12th April 2022 - Patch 1.13.0

Happy Easter Geniuses!

Rather than eggs we've been hunting bugs in the leadup to the bank holiday, and we're happy to report that we've cracked a few that have been lurking.

With a focus on navigation we've continued to make improvements to minion pathing, so we should see fewer members of our dedicated workforce getting stuck at the helipad and having to pay the ultimate price for their slacking. With a little community assistance we also identified and fixed an extremely rare issue that caused minions to become completely invincible lair destroying monsters, so that's good!

In addition to that we've made a number of smaller fixes and general stability improvements to keep your sinister machinations running smoothly.

Thank you all for your continued support, 

Stay Evil.

- The Evil Genius 2 Development Team

Fixes and Improvements

Platform Specific Fixes

• Windows Store/Xbox App - Signing out of the "Xbox App" no longer causes the game to crash.

General

• Minions will no longer become immortal under specific circumstances
• Island will no longer be visible on transition to Island view from World Map
• Navigation Fixes
• Weapon dispensers should now correctly auto-reconstruct
• Load game button remains visible if all cloud save data is deleted
• Animation improvements
• Security Zone gamepad input prompt will no longer overlap other prompts.
• Characters should no longer become stuck in a loop of falling into a shark trap when blocked in by attackers
• Turret "Out-of-Ammo" backplate now displays correctly
• Minions will now correctly re-load turrets
• Research now correctly calculates money required and time remaining when difficulty is changed mid-game
• Minions should no longer become stuck by stat changes while departing to World Map
• Brainwashed minions can now be re-captured.
• Tier 1 Mining research now unlocked by default in Sandbox mode
• Tourists in Benchmark mode now correctly sit on sofas

Super Agents/Henchmen

• Henchman recruitment warning added to Super Agent Recruitment objectives in Sandbox
• Henchmen no longer become unresponsive if interrupted during placement of a trap
• Agent X "Noir" ability visuals adjusted
• Henchman ability stability improvements

Oceans Campaign Pack

• Geniuses and Henchmen can now access the dock area of Icicle Point
• Minions can now correctly access Floor 3 of Icicle point using stairs.
• Ice statues can now be placed in the "Workshop" and "Portal Chamber"
• Fixes for ice statue textures
• Temperature balancing
• Engineering Projects can now be cancelled after being suspended
• Nautilus and Atlantis Rogues Gallery unlock fixes
• Polar no longer becomes bald when frozen by a trap
• Tutorial markers added to "Troublemaker" minions in Polars campaign
• Button added to minion manager to allow Engineering specialisation

 

8th February 2022 - Patch 1.11.0

Despite still being in the grips of the winter season, it's quite mild out... With the release of the Oceans Campaign Pack, our latest Evil Genius is scheming to correct that once and for all! Now available to Season Pass holders as well as for purchase separately, global warming won't know what hit it.

In addition to developing this frosty new content, the team here has continued to fix community-reported bugs, with just enough time to add a couple of features that have been requested by you along the way.

Most notably we've added a function to the furniture side menu that allows you to identify items of furniture that you would like your minions to automatically re-build should it, for any reason, be destroyed. No more worrying about power supply interruptions from Blue Saint and his destructive tendencies, or having to follow Wrecking Bola around after she has smashed her way through all of your precious doors.

We've also spent some time improving messaging for Trap cooldowns and blockages, so it should be easier for you all to tell at a glance how your Trap networks are functioning. Finally we also added a button to quickly swap between placed Portals, almost as if you were using them yourself.

With the Season Pass now complete, we'll be continuing a tail of support, and may even have a surprise or two left that our Community Team will be eager to share information about very soon. Thank you for playing and for continuing to support Evil Genius 2: World Domination.

- The Evil Genius 2 Development Team

New Additions

• Addition of an overhead indicator for blocked Traps.
• Addition of an indicator for time until Trap is ready to use again.
• Addition of a button in the side panel to automatically reconstruct destroyed furniture.
• Addition of a button to jump between constructed Portals.

General

• Further improvements to Lair navigation and minion job prioritisation.
  • Including navigation through Portals
  • Including Cruise Ship navigation into and away from the Lair.
• Abominations will no longer attempt to escort Agents tagged for distract.
• Abominations and Mechanical Minions are no longer affected by Emma's Doomsday Device Backfire effect.
• Mechanical Minions will no longer be affected by negative gas/thermal status effects.
• "Tox Populi" subtask will now correctly count construction of "Paywall" as a Trap.
• Improvements to menu navigation when using gamepad.
• Live feedback added to options menu settings.
• Fixes for overlapping and missing icons in menus.
• Improvements to Stats page displays.
• Scrolling in the objectives menu will no longer loop around the visible entries only.
• Save/Load menu will now correctly message the maximum number of supported save files.
• VFX applied to certain furniture will no longer stretch or become misaligned when the furniture is moved while in use.
• Minions/Agents will no longer become stuck when attempting to enter melee combat on stairs.
• Improved messaging for brainwashing failing while at maximum Lair occupancy.
• Improved messaging for unconnected stairs.
• Robot minions can now be healed by Magnolia Mings "Cure" ability.
• Game .exe icon updated.
• Improvements to messaging the positive effect of the "Communications Array" item.
• Fire VFX now correctly aligned on Red Ivan's Doomsday Device on all islands.
• "Broadcast Strength" will now be refunded when a region is destroyed by a Doomsday Device.
• Traps blocked by body bags now correctly message their state.
• Out of world no longer visible on cancelling loot item construction.
• Trap AoE now correctly updates when blocking furniture is moved.
• Assorted icon imagery fixes.
• Assorted menu functionality fixes.
• Assorted animation fixes.
• Text and localisation fixes.
• Credits updated.

