Update 4: An Explosive New Character and Campaign!
Hey, Adrenaline Survivors!
It’s December 4th, and we’re releasing the MASSIVE UPDATE #4!
For three months, we’ve been working together with you to make the game better. The result? Hundreds of new content and changes. Here are some of the highlights:
[h2]New Game Mode - Campaign[/h2]
- Now there are two game modes: Arenas and Campaign.
- Campaign consists of 3 locations.
- Includes 30 stages with a boss fight every 10th stage.
- Bonus rooms are included.
- Artifact system added.
- Increased enemy density for a more intense experience.
- Campaign progress is saved independently from Arena progress.
[h3]Artifacts (or Mutations)[/h3]
- Artifacts are hearts from exceptionally strong enemies. Characters consume these hearts to gain unusual mutations.
- Artifacts can ONLY be found in Campaign on stages 6, 16, and 26. Reaching them won’t be easy - good luck!
- Defeating bosses on stages 10 and 20 also rewards you with artifacts.
- Mutations vary. Some grant new abilities, while others modify character stats.
[h3]New Hub[/h3]
- The base has been redesigned - it’s now visually larger, brighter, and more powerful.
- The number of floors remains the same for now - 4. Each floor serves a unique purpose.
- Character selection is available on the second floor. There are now three characters, each resting in cryo chambers.
- A second portal has been added for the Campaign mode.
[h2]Characters[/h2]
General Changes:
- Improved running animations - after rigorous training, our characters now run better rather than glide.
- Previously, characters would cry out in pain even when invulnerable. After some stern conversations, they now react only when truly hurt.
- Removed character outline highlighting. While useful, it detracted from the game’s visuals - and we all want a beautiful game, right? ;)
[h3]New Character - Bomber - It’s a Blast![/h3]
- Primary weapon: mines.
- 9 unique offensive abilities.
- 1 unique defensive ability.
- 8 unique evolutions.
- New mechanic: Skill Synergies (not detailed in the interface, but you’ll encounter unexpected events and figure it out).
- 4 new achievements added.
[h3]Stormtrooper (formerly Shooter)[/h3]
- This tough guy threatened to quit unless we repainted his rifle from orange to a manlier color. We had to oblige - he took a paint bucket and handled it himself.
- Fixed aiming issues when targeting spiders during their attack animations.
- Assaulter’s shooting is disabled upon defeat - no more flying, shooting corpses that clash with the game’s tone.
- Improved response to zombies - he now attacks immediately when his personal space is invaded.
[h3]Berserk[/h3]
- Reduced wind-up time for the first strike - now attacks occur faster.
- Enhanced the damage zone for basic attacks, ensuring no misses on zombies eager for hugs.
- Updated attack visuals to match the actual damage zone.
- When manually controlled, attack effects now align with the direction of the strike.
- Added a gauge (below the health bar) to display the character's attack enhancements.
- Fixed an issue where auto-attack visuals didn’t align with attack direction.
- Removed an unnecessary visual effect triggered by the Thorns skill when taking damage.
[h3]Bosses[/h3]
- General Change: Reduced the attack speed penalty for all bosses when frozen, including mini-bosses.
- Zomboid: Added a new ability, Gravity Trap.
- Gorilloid: Added a new ability, Stomp.
- Spheroid: Added a new ability, Pyromaniac. Increased size. When hit by an axe, no longer bleeds - now sparks appear instead. Gravity Trap no longer affects its projectiles.
[h3]Enemies[/h3]
New Enemy: Kamikaze Spider, found only in the Laboratory in Arena mode.
New Enemy Type: Elite enemies in Campaign mode. Among the grey techno-zombie masses, you’ll encounter unique foes with active abilities - be warned, they’re particularly dangerous.
General Changes:
- Zombies are now smarter, with improved walking animations.
- Even distribution across floors - no priority given to the character’s floor.
- Begin attacking from a closer distance and pause briefly before striking.
- Jumps now have slight landing variability.
- Fixed disappearance effects for all enemies - no more awkward vanishing.
- Bombers: If destroyed while frozen, they shatter along with their bomb instead of dropping it.
- Nerds: Grenades replaced with rockets.
