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Make a Splash in a New Region - The Tropical Reef!
This update introduces a brand new dive region for players to explore, the Tropical Reef. Swim among the coral and plant life, navigate underwater caverns, and check in on the underwater research base in the area.
It’s not all about the scenic sights down here - The Tropical Reef is also home to some new creatures to discover! The Zebra Shark, Ocellated Eagle Ray, and many more call this reef their home, on top of the large number of creatures already in the game. They help bring the Tropical Reef to life, while also providing Mirai with some obstacles to avoid while she’s completing Activities.
Test Your Swimming Skills with Activities!
Beyond Blue has always provided an engrossing narrative combined with exploration-based gameplay, but for those looking for something a bit more action-packed, Daily Activities are here to liven up your dives. Every day, a new Activity will be made available for you to check out from the Main Menu. These Activities can take place in any of the dive locations, including the brand-new Tropical Reef, and will test your proficiency in one of three challenges:
- Point-to-Point Race - Swim through waypoints and race to the goal. Be "shore" to watch out for any sea life that might try to swim right into your path!
- Scavenger Hunt - Search the designated zone for buried treasure… or at least a power-up or two that might help you on your way!
- Relay - Race across the map and try to return as many items to the treasure chest as you can within the time limit! Keep an eye out for some useful power-ups, too!
To help you do your best in these new Activities, Mirai has a tweaked moveset only available in Activity Mode: If you repeatedly tap the Fast Swim button with the right timing, you can keep going faster and faster! But watch out - hitting something in this state will leave you stunned. Depending on your performance in an activity, you will receive a Bronze, Silver, or Gold Medal, along with a reward of Sand Dollars! What purpose do those Sand Dollars serve, you may ask?
Swim in Style with New Suits!
You can use the Sand Dollars you earn from Activities to purchase new suits in the Dive Shop! As you complete in-game challenges, you’ll unlock the ability to purchase more and more suits. Suits can be equipped from the Main Menu or the Pause Menu at any time - even in Story Mode and Photo Mode - so feel free to experiment and see which looks you like best!
Take in the Views with Dive-In Theater!
Beyond Blue is a beautiful game, and sometimes that makes you just want to kick back and watch the world pass you by. We have you covered! Dive-In Theater is a laid-back experience where the camera automatically moves through Beyond Blue’s many environments and passes by its plethora of creatures. Leave it running as pleasant background noise while you work on other things, or watch along, basking in the beauty of the ocean. You’ll even unlock a few new suits in the process!
In addition to the new content, this update includes the following fixes and improvements:
- Fixed issue that was causing the first load screen to freeze for some players
- Fixed issue that was causing the Continue option from the main menu to not work correctly
- Fixed issue that caused certain languages to not display correctly
- Added the ability to rebind keyboard inputs
- Fixed issue where certain music still triggered detection on Twitch with Creator Mode enabled
- Fixed issue preventing Ocean Insights from playing on Steam Deck
- Fixed issue affecting the Continue button on Main Menu on Steam Deck
With all these new features, there are more ways to enjoy the world of Beyond Blue than ever before, so what are you waiting for? Your support makes updates like this possible, so thank you and we’ll see you in the water!
