A new update has arrived, bringing the first version of the Perk System to HIRAETH. You can now unlock permanent perks, activate up to three for each new run, and track your progress directly in the pause menu. Below is a quick overview of what’s new in this update.
This is the first stage of the perk system — more perks and multi‑tier versions are planned. For now, you can unlock five perks:
Progress: total damage received by the player Effect when unlocked: +10% maximum health
Progress: total oxygen consumed from EVA tanks Effect when unlocked: –10% oxygen usage
Progress: distance traveled on foot Effect when unlocked: +10% walking speed
Progress: number of crafted items Effect when unlocked: +10% crafting speed
Progress: number of enemies eliminated Effect when unlocked: +10% weapon damage
A new game begins without any perks active
Perk progression starts only when you begin a new game.
Progress is reset upon death.
Starting a another new game also resets progress — loading a save does not.
Once a perk is unlocked, it is permanently assigned to your account.
Unlocked perks are never reset and are always available for future runs.
At the start of a new game, you can activate up to 3 perks from the ones you have unlocked.
You can check your current progression in the pause menu (Escape):
PERK PROGRESS — perks available to unlock and their current progress
UNLOCKED PERKS — perks permanently assigned to your account (e.g., BALOR)
PERKS IN USE THIS RUN — perks selected for the current playthrough
Additionally, perks active in your current run are shown in TAB / STATISTICS, below your character portrait.
I’ve added two new Steam achievements for the PERK system:
PERK: FIRST ACQUIRED – awarded for unlocking your first PERK, any of them.
PERK: FIRST FULL SET – awarded for unlocking your first full PERK set.
Steam Cloud Save is now enabled. You should see the Cloud Status indicator on the game’s Steam page.
Previously, the flashlight illumination could appear incorrectly after loading a save. This should now work as intended.
A bug caused weapons not to fire when the magazine still had 1 round left. This has been fixed — weapons now fire correctly.
Reload animations and UI should now correctly reflect magazine status.
Air usage has been updated based on the selected difficulty level.
Previously, only saves matching the current game version were loaded. A new internal parameter now ensures older saves are skipped only when necessary, regardless of version number.
Some creatures recently spawned incorrect loot (e.g., Slug missing meat/skin but containing ZED items). The game logic was correct — this was a confirmed Unreal Engine bug related to child actor class generation.
A failsafe has been added. Initial tests show it works, but full confirmation will come with broader player testing.
A similar issue may have affected chests and backpacks — this will be addressed in the next update.
This update lays the foundation for the new perk system, and more improvements are already in development. As always, your feedback and reports are extremely valuable — they help shape every update.
Stay safe out there, Paweł