- Shields now match the zombie's color.
- Shields disappear along with their owner, no longer lingering on the ground.
- Blocks projectiles from Plasma Turrets and Railgun Turrets.
- When destroyed while frozen, the shield shatters with the bearer instead of falling off.
Kamikaze:
- Replaced the warning effect before detonation for better visibility.
- Warning effect radius now matches the damage radius.
[h2]Gameplay[/h2]
- Added a new mechanic - using the elevator now pushes zombies aside, allowing the character to move between floors relatively safely. Cooldown: 15 seconds.
- Improved gamepad support and menu navigation.
- Manual and automatic firing modes can now be toggled with a single button during gameplay. No more diving into settings!
- Faster character response when turning around - now happens immediately upon pressing the button, without holding it.
- Fixed interface element selection issues when switching between keyboard, mouse, and gamepad. The focus now updates correctly with the input device. Q button or R3.
[h3]Skills[/h3]
- Rocket Swarm: Increased projectile size - no more laughter from zombies.
- Echo Strike: Disabled visual effect reflections on walls.
- Plasma Shield: Fixed parameter display for the first skill level.
- Now fires in the character's movement direction instead of their gaze direction.
- Pushes back enemies and no longer veers randomly when the character changes direction.
- Evolution: Removed the increasing sound of the charge during movement.
- Fixed parameter display for all levels, including evolution.
- No longer blocked by Shield Bearers.
- Ignores knockback from Gorilloids.
[h3]Bugs[/h3]
- Fixed several objects on levels where projectiles and experience crystals could fall through them.
- Corrected texture flickering on walls in some locations.
- Resolved an issue where the game wouldn't pause upon minimizing.
- Zombies of the Nerd type could previously attack even after being destroyed. We’ve upgraded our technology, and now your weapons are even deadlier... but still, keep an eye on your back. Zombies are zombies, after all.
- Fixed an issue where Plasma Turrets occasionally stopped appearing after progressing to another stage.
- After defeating a boss, characters can no longer take damage from saws, even with low health.
- Projectiles from some skills no longer remain on the level after transitioning to the next stage.
- Item drops from bosses are now disabled on the final stage.
- Interface language now changes correctly through settings when using a gamepad.
- Voiceover volume settings now affect all character lines. If desired, voices can be muted entirely.
- Fixed an issue where toggling the mini-map didn’t work correctly.
- Disabling enemies' outlines upon portal entry is now consistent.
- Elevators no longer fall when the player loses.
- Fixed an issue where elevators could get stuck if hit by Nerd’s rockets.
- Corrected an orange glow effect that sometimes appeared on certain crystals.
- Saw impact sounds no longer play if the character takes no damage.
- Drones now fly at any height and emit sparks instead of blood when hit.
[h3]Optimization and Interface[/h3]
- Portal sounds are now muted on the location selection and skill selection screens.
- The Settings menu has been revamped. New options include: frame rate selection, hiding enemy health bars, disabling damage numbers, disabling enemy hit effects, adjusting camera shake intensity, and gamma settings.
- When auto-aiming is disabled, the cursor changes to a crosshair.
- Added a display for the current aiming mode - manual or automatic.
- Updated boss introduction screens.
- Improved damage number rendering performance.
- Skills that can't deal damage no longer appear in the damage statistics.
- Updated all skill icons.
- Timer removed from the final Arena stages.
- Skill lists now always offer at least one skill of a different type. You won’t see three or four passive or offensive skills anymore.
- Enemy projectiles are now easier to see, even when hidden behind zombies - visibility has been significantly improved.
- Health bar segments change color before disappearing.
- Optimized effects for explosions, freezing, and the destruction of frozen zombies.
- Conducted color correction for various effects.
- Updated effects for explosions and skills (Gravity Trap, Revive). When Revive is activated, time now slows down briefly.
- Effect sizes now match their damage radius.
- Disabled glow effects on frozen projectiles.
- Traps now leave traces of the character’s blood when dealing damage.
- Improved low-health visual effects - they no longer reduce visibility.
- Mini-boss portals now have a distinct color compared to regular zombie portals.
The Midhard Games Team
