We're thrilled to finally reveal the Buried Below update, the first major content update for Hyper Light Breaker in Early Access, will launch next Tuesday, April 29!
This content update will be a game changer, as it’ll bring a slew of new content along with major quality of life changes, including run structure changes inspired by your all’s feedback that will change up the game in Early Access in multiple ways. In a new trailer that debuted today (check it out above!), Michael Clark, Hyper Light Breaker’s Lead Producer, covers everything you need to know about this major update and how it evolves the game in a whole new way.
New Content
On the content front, Buried Below will bring a new Breaker, “Rondo” – a Breaker who comes from the same region as the recently-debuted Breaker, Ravona, and has a new SyCom with two SyCom perks – a new Crown, “Maw” – the biggest and most menacing Crown yet, two new melee weapons and new areas to explore, including caves. For the new Crown, you all have seen glimpses of her in a couple of ways-- as she’s shown as a Crown that’s possible to fight when readying up to enter the Overgrowth and you have even entered her arena in the hostile crystalscape of the Jeweled Spire. We've been working hard on getting Maw ready, and we’re thrilled the time has come for players to face her in just a few days!
Change in Run Structure
Since Early Access launch, we’ve taken to heart all of the feedback we’ve received from the community across the board. Inspired by your feedback, the upcoming update will introduce the most significant feature overhaul yet with a complete rework of the game's run structure, as you will now have one life for each run and when you die, you will lose items in your inventory, and the Overgrowth will reset. This change was made to balance the game around a more traditional roguelike experience, turning each run into a more consistent and rewarding “zero to hero” adventure than before. This change also allows us to better adjust difficulty and make the game easier to get into, but harder to master, and addresses much of the feedback we’ve received from players since Early Access launch.
This shift in run structure will introduce a few gameplay loops and progression changes to make runs easier, better and ultimately more enjoyable for everyone, including veterans and newcomers alike, than before.
- Extraction - More Options for Players: Instead of only having one way to leave the Overgrowth (via the Telepad), players will be able to extract at any Shrine in the Overgrowth and there’ll be no waves of enemies to defeat like before. This change will make it so players can extract more often, making the game easier as a result, which was one of the main requests from players to change the game’s difficulty.
- SyComs - Follows a Class-Like System, More Loadout Potential: Character customization has been redesigned giving each Breaker one assigned SyCom with fixed stats, and players have the option to equip a perk to the SyCom that gives the Breaker a new passive ability. For instance, Rondo’s SyCom has an equippable perk called “Bladedancer” that increases Rondo’s damage and attack speed. You can upgrade your SyCom stats further at Shrines in the Overgrowth. This change, inspired by player feedback, will make it so each Breaker is similar to a “class” making each Breaker feel different from one another, and make it so you can come up with distinct builds per Breaker.
- Inventory & Vendors - More Streamlined: The Vault system will be changed as when you die, the inventory in your Vault will no longer carry over between runs except for Golden Rations, the main meta progression currency in the game. This will allow you to focus solely on acquiring new gear during your runs instead of having to focus on managing their inventory so often like before. Additionally, vendors in the Overgrowth and Cursed Outpost will also have new roles, with Bright Blood and Materials now used for purchases and upgrades. While gear sales have been removed from hub vendors, players can still use them to enhance equipped items.
Improved Onboarding
The second major addition in the upcoming update is a brand-new onboarding tutorial that launches automatically the first-time players start the game after the update, regardless of save status. This guided experience introduces core mechanics through a structured level that leads to the Cursed Outpost hub. From there, you will gain access to a dedicated space for learning and practicing advanced combat techniques such as dash attacks and parries. Designed to align with the game’s reworked structure and expanded mechanics, this revamped introduction provides a smooth and informative entry point for both new and returning players.
Future of Breaker – Your Feedback Matters!
Since Early Access launch, we’ve been working hard on evolving Breaker across the board every month, including but not limited to making performance updates and gameplay improvements, releasing a slew of new content, and implementing so many other changes based on your all’s feedback! As we continue our Early Access journey and set our sights for 1.0 launch, we want to thank all of you for feedback and support – you’re helping us make Breaker bigger and better every step of the way.
There’s still so much more to come for Breaker in Early Access, including our next major content update this summer that will be our biggest content update yet! Expect to fight double the trouble, embark on quests and go where no Breaker has gone before in our next major content drop.
For now, we can’t wait for you all to jump into the Buried Below update in just a few days and see how it evolves Breaker in a whole new way!
- The Heart Machine team