Visual Feedback & Performance Update

This update improves combat readability, adds new visual feedback for several abilities and mutations, and optimizes some of the game’s heavier visual effects.

Gameplay and Progression

• Grid Breach now unlocks at Anomaly Level 23.

• Phantom Debt now grants its first wall-phase charge immediately after being selected.

• Phantom Debt continues to grant another charge at the beginning of each level.

• The Phantom Debt status icon now disappears after its charge has been consumed, keeping the HUD cleaner.

New and Improved Visual Feedback

• The Snake now clearly shows when Phase is available.

• Phase visuals react when the Snake is approaching a wall that can be crossed.

• Added a dedicated visual effect when the Snake phases through a wall.

• Speed Boost now creates sparks around the Snake’s head instead of persistent movement trails.

• Speed Boost visuals now communicate the Snake’s direction more clearly.

• Phantom Debt enemies now materialize through a new animated summoning effect.

• Slowed the Phantom Debt materialization sequence, giving players more time to notice the incoming enemy.

• Improved the visibility of the low-health outline around the Snake.

• The Snake is now tinted during critical health.

• Replaced the repeating critical-health heartbeat and ambient alarm with a shorter, less intrusive warning sound.

• Improved critical-health feedback when Reduced Motion is enabled.

Performance

• Significantly optimized Golden Vein trail rendering by batching trail cells into a MultiMesh renderer.

• Batched hazard warning effects to reduce rendering overhead.

• Removed redundant spike timer data copies.

These changes should make important gameplay states easier to understand while improving performance during effect-heavy moments.