Crashes

• Fixed a crash when "Fuels Gold Part 2" progress reaches 99%.

Tutorial

• Progress will no longer be blocked if the player confirms partial construction of the Barracks.

Side Stories

• "Reign of Terra" Side Story will now trigger when appropriate conditions are met.
• "Pharaoh is Foul, Foul is Pharaoh" final scheme will now trigger correctly.

Henchmen

• Henchman ability 1 can now be de-activated from the side menu.
• Fix for IRIS becoming stuck on activating and de-activating "Security Network Link".
• Fixes to prevent Henchman ability VFX being visible from any floor within the Lair.

Oceans Campaign Pack

• Corrected a progression blocker in Emma's campaign when playing on Oceans DLC Island.
• Save/Load menu will now display correct image and name for Oceans DLC Island.
• Added missing localisation for a main objective in Oceans DLC campaign.

 

~The Evil Genius 2 Development Team

• Characters will navigate unusual Lair configurations with greater reliability
• Captured minions no longer retain possession of their weapons
• Minions with the "Unloved" and "Heatwave" Traits no longer become trapped restoring stats when assigned to leave on a Scheme
• Entering High Alert while minions are in transit to a Scheme will no longer interrupt the transport in unusual circumstances
• Messaging added for minions with zero Smarts damaging Items in the Lair
• Additional visual feedback added for incarcerated characters
• The correct Genius' Inner Sanctum visuals will continue to be used when playing for an extended period of time
• The cost of Items sold while they are being moved is correctly added to the Vault
• Traps on cooldown can be used for Interrogation. This will not reset the cooldown
• Agents with depleted Resolve will attempt to exit the Lair using the closest vehicle available to them
• Active audio effects of Items no longer continue to play when not in use in unusual circumstances.
• Items that are being transported for construction no longer display a shadow at their destination before being placed
• Environment rocks no longer clip through the extreme edge of buildable space in the default Cover Operation space when playing on the "Crown Gold" Island Lair
• Environment rocks no longer clip through Items with recessed floors placed in specific locations when playing on the "Montañas Gemelas" Island Lair
• Environment rocks no longer clip through Items with recessed floors placed in specific locations when playing on the "Caine Key" Island Lair
• "Allow cursor out of window" option added
• Shortcut keys for changing tabs function consistently when navigating the save/load screens
• Gamepad control and button prompt improvements
• Explanatory tooltips added for several options settings in the launcher
• Text and localisation improvements

Sandbox Mode

• Additional icons added for Sandbox Objectives

Campaigns

• Doomsday Device countdown is correctly aborted when the Doomsday Device loses power for any reason

Side Stories

• The explosion damage caused by Robot minions on death has been reduced. Explosion damage caused by enemy Robots on death remains unchanged
• Robot minions are correctly affected by each Genius' AoE abilities
• Loot items have had their power requirements adjusted as follows:
  
  • Giant Egg - Was 0 Now -2
  • Area 51 Dispenser - Was 0 Now -1
  • A Million Bees - Was -8 Now 0
  • Carrion Flower - Was -6 Now 0
  • Flying Pig - Was 0 Now -1
  • Doors of Fort Knox- Was 0 Now -1
  • Dodo Educator - Was 0 Now -1
  • World's oldest bones - Was 0 Now -1
  • Flame of Prometheus - Was -8 Now 0
  • The Sarcophagus - Was 0 Now -1
  • Rumpelstiltskin's Wheel - Was 0 Now -2
  • Additional messaging added when Side Stories have limitations attached that could lock out other Side Stories

Henchmen & Super Agents

• Jubei will now respond to move orders while his "Flow" ability is active
• Henchman targeted abilities are no longer interrupted by an Agent disabling a Trap

Traps

• Characters hit by a Boxing Glove or Aperture Science Panel will be correctly affected by the Freeze Ray and Bubble Cannon
• Turrets are no longer able to see through Agent Disguises
• Propulsion Gel will no longer remain visible over an open Shark Tank when these traps are used in a combo

 

• Toilets are available for construction in Corridors
• Stability Improvements

Side Stories

• Objective progress is correctly tracked and updated during the "Human Resources" Side Story

Sandbox Mode

• Research Projects unlock correctly when playing in Sandbox Mode

 

This update brings further improvements to the core Evil Genius 2 experience. Sandbox Mode has had some attention from our design team, bringing the following much-requested features to the more laid-back approach to World Domination:

• All Loot Items can be constructed in Sandbox Lairs, and start each game unlocked.
• Henchmen of your choice can be added to a Sandbox Lair, selected through the Side Stories menu.
• A broad selection of enemies, from Crime Lords to Super Agents, can be called on to test your meticulously crafted Sandbox defences, also selected through the Side Stories menu.
• All present and future DLC Characters and Items can be used in Sandbox Lairs.

Whether in Sandbox Mode or a Campaign game, modelling and remodelling the finer details of your Evil Lair en masse can sometimes require more clicks than we'd like, so we've added additional hotkeys for manipulating Items in Build Mode. These hotkeys are unbound by default, but can be set through the Gameplay Options > Keyboard & Mouse Controls menu.

