There’s a new Generation Zero update out today that adds some high-tech new military hardware to the survival game. The three new weapons each are modifications to familiar guns, and they add some interesting new gimmicks to the way they’re used. Developer Systemic Reaction has also overhauled the way the schematic system works, so unlocking new gear is easier than ever.
The three new weapons are the Experimental .44 Magnus, the Experimental KVM 89 machine gun, and the Experimental Älgstudsare rifle. You can pick these up as random drops from rivals and reapers, and by completing base defence missions.
The new .44 Magnus is known as ‘the shrapnel gun.’ It’s a classic Magnum-style revolver that fires rounds that rupture into shrapnel as they pierce through enemies, creating what Systemic Reaction calls “a shotgun-like blast behind your target”. Hitting robots with sharp bits of other robots – it’s the gift that keeps on giving.
The Experimental version of the KVM machine gun plays with the idea of sustained fire heating up a weapon’s barrel. This new SAW doesn’t perform well when the barrel is cold, but the longer you fire it, the more its accuracy, efficiency, and damage increase. There’s a limit, though – Systemic Reaction says you definitely don’t want to overheat this weapon. It’s a machine gun and a game of chicken all wrapped into one portable package.
Finally, there’s the experimental Älgstudsare, the ‘artillery rifle,’ which coats each bullet it fires in a special, slow-burning compound as it travels through the barrel. This coating changes the bullet’s aerodynamics, so it’ll fly slightly slower. The fun twist is that the longer it stays in the air, the more energy it’ll store, making it increasingly lethal as the range of your target increases.
The schematic tree has gotten an overhaul in this update, too. Rather than finding schematics for new craftable items out in the world, you’ll earn schematic points and experience by crafting items or completing various gameplay objectives and spend those points in five trees. You’ll also be able to earn schematic points from specific pickups in the open world, so the search and discovery element is still present – it just takes a backseat now that players will be able to focus in on exactly the stuff they want to unlock.
The full patch notes are available on Steam, and the patch itself weighs in at a chonky 17.3 GB on the platform.