Abiotic Factor is leaning further into its strange mix of science and survival with Cosmic Companions, a new update that adds a portal world, a larger pet system, a full chemistry overhaul, and a long list of new tools and items. It is the kind of update that makes the facility feel even more unstable, while also giving players more ways to experiment.

One of the biggest additions is a new portal world called Voices of the Void. It sits across the range from Voussoir in the Dunkeltaler Forest, where players can find the Alpen Signal Observatorium. To reach it, they will need to explore the western waterways of the Hydroplant and follow some unusual readings noted by Dr. Newman. The setup suggests a fresh mystery tied to a strange signal, and it gives players another place to uncover secrets beyond the main facility.

Pets 2.0 is the other major feature, and it sounds like a full rebuild of how companions work. Players can now feed, farm, tame, and mutate creatures before bringing them along as allies. Pets can also be placed in a companion slot, where they receive a special collar that keeps them in a downed state instead of letting them die outright. That should make companions far more useful in longer runs, especially when the dangers of Cascade start piling up.

Peccaries can now become loyal companions, and some variants can even produce harvestable resources over time. Pets can also be picked up as long as players have a free hotbar slot, which means they can carry their companions through the facility more easily. The system is meant to let a scientist take a pet almost anywhere, even if that pet happens to be a heavy peccary. Feeding them may also lead to strange mutations, so there is clearly some room for experimentation here.

Chemistry gets a major boost as well with the new Distillation Bench and Chemistry Bench let players turn items into distillations and then into concoctions, which come in three types. Tinctures offer buffs that can change movement or combat in different ways, coatings add unusual effects to weapons, and flasks can help allies, harm enemies, or simply cause trouble. It is a bigger and more flexible system, and it looks designed to reward players who enjoy testing odd combinations.

There are also some smaller additions that help round out the update. New cosmetics, including a lab coat tied to crossover content, give players more ways to dress the part. Blunt weapon users get new late game tools for smashing through enemies, while the Power Chair turns office furniture into a fast moving vehicle. For cleanup duties, the M.O.P. 9000 handles blood and other messes, as long as there is water nearby.

Taken together, the update pushes Abiotic Factor deeper into the kind of weird survival sandbox that builds upon the familiar experience fans enjoy.