Finally, we have given Sir Daniel back his trusty Hunting Rifle, having inadvertently disarmed him in the previous update, limiting him to fisticuffs. Sorry about that Sir Daniel.

As ever, thank you all for your continued support of Evil Genius 2, and we wish you continued success in your pursuit of World Domination.

- The Evil Genius 2 Development Team

General

• Multiple issues with characters being unable to navigate to or from specific areas of a Lair have been resolved
• Optional keyboard hotkeys added for Moving, Selling, and Toggling Power on the selected Item while in Build Mode. Find them in Gameplay Options > Keyboard & Mouse Controls
• Characters fleeing from combat and gas clouds simultaneously will no longer become trapped in a fleeing state
• Characters waiting to be escorted to a Holding Cell will no longer become stuck in place after repeatedly toggling power to the only usable Holding Cell in a Lair
• Audible alerts added when the Genius or a Henchman catches fire
• The "Floor 1" button on the HUD no longer flickers when a fire is present on other Floors of the Lair
• Characters are now escorted to available Holding Cells correctly in unusual Lair configurations
• Characters no longer remain stationary when assigned specific jobs in unusual Lair configurations
• Characters no longer teleport to their destinations when assigned specific jobs in unusual Lair configurations
• Tourists no longer become trapped in place when attempting to board the Cruise Ship in large numbers
• Characters correctly transform into Body Bags if the Capture Tag is removed during a potentially lethal final blow
• Tourists no longer walk through restricted areas when playing on the Montañas Gemelas Island Lair
• Genius area of effect abilities will no longer impact minions on other floors of the Lair
• The Build Menu information panel correctly updates when selecting a Loot item that has not been placed immediately after selecting a Loot item that has been placed in the Lair
• The camera can no longer be positioned to clip through the Cruise Ship
• The "Crack Shot" and "Poor Shot" Traits are now mutually exclusive
• Extraneous button prompts and tooltips have been removed from a number of menus
• Stability improvements and performance optimisations
• Gamepad control and button prompt improvements
• Text and localisation improvements

Sandbox Mode

• DLC content is now available in Sandbox Mode
• Construction visual effects will display correctly during extreme builds in Sandbox Mode
• The "Back" button functions as intended on the Island Selection screen when starting a new Sandbox game

Campaigns

• IRIS will no longer become stuck in place on the Shark Tank Trap in unusual circumstances during Emma's Campaign Objective, "Tourists Trap"
• Visual effects from Emma's "Plotter" ability no longer display on Body Bags after using this ability on a Henchman shortly before Executing them
• Incendio has the correct Crime Lord Trait and overhead icon during Emma's Campaign Objective, "Untied Nations"
• The "Destroy S.M.A.S.H." Scheme no longer appears during Emma's Campaign Objective, "Doomsday"
• V.E.N.O.M. Gas Traps once again harm Agents as intended during Emma's campaign
• Feral minions are now immune to Execution attempts throughout Emma's Campaign
• The "Fake Schematics" Item can now be placed in the Training Room during Maximilian's Campaign Objective, "As Broken As My Heart"
• Crime Lord Barks will consistently match their on-screen callouts during Maximilian's Campaign Objective, "Bury The Hatchet"

Side Stories

• Writers will not attempt to flee the Lair after being captured during the Side Story, "Hearts and Masterminds"
• Icons for Deception-class Side Stories are correctly displayed in the Objectives Screen

Henchmen & Super Agents

• DLC Henchmen recruited after completing one or more Henchmen Improvement Research Projects will have their stats boosted correctly
• Sir Daniel Ernest Hemingboone has had his trusty Hunting Rifle returned to him, and is once again armed for ranged combat
• Wrecking Bola no longer becomes stuck in place when intercepted for Distract by a Deception class minion
• The effectiveness of Blue Saint's Smoke Bombs has been increased
• Friendly Henchmen no longer temporarily target Doomhilda when her "Shattering Voice" ability is used nearby
• The Pyro Henchman's "Armageddon" ability activates more reliably when used during combat
• The Pyro's bark for the "Armageddon" ability will no longer be interrupted by their regular attack bark, when playing in fast forward
• Combatants now react correctly to Espectro's melee combat finisher
• Clara Jones' position marker is no longer misaligned when using a Conference Table

Traps

• Moving a Trap while it's active will no longer result in those characters being teleported to the intended destination of the Trap
• The effective trigger zone for the "Shark Tank" Trap has been increased
• Explosions from the "Puppy of Death" Trap are no longer visible when viewing other floors

World Map

• Lair icons on the World Map now display correctly when playing as Zalika or Maximilian

Items

• The Cloning Machine, Basic Training, and Bush Tucker BBQ Items will be used by minions more frequently than before
• Minions will cease using the "Melee Trainer" and "Agent Disguise Simulator" Items during High Alert
• Minions returning dropped Ray Guns play the correct animation upon reaching the Loot item
• The "Security Checkpoint" Item correctly indicates that it increases the number of Security Cameras in the Lair by 1
• Extraneous access point indicators (footprints) have been removed from multiple variants of Doors
• Longer Item names are no longer truncated on tooltips

 

