YouTuber Psychoghost Gaming, who's been tracking Beautiful Light's development for a while now, has rounded up the game's ninth dev update, headlined by a new playable anomaly called the Vendigo.
Weapons, gear, and PvP balance all got noticeable attention too, while developer Deep Worlds is still aiming for an Early Access launch in December 2026.
The Vendigo Anomaly Climbs, Hunts, and Sees in the Dark
The Vendigo is Beautiful Light's newest playable anomaly, and the studio is still fine-tuning how it moves. It can crawl sideways and even upside down across walls and trees, while the player controlling it keeps a normal, upright camera so the unusual climbing doesn't turn into disorientation.
In combat, the Vendigo plays less like a tank and more like a hit-and-run predator: fast, agile, and back on the move after taking a couple of hits. Anyone reminded of the Hunter from Left 4 Dead while watching the clips isn't far off. Built-in night vision adds another layer of threat in dark areas, though it's still unclear how the anomaly handles a direct light source like a player's flashlight.
The playable-monster concept remains Beautiful Light's biggest hook. Instead of the familiar PvP stalemate that many extraction shooters fall into, player-controlled anomalies add a third, unpredictable factor to every raid.
Reaver Animations, a Tough Ravager, and a Mysterious Psy Creature
The regular Reaver AI also picked up new animations for idling, exploring, chasing, and attacking. Its elite variant looks noticeably scarier, complete with flesh tentacles dangling from its body.
The already-known Ravager also made an appearance, a tank-like monster with a weak point around its heart. New, however, is an as-yet-unnamed creature internally labeled "Psy Creature": its scream appears to alert other anomalies, and the mouth becomes a visible weak spot while it screeches. Whether some form of mind control is involved is still an open question.
The Ambience Feels More Unified, but Night Fights Raise Questions
Compared to early test builds, Beautiful Light's soundscape now blends together far more convincingly instead of feeling like separate, loosely stitched elements. What's still unclear is how this plays out during night matches: without night vision gear, players need a flashlight, which in turn makes them visible to anomalies and enemies alike.
A New Revolver Called Kord and a Reworked Magazine System
On the weapons side, the update mainly introduces the Kord revolver, whose correct pronunciation even the YouTuber couldn't quite pin down. Established favorites like the SKS marksman rifle also got a new inspect animation.
More relevant for everyday play is the new magazine system: instead of reloading single rounds by hand, magazines can now be combined directly. A color code, red for empty, orange or yellow for low ammo, makes it easy to see at a glance which mag to grab next.
Gas Masks, Shootable Helmets, and a New Backpack Module System
On the gear side, the gas mask stands out first. Its design looks convincing, though community feedback points out that a realistic gas mask would also need to cover the ears. A new helmet mechanic carries a lot more feedback value: hits can knock an opponent's helmet clean off, a visible cue that headshots are now lethal.
There's also a lockpicking system for locked doors and a new backpack module system that lets players customize slots, holsters, and other attachments. The hacking minigame got reworked too, now resembling a word-guessing puzzle that highlights correctly placed letters. The old color-based scanner has been replaced with a simpler display that makes it much clearer for new players which direction and floor to head toward next.
Early PvP Clips Show a Helicopter Extraction and Balanced TTK
Early playtests also delivered some raw PvP footage, including a helicopter extraction. Overall, Beautiful Light's time-to-kill feels neither too fast (helmets can prevent an instant headshot kill) nor too slow, enemies don't feel like bullet sponges, which matters most when fighting multiple opponents at once.
A brief look at new level art rounded out the video, though a deeper dive will likely wait for a future update. A release is still targeted for December 2026.
When is Beautiful Light coming out?
Based on the current roadmap, Early Access is targeted for December 2026. Developer Deep Worlds SA hasn't announced a fixed date yet.
Who is developing Beautiful Light?
Beautiful Light is made by the independent studio Deep Worlds SA.
What is the Vendigo in Beautiful Light?
The Vendigo is the newest playable anomaly: a fast, agile creature with unusual climbing moves and built-in night vision that favors hit-and-run tactics over brute strength.
Which anomaly do you like more so far, the new Vendigo or the Juggernaut from an earlier update? Let us know in the comments.