Defensive equipment now animates the same way as weapons
Improved Dead card draw contrast and readability
Added stand-by / idle animations
Updated turn transition animations
New stunned indicator showing remaining stun duration
Card & UI Redesign
Complete redesign of all card visuals
Updated overall UI color palette
Improved action bar colors
Action buttons reordered to match hotkeys:
A = Attack
D = Draw
Balance Tweaks
Slightly reduced resource card chances at the Hospital
Increased defensive equipment availability across all locations
Performance & Engine Improvements
Major game engine overhaul to support future expansion
Faster image loading and reduced artwork sizes
Added loading indicators during:
Game startup
Day transitions and deck building
Build 8 is a foundational update focused on control, flow, and responsiveness. With defensive equipment becoming more accessible and resources no longer costing turns, the goal is to make the game less punishing without making it easy—giving players more room to recover, plan, and survive, while still keeping danger and tension intact.
One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things. — Henry Miller
Locations & Progression
Choose a starting location at the beginning of each run
At the end of a run, select 1 of 3 random locations to continue
6 new locations added, each with unique decks and threat levels:
City Streets
Apartments
Subway
Warehouse
Police Station
Hospital
Locations now meaningfully affect pacing, danger, and decision-making.
Weapons & Combat
4 new weapons added:
Shotgun — hits all active Dead, but is loud
Tazor — stuns a Dead for 1 turn
Baton — reliable melee option
Sledge Hammer — high damage, limited uses
Guns now use ammo instead of durability
Guns remain in your inventory at 0 ammo
Melee weapons now show a hit tracker
Loud weapons clearly warn when they may attract Dead
Visual effect added when melee weapons break
New Dead
Rat
Patient
Nurse
Riot Officer
Police Officer
Prisoner
Resources & Supplies
New items added:
Ammo
Duct Tape (repairs melee weapons)
Toolbox (repairs multiple durability)
Supply cards now offer item choices instead of actions
Mixed Finds updated with new item combinations
Canned food healing reduced for balance
Encounter Variety
Boss Dead now have a 75% chance to appear per day
Card distribution randomness improved so runs feel less predictable
Noise & Risk
Gunshots and rattlers now explicitly log when they attract Dead
Encounters show a noise indicator when actions may cause spawns
Noise sources are clearer, making risk easier to understand
Action Log Improvements
Action Log messages rewritten for clarity and consistency
Attacks, heals, noise spawns, and events are easier to scan
Action Log modal improved for better readability during encounters
UI, Performance
Victory screen integrated into the encounter flow
Improved weapon-switching modal
Smoother animations and transitions across the game
Simplified health bars for Dead
Updated icons and main menu background
Snow and rain added as toggleable weather effects
Faster load times and smoother gameplay
Improved image loading
More reliable leaderboard submissions
Multiple bug fixes and edge-case cleanups
This update came from wanting the world to matter more. I didn't want locations to feel like interchangeable backdrops — I wanted them to change how you think, how you play, and how much risk you're willing to take. Build 7 is a step toward making Deal with the Dead feel less predictable and more intentional. As always, the game is still evolving, and your feedback plays a big role in where it goes next.
Every quiet fix is another step toward surviving the noise.
Gameplay Fixes
Fixed a major issue where some Dead were attacking immediately on draw. The only card that should attack on draw is the Crawler
Card descriptions have been shortened and simplified to take up less space
Hotkeys
Hotkey support added. Full list is available in the How to Play section
Survival Record
Best Run stat now updates correctly
UI Fixes and Improvements
Improved responsiveness across encounter, player, and action panels
Action bar buttons no longer overlap or cover cards in the player panel
Fixed an issue where having too many Dead in play prevented scrolling left. All enemies can now be viewed
Updated visuals on the action bar, including a cleaner attack button and a stronger damage indicator
Images are now preloaded when the app starts. Cards appear instantly, and the CardImage component has loading states and fallback behavior
Updated all animation fonts to match the new UI for a more consistent look
This update focuses on tightening the new interface and smoothing out the rough edges from the visual overhaul. It is not a flashy release, but these fixes are important in getting the game closer to the experience I want players to have. More improvements are already in motion for the next build.
When the world sharpens around you, every sound becomes a warning.
UI AND AUDIO OVERHAUL
New Main Menu: Fully redesigned with clearer structure and better mobile scaling.
New Battle Arena UI: Major visual overhaul across panels, cards, icons, and interactions. Cleaner, sharper, and more cohesive.
Health Bar Relocation: Now placed between the encounter panel and the player panel for improved readability.
Action Bar Redesign:
Draw now resembles a real card.
Punch aligns to match the new interaction flow.
Music and Sound:
Added ambient menu themes, arena tracks, and sound effects.
Audio toggles available in settings.
GAMEPLAY UPDATES
Combat Flow:
Equipping and unequipping weapons no longer costs a turn, giving players more tactical flexibility.
Day One Difficulty Adjustment:
Day 1 no longer includes a boss. This makes the first day more manageable for new players and creates a smoother early game ramp.
New Card Categories:
Events:
Rustled Bushes: A random Dead moves to the top of your deck.
Hound Ambush: Spawns two Hounds immediately.
Resources:
Mixed Finds: Heal or draw cards.
Repair Kit: Repair melee durability or restore gun ammo.
NOISE SYSTEM
Rattler Noise: Each turn it remains alive, it may attract a Dead.
Gunshot Noise: Attacking with a handgun or rifle may attract a Dead, increasing the risk of ranged weapons.
DEAD BALANCE CHANGES
Brute health reduced to 4 from 5
Fumer health reduced to 5 from 6
WEAPON BALANCE
Baseball Bat: +1 damage
Machete: +2 damage
Handgun: +3 damage
Rifle: +4 damage
Community
A new Discord is now available for anyone who wants to share feedback, report issues, or talk about the game.
This update brings the interface much closer to the experience I always pictured. The visual changes make the game feel more grounded and more immersive, and they finally match the tone and style I wanted from the start. There is still more to refine, but Build 5 is the first version that truly looks and feels like the game I have been trying to build.