• Reduced the frequency of audible IRIS alerts for multiple categories of notification
• Audio on the Genius select screen now plays as expected, and at appropriate volume
• Minions imprisoned while deserting will more reliably restore their stats, and may gain a new Trait to reduce their stat depletion for a time after they are released
• Characters with visible protection cannot be harmed by gas attacks. This includes the Pyro, Magnolia Ming, Espectro, Biologists, and all Robots
• Investigators no longer take photographs of non-suspicious items
• The Blue Saint now uses blue smoke bombs to attempt to disguise himself
• The HUD indicator correctly displays when Research has halted
• It is no longer possible to change floor during the early stages of the Tutorial
• Characters can no longer be targeted until they have fully exited their arrival vehicle
• Characters will no longer clip through beach furniture in new games
• Character vocalisations no longer continue when the game is paused
• The "Dirt" button is no longer highlighted when opening the Build Menu using right-click
• Tooltips no longer remain displayed when moving the camera after highlighting edit buttons on a furniture item
• Tooltips for the last item visible on the Build Menu is no longer erroneously displayed when toggling the Side Panel
• Characters can be sorted by positive and negative Traits in the Minion Manager
• The Minion Manager will provide feedback when a search has no results to display
• In the Minion Manager, viewing the last minion's stats in a full screen of results no longer causes those stats to be displayed off screen
• Narrative minions are correctly removed from view when using toggling minion visibility in Photo Mode
• Input prompts are correctly displayed when using Photo Mode, and controls for switching tabs are consistent
• Edge scrolling now functions when using Photo Mode
• Informational messages that Achievements cannot be earned in specific game modes have had their prominence increased
• A warning message has been added that earning difficulty-related Achievements may be affected if the difficulty setting is changed for a game in progress
• The "Customise Graphics Detail" Options menu correctly closes when pressing the Escape key
• Island environment is no longer visible through floors when constructing Stairs in specific locations on the "Caine Key" Island Lair
• Characters correctly appear in callout boxes during their barks when they are killed or captured
• Correct Crime Lords are visible during their barks if multiple Crime Lords have died simultaneously
• Narrative minions correctly display an appropriate icon in their side panels
• Agent types and J Steele now unlock predictably in the Rogue's Gallery
• The "Load Game" menu option is no longer available if there are no save games available
• DLC used in the current game can be viewed through the "Active DLC" Pause Menu option
• Performance improvements and memory optimisations
• Gamepad control improvements
• Text and localisation improvements

Campaigns

• Audio now plays reliably during campaign completion cutscenes
• A task to fire H.A.V.O.C. at a Force of Justice headquarters is no longer erroneously completed during Red Ivan's campaign Objective, ""Cry H.A.V.O.C."
• Tourists leaving on the Cruise Ship no longer increments task progress during Maximilian's campaign Objective, "Going for Gold"
• Peacekeepers correctly display an overhead icon during Emma's campaign Objective, "Tourist Season"
• Incorrect Scheme reward text has been corrected in Emma's Campaign objective, "Spectres"
• Super Agents are now referred to by name when tagged by the Genius during later campaign Objectives
• Switching floors is no longer possible during a Genius' death animation

Side Stories

• Acquiring the Prometheus Flame Loot Item no longer blocks unlocking the Hubbard Slice Loot Item
• Research requirements have been adjusted to require only one minion type and one item type in Side Story, "Pride Goeth Before the Fallout"
• Minions will no longer repeatedly interact with the Magic Carpet Loot item during the Side Story, "Too Darn Hot"
• Minions no longer talk over subsequent lines during Talking Heads scenes which include the Pyro
• Crime Lord Side Stories are no longer incorrectly labelled as "Minion Recruitment" Objective during the Tutorial

Henchmen

• Attempting to use Fugu Furakawa's abilities while she is already in combat will no longer deduct the required stats without activating the ability
• The Pyro's "Armageddon" ability no longer activates twice in unusual circumstances
• The strength of Iris' basic attacks has been slightly reduced
• The strength of Doomhilda's basic attacks has been slightly increased
• Jubei's barks no longer display incorrect callout text in unusual circumstances
• Activating Espectro's "Clone" ability while he's moving no longer activates the ability cooldown without summoning the clone
• Incendio's position marker is no longer misaligned while sitting at a Conference Table

Traps

• Most Traps no longer take passive Durability damage. Instead, Traps take Durability damage each time they are activated, once per activation. Single use traps, Loot Traps, the Fake Safe, and the Pay Wall are unaffected by this change
• The cost of all Traps has been reduced by circa 20%
• Tourists correctly interact with active Paywall Traps
• Minions and Tourists no longer avoid pathing through a Paywall Trap
• Correct animation will play when characters are Interrogated on the Venus Spy Trap
• The "Puppy of Death" Trap container no longer ceases to be rendered at distance

World Map

• Inactive Regions are now indicated with a visual effect when fully zoomed out on the World Map

Items

• The Hubbard Slice Loot item now prevents fires on Traps as well as other Lair Items
• The Maple Syrup Loot item now restores Morale more rapidly
• Characters' legs no longer elevate out of place when using the "Omni-Check-Up" Infirmary item
• Visual effects of some items no longer appear when viewing different floors of the Lair
• Eli Barracuda's hair no longer clips through the Cabal Induction Chair during use

 

Fixes

• Moving Gold Statues during Maximilian's campaign no longer causes crashes
• Characters tagged for Capture will no longer be killed by the Pyro's flamethrower, by Jubei's Flow ability, or by other spreadable effects

 

• Deception henchmen now roam the Cover Operation, dealing high Harass damage allows them to deter Agents and Tourists without initiating combat, where their effectiveness is weaker
• Muscle henchmen have had a rebalance, making them less effective in the Cover Operation but more obviously tuned for direct combat
• Science henchmen now sit somewhere in the middle, with average combat and Cover Operation effectiveness making way for their boosted, more outlandish abilities
• Each Henchman's Stats now better reflect their specialisation
• Agents and Super Agents have received additional, though less significant balance adjustments, and Crime Lords should pose more of a challenge across the board

We're aware of a small number of players continuing to encounter problems when playing Evil Genius 2 with wireless headphones - please get in touch with our Customer Support team if you're one of them, so we can track down the root of the problem.

