Patch 040

**Early Access Patch 040: The NIGHTY NIGHT Update - March 10, 2020**

This Major Update opens up even more ways to battle out of hell, with a powerful new weapon, new weapon Aspects, and lots more story to sink your teeth into! As always, we will be closely monitoring feedback and are planning on at least a couple of follow-up patches. Thank you very much for playing!

## Highlights

* Malphon, the Twin Fists: pummel your foes into the ground with this furious close-quarters weapon
* Mirror of Night Rework: now with twice the Talents, inviting more choices to fit your playstyle
* Aspect of Arthur: wield the might of Holy Excalibur with this legendary Aspect of the Stygian Blade
* Improved Visual Effects: we've made frenetic combat easier to parse without compromising the oomph
* New Pact of Punishment Conditions: see if you can survive Benefits Package and Routine Inspection
* Administrative Chamber: access your Permanent Record beyond a mysterious locked door in the House
* New House of Hades Events: the god of the dead's residence is livelier than ever
* Expanded Story: hours of added narrative featuring Nyx, Chaos, Artemis, Zeus, and more

## Infernal Arms, Aspects, & Abilities

* Twin Fists: new! Unlock earlier weapons to reveal this (once you return from an escape attempt)
* Twin Fists (Zagreus Aspect): new! Gain attack speed and dodge chance
* Twin Fists (Talos Aspect): new! Drag foes to you with the power of the Magnetic Cutter
* Twin Fists (Demeter Aspect): new! Obliterate foes with the power of the Giga Cutter
* Stygian Blade (Arthur Aspect): new! Seek Nyx to learn more (unlock Guan Yu and Blade aspects first)
* Eternal Spear (Guan Yu Aspect): Spin attack now bounces off obstacles rather than passing through
* Adamant Rail: increased accuracy; now the sixth weapon to be unlocked, after the Twin Fists
* Added one more frame of invulnerability to the Dash (you now are fully invulnerable until you can move)

## Boons & Blessings

* Reduced base offering rate of Legendary and Duo Boons; a new Mirror Talent lets you boost this
* Huge Catch (Poseidon): new! Increases chance of finding fishing points
* Holy Shield (Athena): fixed Evergreen Acorn (Eurydice) activating at the same time when you are hit
* True Shot (Artemis): reduced damage scaling from improved rarity
* Unhealthy Fixation (Aphrodite): can now be offered if you have Broken Resolve; fixed issues where Charmed damage bonus did not expire
* Battle Rage (Ares): expires after first hit from Aspect of Zeus Throw special; no longer expires when recalling the Spear's Throw special
* Urge to Kill (Ares): improved scaling from Poms
* Snow Burst (Demeter): now correctly fires at your position while loading ammo using Aspect of Hera; no longer hits through obstacles
* Mistral Dash (Demeter): increased damage
* Atrophic (Chaos): fixed issues causing incorrect adjustments to Life Total
* Roiling (Chaos): duration no longer reduced by Boss encounters (since it does not affect those encounters)
* Auto Reload (Hermes): new! Regenerate Bloodstones faster (if you have a certain Mirror talent)
* Bad News (Hermes): new! Deal bonus Cast damage to foes without Cast ammo in them (if you have a certain Mirror talent)
* Greater Recall (Hermes): now requires first having one of Hermes' Cast-affecting Boons
* Flurry Shot (Hermes): reduced power scaling from improved rarity
* Quick Reload (Hermes): increased power scaling at Heroic rarity

