Starbound's latest update brings huge balance changes, new items, a grappling hook

One of the biggest problems with Early Access - and pre-release alpha access in general - is that it's now possible to buy a game that doesn't include a grappling hook. Sure, to some extent you can be comforted by the knowledge that, as a game, the developers will eventually add a grappling hook. But what are you supposed to do before that unknown milestone? Luckily, for owners of Starbound, that question has been resolved as of today's major update. Oh, and it's also rebalanced everything in the game and added a significant amount of other new stuff.

Here's the change list, courtesy of the Reddits .

  • HUGE balance patch, every item, creature, armour and weapon rebalanced. Levelling system entirely rewritten

  • Added early implementation of creature taming (more features coming soon)

  • Added new mining items

  • Added new weapons

  • Added new throwable items

  • Added grappling hook

  • Added new boss and new sector of the galaxy

  • Added a stance system to weaponry, not currently used but will allow us to add secondary attacks to weaponry very soon.

  • Tons of new sounds

  • Guns more common in tier 3

  • Underground detached/rare biomes more common

  • Underground random encounters more common

  • Underground chests more common

  • Ore rebalance (probably way way too much ore at the moment, will be fixed later, enjoy it)

  • Baby monsters

  • New monster palettes

  • Added pixel compressor for high cost banking (idea from Ncrpts)

  • Disable using the beam-axe to light caves underground

  • Added new hats

  • some monsters now graze on grass (can look ugly, needs finishing)

  • Small bipeds now socialise with each other

  • All the monsters behave smarter and are less likely to get stuck

  • You can no longer attack through blocks

  • Fix the game on XP (hopefully)

  • Tons more fixes and smaller additions

While it's still early in the balancing process, the new levelling system has been designed to more easily allow for improvements over time. Expect a long adjustment period, then. Not that it should be a problem, as long as the game still lets people do cool stuff like this:

Now we just need to wait for other Early Access titles to get their grappling hooks. Come on GODUS.

Phil Savage
Editor-in-Chief

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.

Latest in Adventure
Image of illuminated manuscript-style drawings from the game Pentiment.
Random characters kept swearing in Obsidian's font-obsessed murder-mystery when its procedural error system ran amok: 'Naughtiness abounded'
An image of a corpse with the text "You've been re-educated."
I played the lost videogame sequel to 1984, and came away more nostalgic than ever for gaming's awkward adolescence in 1999
Rosella encounters a satyr in a forest in King's Quest 4
Eagle-eyed streamer spots that Roberta Williams' portrait in King's Quest 4 is based on her author photo on the back of the game box: 'I never noticed it before.'
Myst puzzle game
'You’ve been asking, and we’ve been listening': Myst remake adds a whole new world to the classic adventure, one originally introduced in another overhaul from 25 years ago
The character takes a test in a school room.
Expelled! review
Max, protagonist of Life is Strange and Life is Strange: Double Exposure, stares with trepidation at something off-screen with her friend.
Life is Strange: Double Exposure reportedly a 'large loss' for Square Enix, says analyst, who adds: 'The company's IP fundamentally varies too much between good and bad'
Latest in News
Two brightly colored stormtroopers dressed like Run-DMC stand in front of PAX Australia's WELCOME HOME banner.
Tickets for PAX Australia 2025 are on sale now
An Enshrouded player in a recreation of Erebor from The Lord of the Rings
Kings under the Mountain! 33 Enshrouded players spent 10,000 hours to recreate this iconic location from The Lord of the Rings
A mech awakens.
Mecha Break developer is considering unlocking all mechs following open beta feedback
Lara Croft Unified Art
Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics lays off 17 employees 'to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success'
A long bendy arm stealing money from people in a subway car
'You're a very long arm. You steal things. It's a comedy game,' explains developer of comedy game where you steal things with a very long arm
The heroes are attacked by monsters
Pillars of Eternity is getting turn-based combat to mark its 10th anniversary, and that means PC Gamer editors will soon be arguing about combat mechanics again