As always, thanks for your continued support of Evil Genius 2.

-The Evil Genius 2 Development Team 

General

• Super Serum VFX has been modified to remove an undesirable flickering effect
• The "Share Game Information" options setting is correctly preserved
• The Build menu can be consistently accessed after selecting a Decor or Lair Item during the Tutorial
• Added an option to Accessibility settings to reduce the risk of burn-in when playing Evil Genius 2 for extended periods on certain OLED displays
• Tooltips added for FidelityFX Super Resolution 1.0 in Graphics Options
• "Select All" option added to the DLC select screen
• Added an option to remove individual key bindings through the "Keyboard & Mouse Controls" menu
• Agents that arrive during specific narrative Objectives will correctly leave the Lair when their Resolve is reduced to zero
• Agents being Escorted past a Paywall Trap will no longer cause the Trap to briefly activate
• Animations on the Objective Tracker have been reduced for small increments of Objective progress
• The completion audio for Objectives and Research Projects will no longer repeat under unusual circumstances
• Updated IRIS alert when Rogues are stealing Loot items
• Pinball Bumper musical notes are correctly previewed while the game is paused, and the sound effects for these notes has been improved
• The same Pinball Bumper musical note can be previewed multiple times
• Updated sound effects for Stun Guns and Stun Rifles
• The "Pyromaniac" trait correctly gives minions a small chance to set opponents on fire during combat
• The level of Agents accompanying a Super Agent is displayed correctly when they are imprisoned in a Holding Cell
• Cursor added to indicate an area cannot be marked for Security Zones
• Narrative characters will correctly display a Distract overhead icon when Tagged for Distract after escaping a Holding Cell
• The camera can no longer pass through the second level of a Doomsday Device on the "Montañas Gemelas" Island Lair
• In new games, characters will no longer clip through folding chairs on the beach level of an Island Lair
• The number of minions that will be auto-hired or bought is now displayed when viewing Workers in the Minion Training screen
• Locked Training Items are no longer displayed when changing tab in the Minion Training screen
• The HUD correctly displays when Research has been manually paused
• Information panels for Rooms display correctly when navigating back to the Room tab
• The Character Selection menu closes correctly when a hotkey is used to select a character while this menu is open
• Research Project icons have been corrected in the Side Panels of the Research menu
• The confirmation pop-up when using a gamepad to collect Optional Objective Rewards has been removed
• The selected Side Story is correctly displayed after navigating to another tab of the Objectives screen, then back again
• Information for the Martial Artist no longer unlocks in the Rogues' Gallery after unlocking the Mercenary minion type
• An input prompt has been added for returning to the list when viewing a completed Objective
• The cursor control keys can be used to correctly navigate the Minion Manager list
• Saves can now be correctly deleted when using a gamepad
• The menu bar is more easily accessible following a Game Over when playing with a gamepad
• Locked Items are correctly highlighted in the Build Menu when using a gamepad
• Hidden Build Menu buttons are no longer selectable during Talking Heads
• It is no longer possible to navigate away from the Benchmark results screen by selecting hidden buttons
• Text and localisation improvement

Achievements

• Agent Steele can be captured during the Side Story, "The Melting Point Of Steele" to earn the Achievement, "Can't Be Fooled"

Campaigns

• Characters who have been turned to Gold statues no longer become unselectable in unusual circumstances during Maximilian's campaign
• Tamara Krast can no longer be Tagged for Kill or Distract during Maximilian's campaign Objective, "Gold Fingers, And Toes, And...Well, Everything"
• Listening Devices will be placed correctly by Agents in Maximilian's campaign Objective, "Hostile Takeover"
• Removed Listening Devices will consistently count toward progress in Maximilian's campaign Objective, "Hostile Takeover"
• Golden Statues can no longer be placed in external locations during Maximilian's campaign
• Notable Engineers will no longer Repair standard Lair Items during Maximilian's campaign Objective, "M.I.D.A.S. Touch"
• Kidnapped Scientists are attributed to the correct Force of Justice during Maximilian's campaign Objective, "If You Build It, They Will Scream"
• V.O.I.D. Worshippers no longer have their names overwritten, and will be assigned jobs correctly during Zalika's campaign
• Firing V.O.I.D. with a completed Research Tree will result in a reward of Gold being added to the Aftermath Scheme, with more Gold available if the device is fired at Level 2 or 3 during Zalika's campaign
• Offscreen indicators display correctly when viewing a different floor from the required items during Zalika's campaign Objective, "Damage Control"
• "Random Sample" Schemes now require only a Level 1 Criminal Network in Zalika's campaign Objective, "Barely Living Proof"
• Agent infiltration positions have been updated during Zalika's campaign Objective, "Damage Control"
• P.E.A.C.E. Agents are attributed to the correct Force of Justice during Red Ivan's campaign Objective, "P.E.A.C.E. Corpse"
• Peacekeeper Soldiers can no longer be Tagged for Distract during Emma's campaign Objective, "Tourist Season"
• Rewards are correctly displayed for the "Uncover Agents" Research Project in Emma's campaign Objective, "Spectres"
• Confirmation pop-up added when returning to the Title Screen from the Credits at the end of a campaign
• The "New Main Objective Available" IRIS alert no longer plays at the beginning of the credits after completing a Campaign

