Smilegate announced on October 21 the 1st anniversary update for Chaos Zero Nightmare (CZN), a dark fantasy roguelike RPG developed by Super Creative. The update introduces "A Promise Upon the Snow," the fifth season of "Galactic Disaster," alongside seasonal Combatant Rossweisse.
The 1st anniversary "Nightmare Festival" runs through December 2. It offers 10 free Rescues per day for a total of 70 free pulls, while log-in rewards include a 5-Star Combatant and Partner Selection Ticket as well as 1,600 Crystals. Character summon currency and special sticker items will also be rewarded through check-in events and in-game activities.
This update also includes system enhancements and quality-of-life improvements based on player feedback. The new "Exploration Passive" added to Partners provides beneficial effects to the entire party during Chaos and Sortie gameplay. 4-Star Partners possess 2 buff effects, while 5-Star Partners feature 3 buff effects. Additionally, a "Select Divine Epiphany" feature has been introduced, allowing players to apply their desired god's Epiphany to cards when editing Save Data.
For cosmetic features, "Card Skins," which change the illustration of Combatant cards, and a "Special" grade for outfits have been added. Originally showcased during last April Fools' Day event, Card Skins have now been implemented as an official system, while Special-grade outfits alter all motions and unique cards for the corresponding Combatant and include dozens of exclusive voice lines.
The first story chapter of the new season begins as the Captain and their crew, stranded by an unidentified disaster, arrive at the Chaos zone "Celestial Bulwark". New characters make their appearance, including Rossweisse, apostle of Kyrken, Goddess of Cycle, as the story delves into secrets surrounding another deity, Diallos. In the accompanying supply shop, special currency collected through playing Celestial Bulwark can be exchanged for character acquisition currency and growth materials.
Rossweisse is a Justice-attribute Striker Combatant. In line with her background as an apostle acting on behalf of the Goddess of Cycle's will, her design incorporates motifs such as Obangsaek (the five traditional colors) and a weapon inspired by the Saingeom sword. The Combatant's backstory can be explored in her Trauma Code, released alongside the update.
Her core card, "Flickering Sword," splits into two cards—"Light" and "Dark"—placed at opposite ends of the hand. Playing other cards triggers interactions with them to produce various effects, and fulfilling specific conditions merges the two cards into one to unleash a powerful skill.
From October 21 to December 23, the mini-game "Nightmare Dream Park" will also be available. In this mode, players construct facilities to grow the Dream Park, boosting the satisfaction of visiting Combatants to earn profits. In connection with this mini-game, a donation campaign to support undernourished children will be held on the Smilegate Hope Studio donation platform.
Juhyung Kim, Head of Business at Smilegate, said, "Thanks to the passionate support of our players, CZN is celebrating its 1st anniversary. We hope players enjoy this update and the events we prepared with heartfelt gratitude. Beyond the new story and Combatant, we have introduced various new systems and quality-of-life improvements based on user feedback, so players will really be able to feel the difference."
Further details on Chaos Zero Nightmare can be found on its official STOVE page.
