Aqua horror sim Barotrauma has an update that makes opiates "less of a solution for everything"

Alien-infested submarine sim Barotrauma has received a chunky update, bringing two new-ish monsters into its lethal aquatic world. The shrimp-looking Mantis may be recognisable to veterans (it once appeared in pre-Steam builds). And the Viperling is a venomous variant of the existing Spineling (a thorny seaworm with hull-piercing porcupine-like spikes). But don't worry, the medical systems have also seen a "mini-rework", which means drugs like morphine are "less of a 'solution for everything'". Wait. What?

Submariners in the game can still use morphine, opium and fentanyl to ease the pain of a monster attack, broken bones, wrecked organs, or be-bulleted body. However, the developers feel these drugs have been over-used. So they've rebalanced the opiates as part of their Blood in the Water update. Now the drugs have "a much higher risk of causing addiction and overdoses, and morphine heals much more slowly, making it less viable for combat-heavy situations." Well. Guess I'll just die.

Other changes to the medical system include:

• Ethanol and rum can be poured on limbs to treat infections and burns
• Alien blood causes organ damage, making it less viable as a risk-free cheap alternative for blood packs
• Added "alcohol sensitivity" as a side-effect of antibiotics. This causes drunkenness to build up much faster, so avoid using antibiotics and alcohol together!

On top of this certain wounds can get "infected", such as bites from the Thresher (a beaky eel with an unsettling raspy roar) and the infected wound will worsen over time if not treated. Also worth mentioning is a new treatment for the face-hugging Husk parasite that takes control of its human host. "Husk infections can be treated with sufforin and cyanide," the creators clarify. Great. You can now poison your teammate's body to kill the parasite sucking on their noggin. You'll just, you know, have to cure the cyanide poisoning after that.

There are many, many other changes to the game, including new wrecks and adjustable difficulty settings. You can read all this and more in great detail in the update's patch notes. But here are some final fun ones to read entirely out of context.

• Pets leave behind a corpse when they die
• Increased the amount of hyperactivity given by energy drinks
• Fixed bots being unable to put two-handed items on their back when trying to use an underwater scooter

Barotrauma released out of early access in spring last year, and it's very nice to see the terrifying yet hilarious sci-fi misadventure still receiving tweaks. Even if those tweaks seem purpose-built to kill you.