## Daedalus Hammer Upgrades

* Double Nova (Blade): reduced penalty to damage radius
* Cursed Slash (Blade): reduced penalty to Life Total
* Charged Volley (Bow): increased minimum range; no longer offered while using Aspect of Chiron
* Relentless Barrage (Bow): fixed an issue where it sometimes stopped working with Aspect of Chiron
* Chain Shot (Bow): shots no longer bounce off of invisible Chamber boundaries
* Minotaur Rush (Shield): increased Bull Rush Power Shot damage
* Charged Shot (Shield): increased minimum range
* Explosive Return (Shield): slightly reduced damage
* Exploding Launcher (Rail): slightly reduced damage
* Cluster Bomb (Rail): adjusted firing pattern
* Hazard Bomb (Rail): now fires on press (rather than on release); fixed interaction with Inescapable Blast
* Spread Fire (Rail): reworked; now fires as a single, powerful blast
* Long Knuckle (Fist): new! Attacks have improved range and damage
* Rolling Knuckle (Fist): new! Attack combo ends in a powerful hook punch
* Concentrated Knuckle (Fist): new! Successive attacks against the same foe deal more damage
* Breaching Cross (Fist): new! Your Dash-Strike pierces foes and deals bonus damage to Armor
* Explosive Upper (Fist): new! Your Dash-Special (unique to Twin Fists) deals bonus area damage
* Rush Kick (Fist): new! Dash toward foes with a powerful kick
* Flying Cutter (Fist): new! Hold Special for a stronger, longer range strike
* Draining Cutter (Fist): new! Slay foes with your Cutter special to restore some Life
* Quake Cutter (Fist): new! Deal area damage while landing from your Cutter special

## Foes & Encounters

* 'Trial of the Gods': updated many effects from spurned gods; no longer occur in smaller chambers
* Thanatos: reduced appearance rate in Tartarus; removed Flame Wheels from appearing in these fights
* Larger chambers in Asphodel now only appear later in the region
* Bone Hydra: a wider variety of heads can appear (note that no new types have been added)
* Exalted Longspear: attack visual more closely matches its hit box
* Splitter: updated pattern of split-firing projectiles (it should look better)
* The Minotaur: updated spin attack, specific to the effect of Extreme Measures (Pact)
* Theseus: can no longer invoke Demeter's aid before you have met her
* Crawler: Elite variant no longer appears, although...
* ...added a terrifying new mini-boss encounter to the Temple of Styx...

## Mirror of Night

* Reworked! More choices, improved usability, reduced total Darkness cost; in more detail:
* Added a new flip-side Talent for each Talent! Only one Talent per pair can be active at a time
* Removed ability to subtract ranks in a given talent; added a full Darkness refund option
* Talents are no longer all visible at the start of the game; they are now unlocked two rows at a time
* Later Talents cost less Darkness; if you had more invested than is now required, it has been refunded. Total Darkness required to max all Talents is less than before (when there were half as many Talents)
* Fiery Presence: new! Deal more damage vs. undamaged foes
* Dark Regeneration: new! Recover health when you collect Darkness
* Stubborn Defiance: new! A single Death Defiance effect that replenishes in each Chamber
* Ruthless Reflex: new! Dash just before taking damage for bonus damage and dodge chance
* Stygian Soul: new! Your Cast ammo regenerates automatically (instead of dropping from foes)
* Golden Touch: new! Earn money between Underworld regions based on how much you have
* High Confidence: new! Deal bonus damage while your Life Total is high
* Abyssal Blood: new! Foes with Cast ammo in them move slower and deal less damage
* Family Favorite: new! Deal bonus damage for each different Olympian whose Boons you have
* Olympian Legacy: new! Improves chance of finding Duo or Legendary Boons
* Gods' Chosen: new! Improves chance of finding chambers with Boons, Hammers, or Poms
* Fated Persuasion: new! You can randomly alter Boon and Well of Charon choices offered
* Note: We have plans to do even more with the Darkness resource in future updates

## Keepsakes & Items

* Lucky Tooth (Skelly): reduced healing at higher ranks (bringing it in line with other defensive Keepsakes)
* Broken Spearpoint (Fallen Warrior): fixed issues with it not working against some Final Boss attacks
* Black Shawl (Nyx): reworked; now gives bonus damage vs. undamaged foes and while backstabbing
* Companion Mort (Thanatos): no longer blockable by shield-bearing foes
* Companion Rib (Skelly): increased resistance to wall-slam damage
* Companion Shady (Sisyphus): resource drops now affected by certain Boons; reduced money drops
* Touch of Styx (Well): new! Improves healing from Stubborn Defiance
* Touch of Styx Dark (Fallen Warrior): new! A superior version of the above
* Trove Tracker (Well): no longer offered in the Temple of Styx (Lord Hades wouldn't put troves there)

