Soul Counter received updated art.
• Souls are now visible in the world.
• Large loot definition pass completed to better support the loot system.

Audio Overhaul (Wwise)

A huge amount of work went into audio this sprint.

• Footsteps updated and reverbs improved.
• New and updated sounds for the Purifier, Sucklers, Grinder, and Doombas.
• Added a full ambience pass across the level.
• Master Volume slider connected into the settings menu through Wwise.
• Added new sounds including Book purchase sounds, Grinder stop sounds, Doomba idle sounds, and additional event hooks.
• Improved RTPC and SFX routing so the mix responds better to gameplay.

VFX & Performance

• Added VFX pooling for portals and decals to reduce hitching.
• Fixed VFX range popping issues.
• Fixed several ragdoll-related errors.
• Creep shader rebuilt to support multiple lights, along with a lighter performance-friendly version.
• Fixed Creep shadow issues.
• Occlusion re-baked across the level.

Portals

• Portals now stagger their spawn timing instead of all appearing at once.
• Portals stay open slightly before and after activation to improve readability.
• Fixed spawn rigidbody issues for objects coming through portals.
• Fixed portal rotation.

Quality-of-Life & Bug Fixes

• Fixed death respawn.
• Fixed death zones.
• Fixed the cursor carrying over from the Main Menu.
• Fixed walls causing player sliding by changing them to the Default layer.
• Fixed clean zones not triggering correctly for upgrades.
• Fixed the Book/Manual not being destroyed properly.
• Fixed a slider issue inside the Book UI.
• Gates now freeze unless unlocked and tethered.
• Fixed the Grabber system dropping objects into infinity.
• Improved Quest HUD readability and updated several quest descriptions.
• Updated work orders.

Under the Hood

• Added analytics events so we can better understand how players are interacting with the game and improve future builds.
• The project has now officially been renamed to HellCleaners.

What to look for in 0.2.1

• Play through the new tutorial and let us know how it feels.
• Pay attention to the Sucklers. They should feel much more reactive and alive now.
• Try the Goo Gun using R and test out the new VFX, rain effects, and screen shake.
• Explore the Cathedral's upper areas using the new Zone 1 → Zone 5 ramp.
• Check out the updated Field Manual and new bestiary renders.
• Listen closely. The audio improvements are one of the biggest upgrades in this build.

Thanks again for playing, giving feedback, and sticking with us while we continue building the game.

Onward to 0.2.2.

— The Hell Cleaners Team