update · October 31, 2026
Kernel Hearts Update Adds Potato Mode and Broad Balance Pass
Kernel Hearts version 1.0.16 introduces Potato Mode, Steam Deck support, and a comprehensive overhaul of character balance, spells, and items.
Kernel Hearts version 1.0.16 brings massive performance improvements aimed at lower-end hardware alongside a sweeping balance pass across characters, spells, chips, and relics. The update also adds a hardware benchmark, graphics presets, and a shorter Empyrean tower variant for veteran players.
Performance and Hardware
Potato Mode lowers settings and visual effects aggressively to help the game run smoothly on older laptops and handheld PCs. Automatic Steam Deck detection is now included, defaulting to a 1280x800 resolution with a 40 FPS limit on first launch. A built-in hardware benchmark recommends appropriate graphics presets, and new graphics presets let you adjust all visual settings at once. Performance is also improved for chests and frequent objects, while visual effects have been optimized, especially on Low and Medium settings.
Character Balance and Progression
Early-game melee attack values increase by 10 to 15 percent for Fernet and Spika, but decrease by 10 percent for Laika and Dolce. Late-game melee attacks drop by 10 to 15 percent across all characters, and late-game enemy health drops by 5 to 10 percent. Sinner difficulty enemy attack cooldowns are adjusted to make enemies roughly 15 percent less aggressive. Perfect Dodge follow-up damage drops by 5 percent for Fernet, 15 percent for Spika, 25 percent for Dolce, and 30 percent for Laika.
Spells, Chips, and Relics
Numerous spells receive damage adjustments, such as a 50 percent damage boost for Yoyo after dashing to it and a 20 percent damage increase for Fernet's Raiquen. Chip costs and memory requirements are modified, including a reduction in Memory cost for Final Form from 100 to 40. Relics like Crystal Heart and Flask of Souls see adjustments, with Crystal Heart reducing bonus HP from 15 to 10 and Flask of Souls scaling granted souls with player level. Mementos also receive tweaks, such as Erika's Pride losing 40 percent of its Sin Meter-based damage.
Unique Valuables and Quests
Unique Valuables now display properly in the pause menu alongside regular valuables with helpful tooltips. Several bugs preventing Unique Valuables from dropping correctly from chests have been fixed, and higher Bond levels now correctly require their respective Unique Valuable. Players who have reached the top of the tower at least once can now run a new, shorter variation of the Empyrean domain.
Bug Fixes
Multiplayer client UI markers no longer disappear when changing characters. An issue where an elevator could crush the player after defeating a mid-boss is fixed, as is a bug in Heart of Heaven where multiplayer clients could get stuck on a white screen after falling from platforms. Caius' promise rejection dialogue now displays the correct name instead of Raiza's, and tutorial camera views no longer show black bars on certain aspect ratios.
Why this patch matters
Version 1.0.16 modernizes Kernel Hearts with essential performance features for handhelds and low-spec systems while rebalancing character combat and progression systems.