The latest update for Hinterland Studio’s The Long Dark, titled “Tireless Menace,” brings major changes to the game, on top of the preparations for Story Mode made earlier this month. The major addition is a Challenge Mode, where two separate challenges provide structure to those looking for something more in a sandbox survival game. Furthermore, there’s been a number of quality of life changes, the most notable of which being a quick-access radial menu for your inventory. This menu allows access to the most essential items, and provides quick access for creating campfires and torches. All other changes can be found in a forum post here.

Not only that, but earlier this month, Hinterland posted a video showing the numerous changes they’ve made to the game environment itself in order to prepare for the eventual story mode. These can be as simple as cluttering the environment with more abandoned machinery and cars, or changing the colour grading of various locales, to adding full 2D and 3D representations of characters found in the environment. As The Long Dark deals with the aftermath of an electromagnetic disaster, such changes are necessary to provide further immersion. For more information on Story Mode, you can read the lengthy development post here, but be warned, as there are some spoilers.

Personally, having played a bit of the game several months ago, I was enamored with the unforgiving Canadian wilderness presented within, not least of which because it reminded me so much of where I live. The survival was well-presented, and unforgiving, yet the art style and bewildering nature establish an impressive first impression for a now oversaturated genre. I for one will be waiting for the Story Mode to release for the game, if only to see just where Hinterland has taken the game.