Another huge update is live in the beta branch, and this one is massive. I’ve completely turned the core gameplay mechanics upside down, leaning harder into roguelite elements and heavily upgrading the enemy AI.
Here is what you can expect when you boot up the game:
Core Gameplay & AI Overhaul
Roguelite Modifier System: I’ve introduced 26 unique modifiers that fundamentally change game mechanics (including some wild side effects). Collect and stack up to four in a single playthrough—mixing powers like chain lightning, explosive headshots, and life steal for chaotic results.
Massive Hordes (50 to 250 Zombies!): Thanks to some major under-the-hood pathfinding optimizations, the maximum number of zombies alive at once has been increased from 50 to a staggering 250.
Smarter, Senses-Based AI: Zombies no longer instantly aggro. They now wander, group up, and rely on sight and sound. If you make a mistake and alert one, the entire group will pursue. You’ll need to balance running-and-gunning with strategic stealth.
Tactical Level-Up Slow-Mo: When you level up and perks/modifiers spawn, you are now placed in a 30-second slow-time bubble. Take a breath, pick your upgrades wisely, and use the temporal shift to your advantage!
VR Arsenal & Inventory Enhancements
Expanded Inventory Slots: You can now carry up to 4 weapons at once! Each hand has a dedicated backup slot. Click Y / B on your VR controller (or the Menu buttons on the Vive) to instantly swap between slots.
Seamless Hand Swapping: Need to switch your loadout on the fly? Press and hold B and Y (or both Menu buttons on the Vive) to swap weapons between your left and right hands.
5-Tier Weapon Progression: All weapons now feature five progression tiers that unlock as you rack up your score, massively increasing their effectiveness in the late game.
New Threats, Maps & Items
New Map: The Scrapyard: A brand-new environment is now available for you to unlock and master.
New "Smart" Enemies: Watch your step. The new Smart Zombie variant will actively try to predict your movement and cut off your escape routes.
Elite & Badass Variants: Survive long enough, and you will encounter incredibly dangerous, high-health variants of common enemies. They are lethal, but taking them down is highly rewarding.
New Invisibility Power-Up: A perfect counter to the newly upgraded zombie senses, giving you a brief window to slip away or reposition.
Quality of Life, UI & Polish
Acoustic Radar: Added noise visualization to the radar. You can now visually track how much noise you are making and exactly how far it travels to attract enemies.
UI Overhaul: Updated the user interface to support the new mechanics, including enemy health bars and detailed weapon stat cards.
Expanded Audio & Animation: Added a massive variety of new enemy audio queues and brand-new zombie animations, including dynamic knockdown effects.
Early-Game Breadcrumbs: Added a visual breadcrumb trail to help guide newer players through the early stages of the game.
Bug Fixes: Squashed a huge number of smaller bugs and glitches across the board.
What’s Coming Next?
We are in the final sprint toward the 1.0 release! I am finally getting the game to look and feel exactly how I envisioned it. The next major update will likely be our release candidate before we officially leave Early Access.
Expect more enemy types, expanded weapon mechanics, a couple of new levels, and heavy performance updates to the particle systems. Exciting times ahead! Let me know what you think of the new modifiers in the discussions.