## Pact of Punishment

* Budget Cuts: cut from game; replaced with...
* Routine Inspection: new! Disables Mirror of Night talents, three at a time from the bottom
* Benefits Package: new! Gives Dire (a.k.a Armored) foes an assortment of nasty Perks:
* Shifter: teleports around from time to time
* Bruiser: extra armor
* Puller: surrounded by a field that pulls you in
* Savior: intermittently makes nearby foes briefly invulnerable
* Slugger: hits harder
* Speeder: moves and attacks faster
* Linker: links to other foes via a continuous beam that damages you
* Cloner: summons 1-Life copies of itself
* Burner: spews molten puddles
* Seeker: ranged attacks track you
* Popper: bursts into Exalted Shades that self-destruct
* The Condition previously called No Choice now is called Approval Process

## Permanent Record

* new! Added a screen summarizing each of your escape attempts; find it in the House's locked chamber
* Note: This is a first-pass version of this screen, which we expect to continue improving in subsequent Major Updates

## House Contractor

* Added items specific to certain subplots...

## Fated List of Minor Prophecies

* Whence Night and Darkness Came: new! Nyx and Chaos shall be reunited
* Musician and Muse: new! Orpheus and Eurydice shall be reunited
* The Holy King: new! The Aspect of Arthur shall reach the surface
* Slashed Benefits: new! Foes with all Benefits Package Perks shall be slain
* Denizens of the Deep: new! A variety of fish shall be caught
* Dark Reflections: new! Successful escapes shall be completed using all Mirror Talents
* End to Torment: aiding Sisyphus is more involved than before (if you haven't done this yet)
* Updated requirements to fulfill several other Prophecies (won't affect you if you've already fulfilled them)

## Level Design & Environments

* Added two new chambers to Asphodel
* It is easier to reliably dash across gaps in several Temple of Styx chambers
* Updated, clearer cover layout in the Final Boss chamber
* The lounge's kitchen area in the House of Hades is easier to get to
* You can now get into one of the locked chambers in the House of Hades...
* Other minor fixes and improvements to various chambers

## Art & Visual FX

* Updated main menu based on new Major Update
* Added new portraits and character model for Nyx
* Added new character model and animations for Hypnos
* Added new animations for Dusa
* Added some new animations for Lord Hades
* Added unique art, animation, and VFX for the Twin Fists and its Aspects
* Added unique art, animation, and VFX for the Aspect of Arthur (Blade)
* Updated the look of Olympian Boon pick-ups
* Updated the look of the House Contractor screen
* Updated the look of the Well of Charon screen
* Updated the look of the Pool of Purging screen
* Updated the look of the Fated List screen
* Updated the look of information panels (e.g. the one that says THERE IS NO ESCAPE)
* Added presentation while resetting offered choices using Fated Persuasion (Mirror)
* Added and updated some icons in the Mirror of Night and Pact of Punishment
* Added graphical icons for various new Boons, Aspects, and Upgrades
* Updated the look of one of the locked doors in the House of Hades
* Made various improvements, detailed below, that in aggregate should improve clarity during combat
* Updated on-hit visual effects (they are cleaner and now have directionality)
* Updated on-hit visual effects for rapid-fire attacks
* Updated on-hit visual effects for foes with Armor
* Updated visual effects when foes are slain
* Updated the look of damage shroud (i.e., when you get hit; this no longer reduces visibility as much)
* Updated the look of the Power Shot full-screen effect (not as jarring as before)
* Updated the look of Trap floor panels (they should be easier to spot)
* Foes' Summoning Circles now are sized relative to the foe; they have varying sound effects as well
* Minor improvements to the look of the Underworld Map between regions
* Minor improvements to Weapon Unlock presentation
* Other minor visual changes, fixes, and improvements

## Menus & UI

* Updated Mirror of Night screen and presentation based on new functionality
* Added category-specific indicators when House Contractor has new items or is sold out
* Added reminder to activate Legendary Keepsakes in certain contexts
* Added feedback when failing to power up Pierced Butterfly (Thanatos) or Lambent Plume (Hermes)
* Added ammo-regeneration indicator while using Stygian Soul (Mirror)
* Improved sorting of resources along right screen edge
* Improved feedback using Charged Throw (Spear)
* Made various improvements, detailed below, that in aggregate should improve clarity during combat
* Updated Damage Numbers presentation to reduce clutter (successive damage now ticks up a single number)
* Updated Boon Sidebar to show only relevant Boons (everything is still in the Boon Info screen)
* Updated Status Curse stack feedback on foes
* Other minor fixes, changes, and improvements

