The highly anticipated update to the frenetic shooter Ultrakill, commonly referred to as the ‘Fraud’ update, has landed with over 130 changes, fundamentally rebalancing enemies, refining levels, and squashing a host of persistent bugs. This patch represents one of the game’s most comprehensive post-launch revisions, directly addressing player feedback on difficulty spikes, performance issues, and mechanical clarity.
Enemy Reworks and Balance Shifts
The update brings significant adjustments to several key adversaries, most notably the bosses Gion and Mirror Reaper. Gion, the flying boss from level 8-4, has undergone a substantial buff. Its health pool has been increased, split across two distinct health bars, introducing a proper second phase with new, more aggressive attack patterns. The arena for this fight has also been enlarged and made less punishing, with the rotating floor no longer damaging the player.
Mirror Reaper Evolves from Pushover to Puzzle
Previously considered underwhelming, Mirror Reaper has been transformed. Its health is increased, and it now takes reduced damage from nails, saw blades, and fire—its previous Achilles’ heels. Crucially, players gain new counterplay options: its projectiles can now be destroyed by other projectiles like rockets or saw blades, and its extending hands can be shot off, creating strategic opportunities for damage and healing.
Providence and Puppet Adjustments
The elusive Providence enemies have been nerfed, particularly on lower difficulties where their dash patterns are slower and simplified. A major quality-of-life change allows the beams of a parried Providence to damage other enemies, turning a defensive maneuver into a tactical tool. Puppet mechanics have also been refined. Puppeted Cerberus units no longer enrage, and puppeted Providences no longer spawn double hook points, fixing an overpowered interaction with Death Catchers.
Level Design Refinements and Bug Fixes
Levels 8-2 and 8-3 receive numerous tweaks aimed at improving navigation and preventing softlocks. Checkpoints have been added in confusing sections, such as the upside-down hall in 8-2. Visual cues have been enhanced; a new light shaft illuminates a critical path after a Cerberus fight, and the shop’s location has been moved for better clarity. The disorienting rotating arenas now spin at a reduced speed, and players can even disable the rotation entirely in the options menu to combat motion sickness.
Quality-of-Life and Technical Improvements
Performance optimizations are immediately noticeable, with reported fixes for lag in specific rooms. A wide array of long-standing bugs have been addressed. The Jackhammer’s interaction with rockets has been restored, allowing players to ride and boost them again. Coin punching and whiplash interactions now function correctly. The infamous bug where dual-wielding the Firestarter drained oil ammo exponentially faster has been identified as a bug and fixed, a correction to a mechanic players had assumed was intentional for years.
Cyber Grind Specific Changes
The endless Cyber Grind mode sees targeted balancing. Mirror Reaper’s projectile speed increase when players are out of range has been removed in this mode. Conversely, Powers have been buffed; they are no longer killed by the stage’s grid laser and are immune to enemy friendly fire. However, Death Catchers can no longer puppet Idols here, preventing particularly frustrating scenarios.
Weapon and Mechanic Polishing
Weapon-specific fixes are plentiful. The default Piercer revolver’s coin-split mechanic, which was bugged and prevented it from benefiting from recent buffs, now works correctly. Doors dynamically open faster based on the player’s movement speed, a boon for speedrunners and rocket riders. Enemy AI has been sharpened, with fixes for Schisms aiming at feet instead of heads and Mind Flares properly tracking line of sight.
This expansive update demonstrates a deep commitment to polishing the Ultrakill experience. By reworking underwhelming bosses, smoothing out rough edges in late-game levels, and correcting a small encyclopedia of bugs, the development team has not just fixed issues but enhanced the game’s strategic depth and fluidity. The changes to Gion and Mirror Reaper, in particular, shift them from forgettable obstacles into memorable, multi-phase encounters that better fit the game’s high-octane combat philosophy. For both new players tackling the ‘Fraud’ layer and veterans pushing high-level Cyber Grind waves, the game now feels more responsive, balanced, and intentionally designed than ever before.
