Hello, Animas.
The upgrade system improvements we announced in the previous notice have finally been applied!
With the introduction of the new Memory Chip and Slot structure, the balance of weapons, items, abilities, mission difficulty, and enemy stats has been adjusted across the board.
You can find the full details of this update below.
Patch Notes
Research Lab Upgrade Expansion
The Research Lab now supports Memory Chip upgrades.
We have completely restructured the weapon growth system around the Memory Chips acquired during combat.
This allows you to adjust the detailed stats assigned to each weapon more strategically according to your preferences.
Memory Chips
Memory Chips enhance specific weapon attributes by a fixed amount. Higher‑tier chips provide stronger effects but consume more slots.
Memory Slots
Weapons contain leveled Memory Slots, each providing up to three slots by default. Some slots can only equip specific types of chips.
Level Upgrade
You can adjust stat values for each level of equipment. Installing Memory Chips can enhance performance, though some stats may be restricted depending on equipment type and level.
Odd‑Level Upgrades (Lv. 1, 3, 5)
Odd‑level memory slots cannot be used to adjust Ammo, Shots per Fire, or Reload Time.
Even‑Level Upgrades (Lv. 2, 4)
Even‑level memory slots cannot be used to adjust Damage, Accuracy, Fire Rate, or Effect Duration.
Memory Chip Reward
Memory Chips are obtained as rewards for repeatedly completing missions, unlike previous reward types.
Normal Difficulty
Completing a mission grants 1 random‑tier Memory Chip.
Hard Difficulty
Completing a mission grants 2 random‑tier Memory Chips.
Very Hard Difficulty
Completing a mission grants 3 random‑tier Memory Chips.
Arcade Mode
Completing a stage grants 5 random‑tier Memory Chips.
Memory Chip Synthesis
You can synthesize 10 chips of the same tier to obtain a random chip of the next tier.
Balance Adjustments
With the introduction of the Memory Chip upgrade system, overall growth potential and maximum performance have increased significantly. Accordingly, overall gameplay balance has been adjusted.
Enemy Durability and Armor
All enemies now have 1.5× to 2× higher durability and armor compared to before.
Weapons and Abilities
To match this change, the base damage of all weapons and abilities has also increased by 1.5× to 2×.
Secondary Weapon: Smart Mine
The tracking distance after detecting an enemy has been increased.
Secondary Weapon: Flamethrower
Flamethrower attacks now apply armor‑ignoring burn damage on hit. Sustained hits increase the burn damage over time, up to an additional 40 damage.
Each Gigas now receives its own dedicated flamethrower.
Module: Combat OS
Tier upgrade effects have been adjusted from 2% to 1% per tier.
Protocol System
New Protocol Added
Memory Expansion: Increases the memory slot limits for each level, allowing more upgrades to be applied.
Primary Weapon Protocols
To improve convenience when switching Gigas units, primary weapons can apply protocols individually for each Gigas type.
Protocol Limits
Previously, multiple protocols could be applied to a single weapon, but weapons can now equip up to three protocols.
Story Mode Difficulty Adjustments
Hard Difficulty
Enemy durability and armor are increased to 1.5× compared to Normal.
Very Hard Difficulty
Enemy durability and armor are increased to 2× compared to Normal.
System & Accessibility Improvements
Auto-Targeting
Auto‑targeting now prioritizes enemies within the forward 180‑degree arc over close enemies behind you, reducing unnecessary directional shifts.
Auto-Fire mode
Weapon firing mode changes made during missions are now retained in the Research Lab.
Bug Fixes
Fixed an issue where the warning HUD displayed at the center of the screen during Sync Up card selection obstructed the cursor.
Fixed an issue where overlapping shotgun pellet hit sound effects caused volume spikes and high‑frequency distortion.
Fixed an issue where Energy‑type and Flame‑type weapons incorrectly gained critical stats. These weapon types do not benefit from critical chance or critical damage, as they are unaffected by effective range.
Fixed an issue where enemies defeated by flame attacks did not display the proper death effects or textures.
Fixed an issue where, in missions requiring “Eliminate All Enemies,” the final enemy’s location indicator did not appear when only one enemy remained.
Fixed an issue where enemy armor and durability values were not displayed when targeting enemies in “Eliminate All Enemies” missions.
Fixed an issue where the targeting reticle would not appear after pausing and resuming the game with auto‑targeting enabled on a controller.
Fixed an issue where the Countermeasure’s control setting was not saved properly.
We have added a verification process that rechecks rewards upon game login. Rewards that are already marked as unlocked in the mission list will now be cross‑checked against the player profile, and if any are missing, they will be automatically granted.
We believe this update provides a stronger foundation for achieving higher performance ceilings and setting new records.
However, we also recognize that the current stage lineup does not fully match the power level many of you can now achieve.
As a result, we will be adjusting our development schedule slightly to prioritize the addition of a new Infinite Mode, allowing you to fully test the limits of your enhanced strength.
Other new content and improvements are still in development, and we kindly ask for your understanding regarding this scheduling change.
Thank you always for playing and sharing your valuable feedback. Your input is one of the greatest driving forces behind the continued evolution of this game.