Today we got the release of a new version of Chaos Zero Nightmare, which introduces a new character to roll for: Yuki, an investigator working for a different organization from the protagonist’s group. She and her team seem to be involved in a new Chaos-related anomaly due to the death of her leader that sets the stage for this update’s story.

I’ve already gone through the story released with this first part of the patch, and it was decent overall — though quite short, as I managed to finish it in under an hour. The pacing felt a bit too fast, making it hard to really connect with the new characters or get invested in the developments.

Yuki herself didn’t leave the best first impression on me. Her outward personality, that carefree laugh and overly assertive, flirty attitude toward the protagonist, isn’t exactly my type of character. It’s implied that this behavior is her way of coping with the loss of her former leader in a past mission, and there were a few brief moments showing a calmer, more genuine side to her. Unfortunately, the short story length didn’t give those moments enough time to breathe or develop properly.

There was also a short scene with Orlea at the castle near the very beginning that left me a bit puzzled. It felt somewhat disconnected from the rest of the events for now, but given her ability to “see the future,” I’m guessing it’s setting up something that will pay off later.

I’m especially interested in Chizuru and the faction that stole the item from Yuki and the protagonist. They’re part of a pharmaceutical group with a clear Japanese-inspired aesthetic, and their design and atmosphere immediately stood out. There’s something intriguing about their presence, they feel more grounded and methodical compared to the other groups we’ve seen so far.

Having them positioned as potential antagonists (or at least rivals) could really elevate the story. A proper clash between these two factions would not only raise the stakes but also give the narrative a stronger sense of direction. I just hope the next part of the update gives them the time and attention they deserve, since there’s definitely a lot of potential there.

The update also added a new weekly farming mode, kind of like the “Simulated Universe” system in Honkai: Star Rail. You run through it a few times, rack up enough points to cap out the weekly rewards, and that’s about it. It’s serviceable, but nothing groundbreaking. Still, I enjoy the core of the game enough to stick with it for now, especially since the director mentioned that bigger story improvements are on the way. Let’s see if they can deliver on that promise.