## Music & SFX

* Added new sound effects for the Twin Fists
* Added new sound effects for the Aspect of Arthur (Blade)
* Updated sound effects for the Well of Charon and Purging Pool
* Updated sound effects for the House Contractor
* Updated sound effects for some attacks from spurned Olympians
* Added and updated ambient sounds in some chambers
* Other minor changes, fixes, and mix improvements

## Voice & Narrative

* Extended Affinity Gauges for Nyx, Chaos, Artemis, and Zeus (you can give them more gifts)
* Added many narrative events (with Nyx, Chaos, Orpheus, Eurydice, Artemis, Zeus, Hades, and more)
* Added new Remembrance sequences (when Lord Hades appears at the start of some escape attempts)
* Added several new Duo Boon interactions for some pairings
* Added many new Zagreus voice lines to various contexts for additional variety
* Added more voiceover variety in the Final Boss encounter
* Added Codex entry for Malphon, the Twin Fists
* Added Codex entries for Underworld Regions (i.e., various locations)
* Added Codex entries for River Denizens (i.e., fish)
* Added Codex entries for Fables (use Legendary Keepsakes to unlock these)
* Updated Codex entry for Nyx
* Added utterly nightmarish new Flashback Sequence...
* Added yet another new Early Access Ending variant
* Minor changes to effects on Nyx voiceover
* Updated requirements and other minor changes to various narrative events
* Fixes and tuning to various contextual voice events
* Added several missing subtitles

## New Settings

* Added Master Volume setting to Settings
* Added Screen Shake toggle to Settings

## Miscellaneous

* Updated Development Roadmap to reflect our plans for our next Major Update, slated for June
* Added community-translated content in some languages (translations are ongoing for newer content)
* Added a number of new Victory Screen Commendations
* Lord Hades will sometimes judge the shades gathered in his Great Hall
* Dusa and Megaera will sometimes be gossiping in the lounge
* Hypnos will sometimes fall back asleep
* Wretched Broker now has a Limited Time Offer letting you exchange Darkness for Gemstones
* While switching auto-aim targets with the Bow and Rail, Zagreus quickly rotates instead of snapping (this is a cosmetic change with no effect on aim speed)
* Urns can now be broken as a result of some knock-away effects (not just direct attack)
* Added a visual hint when trying to exit chambers before collecting the reward
* Keepsake Screen no longer shows available Ambrosia before it can be used there
* Minor improvements to door interact presentation in the Temple of Styx
* Minor improvements to Rod of Fishing presentation
* Sisyphus now tosses items in your general direction
* Updated Credits with additional Community Contributors (Thank you for all your help!!)
* References to lava changed to magma (as is well known, magma is beneath the earth, lava is above it)
* Various text fixes, updates, and clarifications

## Bug Fixes

* Fixed lag issues using Switch Pro controllers (if you run into input issues, please report them by pressing F10)
* Fixed rare instances of foes taking wall-slam damage multiple times from a single knock-away effect
* Fixed damage effects playing after Death Defiance activation, rather than before
* Fixed Splendid Lyre sometimes not making a sound when used
* Fixed God of War (Fated List) coming from Artemis rather than Ares
* Fixed an issue where gifting Thanatos during an escape attempt made him noninteractive in the House
* Fixed being able to use exits in some Chambers while using the Rod of Fishing
* Fixed certain story events in the Prince's Bedchambers not queuing properly
* Fixed issues toggling some House Decor items from the House Contractor
* Fixed a graphical issue exiting the Temple of Styx
* Fixed a visual issue where Chill effects would tint a character's speech bubble
* Fixed a visual issue when Wave-Makers are affected by Chill effects
* Fixed weapon charge-up sounds sometimes persisting between chambers
* Many other minor fixes

## Quote of the Patch

> Nyx, whom the Romans called Nox, is a scarcely personified abstraction... Alone she spawned a large and generally unpleasant brood that included Moros (Doom), Thanatos (Death), Hypnos (Sleep), the Fates, and Nemesis.
>
> Crowell's Handbook of Classical Mythology (E. Tripp)

**Note: You should see v0.26754 in-game once you have the update.**