Budget Cuts (2018), the stealth action game, has always been about taking pensive steps, hiding in the darkness and not tipping off the killer robot guards on your way through the game’s liminal office space. Now developers Neat Corporation released a spooky update that flips the script, turning the game’s stealth action into stalker horror.
The studio today unleashed what it calls ‘Nightmare Mode’, bringing the main foe ADAM to the campaign levels of Budget Cuts Ultimate (2023), which includes both Budget Cuts and Budget Cuts 2: Mission Insolvency (2019).
Like Alien: Isolation (some are dubbing the update ‘ADAM: Isolation’) players must navigate what the studio calls “spookified levels while being relentlessly pursued by killer bot ADAM.”
Normally the game’s unique portal-teleportation mechanic is great for thoughtfully warping around the map and looking for safe purchase amid a sea of overpowered robot foes. In the latest update, players will need to sneak, hide and quickly warp around like never before, as weapons have zero effect on ADAM.
If you’re not up for the challenge though, the update also lets you play through the regular campaign as normal without ADAM stalking you so you can enjoy the addition of the mode’s spooky seasonal decor just the same.
The game’s Nightmare Update is now live on Budget Cuts Ultimate across all supported platforms, including Quest, PSVR 2 and Steam.