New Chasm DLC provides a hardcore new mode with leaderboard support

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It sounds pretty hard.

The first free DLC has just launched for Chasm, adding a new mode with a bizarre new twist on the game's procedurally generated maps. In the core game, each full playthrough carried out in the same, procedurally generated game world. In the new Arcade Mode, the map will re-generate every time a room is exited and returned to. In other words, there's no way to learn the lay of the land.

Oh, and each area can only be visited for a maximum of eight minutes. That means there's a rough limit of each playthrough of an hour, if you manage to complete the game. Which, chances are, you won't immediately. 

But it's not torture for no good reason: the Arcade Mode feeds into daily and weekly challenges, with players achieving the highest score getting pride of place on the leaderboard. 

Here it is in the words of the dev:

Daily Challenge: Every day you get one shot to leave your mark on Guildean history. Stay alive, progress as far as you can, and rack up your kill count and reach the next area as quickly as possible for maximum points to earn your spot at the top of the daily leaderboard.

Weekly Challenge: Same idea as the Daily Challenge, but you can take your time and get to know the map. Play through as many times as you like, finding the best shortcuts, loot, and power-ups along the way. Your highest score for the week will be recorded for posterity.

Practice: No one’s keeping score but you, so just have fun in this mode. Use the randomly generated seed to explore a new dungeon just for you, or enter your own seed number to explore a dungeon you’re already familiar with.

Andy quite enjoyed Chasm when it released, rewarding it a 78 percent score.  

Shaun Prescott
Shaun Prescott
Australian Editor

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.