Tails of Iron 2 Lands Free Blood and Brine Expansion on PS5, PS4 With 11 Quests

Q: How do crossover items from games like Dave the Diver fit into the grim, hand-drawn world of Tails of Iron?

They fit because Odd Bug Studio has treated them as reinterpretations, not imports. The crossover sets inspired by DAVE THE DIVER, Blasphemous, Cult of the Lamb, Death’s Door, Moonlighter and Beyond GalaxyLand have been redrawn in the studio’s hand-drawn storybook style and adapted as armour for Arlo, so they match the medieval, grimy look of the Ratdom rather than feeling like modern cameo costumes. That approach matters especially in Blood and Brine, which shifts the game into a coastal setting with fishing, sea monsters and an aquarium mystery. A character like Dave the Diver already has a natural thematic link to the expansion’s seafaring and aquatic focus, making his design easier to translate into Hardshell Brook’s dangerous waters. Even lighter or more recognisable indie characters are filtered through Tails of Iron’s harsher visual language. Odd Bug Studio has framed the armour as a celebration of fellow indie games and a thank-you to players, not a lore overhaul. Studio materials say the team wanted to “reimagine” those heroes within Tails of Iron 2’s hand-drawn medieval world, and CEO Jack Bennett described the “Indie Heroes” sets as a collaboration with admired indie developers. In practice, that means the crossover gear works as stylistic fan service that preserves the game’s identity. Players get recognisable nods to other indie hits, but the armour is still made to look like something a battle-worn rat warrior could plausibly wear in this bleak fantasy world.

Q: What dark secret are the stranded sailors really hiding behind their innocent aquarium project in this new expansion?

It has not been explicitly revealed in the launch material. The official description only says that, as Arlo helps Jaimie and Sam build the aquarium in Hardshell Brook, “suspicions begin to surface” and their story about what happened at sea may not be truthful. What can be said with confidence is that the aquarium project is being framed as a cover for a mystery tied to the shipwreck and the dangerous waters around it. The expansion’s setup strongly suggests the sailors are hiding the real cause of their vessel’s destruction, and possibly a deeper connection to the strange sea creatures and threats Arlo encounters while collecting aquatic life. So, based on the available news and supporting material, the “dark secret” remains intentionally undisclosed to avoid spoilers. The key hook is that the seemingly innocent fundraising aquarium is part of a larger deception, and players uncover the truth through the expansion’s post-game quests.

3 articles · Updated · PlayStation · Aug 21

Blood and Brine is now live on PS5 and PS4, adding a free post-game adventure that opens only after players finish Tails of Iron 2’s main campaign.
Hardshell Brook shifts Arlo from the frozen North to a coastal region with 11 quests, 10 bosses, nine armor sets, new music and ship-based arena battles.
A new fishing system lets players catch 32 aquatic creatures for an aquarium tied to two shipwrecked sailors whose backstory gradually darkens.
Crossover armor inspired by six indie games—including Blasphemous, Cult of the Lamb and Dave the Diver—was redrawn to fit the Ratdom setting.
The expansion was framed as a thank-you to players, while the base game is 60% off on PS5 and PS4 through August 26.