Side Stories

• Minions no longer move into the air when clearing Gas Clouds on specific areas of the "Montañas Gemelas" Island Lair
• A S.M.A.S.H. Region must now be Scouted before the Cabal Side Story, "Giving Up The Ghost" to become available
• Characters will no longer be set alight when escorting Incendio to a Holding Cell during the Side Story, "Unwanted Guests"
• Crime Lords allied with the player can no longer be tagged for Capture
• Full Metal Jackie can no longer be tagged for Capture in the Side Story, "Up In Arms"
• The Super Bot can no longer be Tagged for Kill in the Side Story, "When You Cut Me, Do I Not Lubricate?"
• Schemes to invite Critics to the Lair now spawn in a broader variety of Regions in the Side Story, "Fugu State"
• Additional guidance arrows added to the Side Story, "Learn The Ways Of the Technician"
• Schemes referencing the Flame of Prometheus no longer spawn during the Side Story, "What's Mine Is Mine"
• The Threat Scheme, "Hot To Trot" now displays correct VFX during the Side Story, "The World Is Hot Enough"
• The Threat Scheme "Slippery Slope" displays the correct VFX during Side Story, "Imbalance of Power"
• Arms Dealer Goons display the correct job name when demonstrating weapons during the Side Story, "Heavy Metal Queen"
• Medical Investigators are correctly attributed to the S.M.A.S.H. Force of Justice in the Side Story, "King Of The Fountain"

Geniuses

• Maximilian's "Train Faster" Ability no longer affects minions outside of his visible aura
• Emma's "Plotter" Ability now displays correct VFX when used on Espectro's Clone

Henchmen

• IRIS will correctly disable her Security Network Ability if she enters a wounded state while this Ability is active
• The Ability duration bar is displayed appropriately for all Henchman abilities

World Map

• World Map Regions can now be navigated by using the Q and E keys on a keyboard, or by using the bumpers on a gamepad. Button prompts have been added to Region Side Panels to indicate this
• The Lockdown alert indicator is no longer displayed in Regions that have not been Scouted
• Heat bar animations now display correctly at all levels, including when a Region is in Lockdown
• Heat gain for Schemes in S.A.B.R.E. Regions with a Level 4 Criminal Network have been brought in line with other Force of Justice Regions

Items

• Doors display correctly as open or closed at greater camera distances
• The Agent Disguise Simulator is now displayed correctly at all camera distances
• The "R.A.Y.G.U.N." VFX will consistently display during longer Interrogations
• Investigator Agents will correctly gain Suspicion after encountering the R.A.Y.G.U.N. or Induction Chair items
• Loot items which are immune to Durability damage will no longer be marked for Repair
• The Melee Trainer Lair Item is correctly affected by the Hubbard Slice and Sands of Time Loot items
• The Broken Time Machine now correctly applies traits to Agents in addition to minions
• Advanced Guard Posts can now have their Power disabled
• The Loot items, "No. 2 Memorial", "Mr. Scruffles", and "John Steele's Defeat" can no longer have their Power disabled
• Text displayed in the Side Panel of the "Secure Holding Cell" and "Unpleasant Holding Cell" no longer overlaps
• Character position markers are no longer misaligned when selected while using the R.A.Y.G.U.N. Lair Item
• Henchmen will play their bark correctly when ordered to interact with the Cabal Induction Chair
• The "Egg Pod" Infirmary Decor Item now gives a boost to Restore Vitality jobs
• The "Brain Hologram" Laboratory Decor Item now reduces Smarts decay
• The "Food Disposal" and "Condiments" Mess Hall Decor Items now give a boost to Restore Smarts jobs

 

• Added support for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 1.0 to Graphics Options

AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 1.0 is a cutting edge super-optimized spatial upscaling technology that creates a high-resolution frame from lower-resolution input. It maintains impressive image quality while allowing faster framerates than one would get by rendering at a native resolution. It has four quality settings:

• Ultra Quality mode produces a super resolution image with quality very close to native rendering. It should be selected when the highest quality is desired
• Quality mode produces a super resolution image with quality representative of native rendering, with a sizeable performance gain
• Balanced mode produces a super resolution image approximating native rendering quality, with a major performance gain compared to native
• Performance mode visibly impacts image quality and should only be selected in situations where needing additional performance is critical

 

 

This update focuses on quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes. With this update, additional content can be added to a campaign in progress through the "Enable DLC" option on any Load Game panel, and we intend to continue to support this option for all future DLC, with the exception of the Campaign pack, as noted in the last Development Update.

Deserting minions can now be captured and allowed to reconsider whether betraying you is really a mistake they can afford to make, with the result that their Morale will gradually restore during captivity, and with the new "Release Prisoner" button on all flavours of Holding Cell, said minions can be released and allowed to return to work once you determine they've learned their lesson.

