Byline: Staff Writer |
Abiotic Factor just got another massive update. Deep Field Games has launched "Cosmic Companions," introducing an overhauled Pets 2.0 system, a new portal world named the Dunkeltaler Forest, and a complex chemistry mechanic. Players can now equip pets in a dedicated companion slot, carry them through vents, and clean up failed lab experiments with a newly added mop.
The Core Verdict on the Cosmic Companions Update
Abiotic Factor is already an unreasonably large game. You could easily spend 80+ hours navigating its sprawling, Black Mesa-style interdimensional research facility without scratching the surface of its hidden lore. Yet developer Deep Field Games continues to stretch the facility's labyrinthine tendrils. Following last December's "Holiday Cryosphere" update—which added a giant, living snowglobe for festive frolicking—the studio just deployed the Cosmic Companions patch. It fundamentally alters how players interact with the game's ecosystem.
The update introduces three major mechanical pillars. First, it opens a new portal world. Second, it overhauls the creature taming mechanics into a "Pets 2.0" system. Third, it introduces a ludicrously involved chemistry mechanic, complete with a mop to clean up your inevitable, catastrophic lab failures. Here is what the update actually means for your survival run.
Accessing the Dunkeltaler Forest
The most immediate structural change is the opening of the Dunkeltaler Forest. This is a coniferous portal world that serves as the staging ground for the update's new narrative beats.
- The Gateway: You access the forest through a newly active portal located in the Hydroplant.
- The Location: The zone is built around the Alpen Signal Observatorium.
- The Objective: Players are tasked with tracking down the source of a mysterious signal picked up by the Observatorium's equipment.
While the signal hunt provides the narrative justification for the expedition, the forest is primarily a testing ground for the update's new taming and traversal systems. It operates as a distinct biome away from the main facility, requiring specific preparation before you enter the portal.
How the Pets 2.0 System Changes the Game
The headline feature of the Cosmic Companions update is the complete rework of how tamed creatures function. Previously, pets were largely stationary or highly limited in their utility. Deep Field Games has entirely scrapped that limitation.
The new "Companion pet slot" sits directly in your inventory. This dedicated space allows a tamed creature to accompany you as you explore the sprawling facility and its portal worlds. The mechanical impact of this is immediate: you now have a persistent, mobile ally in a game where combat and resource management are heavily weighted against the player.
Can you carry pets up ladders and through vents in Abiotic Factor?
Yes. This is arguably the most practical change in the entire patch. Because the physics and pathfinding in Abiotic Factor can make tight corridors and vertical climbs impossible for AI companions, Deep Field Games implemented a holstering mechanic. You can now pick up your pet and place them in your hotbar. This allows you to physically carry them up ladders, drag them through narrow vents, and ensure they can reach areas they cannot pathfind to on their own.
The update also expands the roster of tamable entities. The standout addition is the "Peccary"—a foundational enemy type that looks like a dog with no legs and a beak. Integrating hostile entities into the companion loop adds a new layer of risk versus reward to early-game exploration.
Why You Need a Mop: Chemistry and Lab Failures
Tucked behind the flashy pet mechanics is a profoundly deep, notoriously punishing chemistry system. Abiotic Factor has always leaned heavily into its "scientist protagonist" fantasy, requiring players to actually read in-game manuals and follow complex protocols to progress.
The new chemistry mechanics push this even further. Interacting with this system requires precise combinations and timing. When you inevitably fail an experiment, the game leaves physical residue or hazardous spills in your environment.
Enter the mop. The patch introduces the mop specifically as a cleanup tool for these failed experiments. It is a small, incredibly specific addition, but it signals that the chemistry system is designed for repeated, messy failure. You are meant to experiment, fail, clean up the physical evidence, and try again. Environmental management is no longer just about keeping hostile entities out of your base; it is about maintaining a functional lab space.
What Players Should Watch Next
The Cosmic Companions update is live now. For current players, the immediate priority is securing the Hydroplant portal to access the Dunkeltaler Forest. The new companion slot means you no longer have to leave your tamed creatures behind when transitioning between the main facility and portal worlds.
The full depth of the chemistry system is still being mapped by the community, and the exact nature of the signal in the Alpen Signal Observatorium remains intentionally obscured in the patch notes. Players should expect the Dunkeltaler Forest to hold more secrets than the initial data mining suggests. Watch for community wikis to update with exact chemical formulas and Peccary taming requirements over the coming days.
