Gloomwood's latest research update adds the most scientific thing of all: headshots

Not too long ago, Victorian stealth-em-up Gloomwood received a "research update" that lets players study dissected monsters and then inject their sweet juice directly into your veins for temporary powers. More recently, the early access immsim's latest update has expanded on those research options.

Spending time at your lab gazing into the abyss now grants permanent passive bonuses. You can dissect crowmen for a holstered speed boost, bat barbers for added jump height, and goatmen for damage reduction. New in this update is the option to research huntsmen, and doing so will grant you the passive bonus called Huntsman's Mark, which enables "critical headshot hits on huntsmen". The way it sends their witch hunter hats leaping into the air on a fountain of blood before their body flops to the ground is truly a sight to behold.

Dissecting huntsmen specimens also grants you syringes of their sweet juice, which gives a life-detecting power that turns the world black and white, but with glowy fog that lets you know where people are even if they're behind walls. Players of certain Elder Scrolls games may be familiar with the effect.

Other changes to the way research works include the option to inject multiple doses of certain serums, and easier-to-read labels on the jars of empty monster parts that demand to be filled. Beyond the science-related changes, this update also adds an additional layer of reactivity to the world based on story progress. Revisit certain locations and you'll find altered weather, music, and monsters. These newly spawned monsters will only appear once, as the patch notes explain, so "if you're the kind of player who wants to KILL EVERYTHING in the game—you can still do that."

A third research update is in the works, but first something completely different: "Load up on rope and lace up your climbing shoes, we're heading to the rooftops of Hightowne next." Sounds delightful.