We've also taken a good long look at Decor Items, as though the effects of these were always intended to be subtle, they were clearly not having a sufficiently measurable impact on your Evil Lairs, and as a result have had their effects significantly boosted.

The strength of Force of Justice Agents against Lair defences continues to be a focus area for the Design team, but as a first step with this update you should find Agents are less effective at Sabotaging Traps at all but the highest levels.

Please note: We continue to investigate reports that a number of players have been unable to play Evil Genius 2 since updating to a previous version, and will be releasing a fix for this as soon as we are able to do so.

Thank you all for your continued support of Evil Genius 2: we'll continue to listen to your feedback through the Community team.

- The Evil Genius 2 Development Team

Fixes and Improvements

General

• Characters now board the Cruise Ship more swiftly.
• Click and hold functionality has been improved for picking-up and moving Items.
• All Decor effects have been significantly boosted. Note that an Item can be affected by only one Decor Item at a time, and we are looking at improving the messaging of this in a future patch.
• Deserting minions can now be captured and imprisoned to make them rethink their life choices, and slowly restore their Morale.
• Warning notification added at the "Point of No Return", after which progressing to the next campaign Objective will prohibit access to any remaining Side Stories.
• The layout of rock types in Montañas Gemelas has been modified to increase options for reaching the lower levels of the Doomsday Cavern. Note that this change will impact new campaigns only.
• Options for Stair placement on the basement floors of the "Crown Gold" and "Caine Key" Island Lairs have been expanded. Note that this change will impact new campaigns only.
• Characters will no longer become trapped inside the Helipad tower in unusual circumstances on the "Caine Key" Island Lair.
• Characters should no longer become temporarily trapped when moving through Doors in unusual circumstances.
• Access to the Doomsday Device Cavern can no longer be blocked by placing Items.
• Training Items will no longer enter a state where training is extremely swift or extremely slow in unusual circumstances.
• Characters no longer become clipped with one another and unable to board vehicles in unusual circumstances.
• The frequency of IRIS notifications has been reduced for the Vault, combat, and Training interruptions.
• Fire Extinguishers no longer become less used over time if minions drop them to desert the Lair due to low Morale.
• Using hotkeys to select Henchmen will no longer cause the camera to jump to their location.
• Completion rewards have been added to Objectives that previously had none.
• Commanding a captive to be Escorted to first a Prison Cell, then overriding this with a command for the same captive to be taken to an Interrogation device, will correctly result in the second command being carried out.
• Minions will no longer use Items which boost their maximum stat value unless the stat which will be boosted is already over 45.
• Character Abilities are more clearly differentiated on Side Panels when the character has insufficient stats to activate them.
• New Status messages for the Genius and Henchmen indicating that their stats can be restored at an Impressive Desk or Conference Table respectively.
• Enemy characters using Cover Operation Items are now correctly affected by Gas attacks, such as Fugu Furakawa's "Blowfish Explosion" Ability.
• Additional rare Traits added when minions are spawned, or complete specific jobs around the Lair.
• The Gold cost of broadcast strength Research Projects has been reduced.
• The "Learning Lamp" Archive Item correctly lists Deception minions as Users, and Science minions as Operators.
• The "Intensive Care Pod" Infirmary Item correctly lists All minions as Users, and Science minions & Workers as Operators.
• The doors of the "Rejuvenation Chamber" Lair Item now animate correctly, and the visual effects align correctly with the model.
• Characters no longer play erratic animations before death in unusual circumstances.
• Characters' limbs remain in the intended positions during Interrogation.
• Selecting the final stage of a Doomsday Device, then entering Build Mode will no longer cause the Doomsday Device to temporarily float in place.
• Descriptions have been added for Mode settings on Lair Items.
• Door access times have been slightly adjusted.
• Suspicion is now displayed on the Side Panels of Lair Items awaiting construction.
• The "Laser Disco" Trap no longer clips through area of effect indicators when selecting other Traps.
• Cover Operation glass is no longer visible when constructing Stairs near the windows of the "Montañas Gemelas" Island Lair.
• The Event Log displayed in the Stats Screen now scrolls correctly when clicking and dragging the scroll bar.
• The Research screen will now display a brief explanation if Research has become paused.
• Deception minion descriptions are listed correctly in the Rogues' Gallery.
• Information overlays for Tourist Side Panels have been updated.
• Triggering a Flamethrower Trap will no longer trigger a Fire-related Event Log message unless minions are caught in the effect.
• Maximilian's Inner Sanctum wall tiles no longer clip through Doors.
• The cursor for ordering prisoners to be moved to an empty cell is no longer misshapen.
• Player-controlled characters no longer rise a short distance into the air when ordered to walk to specific locations near the swimming pool on the "Crown Gold" Island Lair.
• "Move" Tooltip is no longer displayed in the top-left of the screen after placing an Item then immediately selecting it.
• Minion position markers are no longer misaligned when selected while using specific Lair Items.
• Minor improvements to icons when colour blindness settings are enabled.
• The game no longer lags when adjusting the Brightness slider in the Graphics Options screen.
• The ability to move Items is no longer prematurely unlocked in the Tutorial.
• Items from the "In-Genius Items" pack can be used to complete Tutorial tasks where appropriate.
• The Technician Trainer correctly obeys in-game audio settings.
• A number of Schemes have had their locations adjusted to more suitably match their descriptions.
• A number of Traits have had their effects significantly boosted.
• Depth of Field Toggle added under Options > Accessibility Options.
• Improved gamepad support.
• Text and localisation improvements.

Achievements

• The "Fighting Fire With Fire" achievement now unlocks correctly when setting Atomic Olga on fire by using Traps.
• In Zalika's campaign Objective, "Tourist Trap", curing IRIS will no longer count toward Henchman recruitment achievements.
• The "Total Annihilation" achievement no longer unlocks prematurely.

Campaigns

• Emma will no longer become trapped in an Execution animation in unusual circumstances.
• The backfire effect of H.A.V.O.C. has been reduced.
• John Steele Snr's Allies can no longer be brainwashed in Emma's campaign Objective, "Poison Paradise".
• Minions will no longer approach John Steele Snr when attempting to Execute him during Emma's campaign Objective, "Dear John".
• Geniuses can no longer be reduced to 0 Smarts by Mocking prisoners repeatedly.
• Main Objective Schemes will spawn more rapidly on the World Map, reducing wait times.
• The appearance of Regions affected by the M.I.D.A.S. Device at maximum power has been improved.
• Investigators who reach 0 Resolve will correctly attempt to escape the Lair during Red Ivan's campaign Objective, "Rumour Has It".
• The "Ambush Air" Scheme displays the correct rewards during Maximilian's campaign Objective, "Trap D'Or".
• Political Aides will no longer gain a brief "Exit" overhead icon in Maximilian's campaign Objective, "The Traditional Method".
• Nigel McReary will attempt to avoid combat during Maximilian's Campaign Objective, "War On Krast".
• Schemes which invite additional Tourists to the Lair have had their visual significance reduced during Maximilian's campaign Objective, "War On Krast".
• Agents assaulting the Lair are attributed to the correct Force of Justice during Maximilian's campaign Objective, "The Golden Age".

Side Stories

• Carl Cafard no longer clips into the "Valuable Paintings" Item while inspecting it during the Side Story, "Body Snatcher".
• Beekeepers will no long attempt to escape the Lair during the Side Story, "One In A Bee-Lion".
• Cameras that have already been constructed will count toward the Side Stories, "Thy Fearful Symmetry" and "Wind Wars: The Wind Strikes Back".
• Travel Agents will no longer put up a fight when tagged for Capture in the Side Story, "North By North".
• The "Antidote" Research Project is no longer removed if the game is played for over 15 hours while remaining on the Side Story "Going Green".
• Full Metal Jackie correctly has the "Temporary Partnership" Trait during the Side Story, "Eighteen With A Bullet".
• The "Time After Time" Research project has had its research time significantly reduced in Side Story, "Outta Time".
• Eli's Guards no longer display a Force of Justice affiliation in the Side Story, "Vox Pop-Eli".
• The Event Log correctly indicates Agent X has arrived at the Lair alone during Side Story, "Manifest Entropy".
• "Attack Robots" no longer arrive prematurely during the Side Story, "I Spy With My Cybernetically Enhanced Eye".
• Schemes no longer incorrectly appear as Threats during the Side Story, "Hail To The Chef".
• Espectro no longer hovers in the air above P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Region terrain when he appears on the World Map during Cabal Side Stories.
• Ignacio no longer has a Trait erroneously indicating he is actually Incendio during the Side Story, "Fire In The Hole".

Super Agents

• Side Panel portraits for Agent Steele now match the appearance of the character.
• Super Agents Side Panels include the correct Force of Justice affiliation when they are Lured from the World Stage.
• Specialist Agents accompanying a Super Agent are assigned the correct Force of Justice affiliation.

Henchmen

• Henchman Abilities no longer enter cooldown or have their stat cost taken before they are in the correct position to begin using the selected Ability.
• Jubei will no longer teleport through terrain when his "Windwalk" ability is targeted at very specific points on an Island Lair.
• Jubei no longer becomes unresponsive in unusual circumstances when activating his "Flow" ability while the game is paused.
• Jubei's "Flow" Ability can no longer be activated while he is being Executed.
• Incendio will no longer become stuck in an animation cycle when using his "Magic Trick" ability in unusual circumstances.
• Incendio's Side Panel now correctly lists the Morale cost for using his "Misdirection" character ability.
• Espectro will no longer become unresponsive after being ordered to use his "Clone" ability immediately after completing a move command.
• Selecting Espectro's "Summon Ally" Ability while "Piston Punch" is being activated will correctly focus the camera on the Espectro Clone, if one has already been summoned.
• Fugu Furakawa's "Sleeping With The Fishes" Scheme now correctly removes all Heat from a Region, regardless of the level of the Criminal Network.
• Eli's Silver Revolver should no longer disappear from his hand during idle animations at a Conference Table.
• Clara Jones defeat bark is now paired with the correct text.

Loot Items

• The requirements for a minion to be judged worthy by the Sword In the Stone Loot item have been made easier to meet.
• Certain Loot items can no longer be stolen during their Side Stories.
• The "Cupid's Arrow" Loot item can no longer be destroyed.
• Minions will more commonly use the "World's Oldest Bones" Loot Item.
• The "Million Bees" Loot Item no longer requires a minion to deliver it to the Depot before it can be placed.
• Loot Item information is consistently unlocked in the Rogues' Gallery after acquiring it.
• When using a gamepad, navigating between placed Loot Items in the Build Menu no longer skips items in the list.