The Hundred Line-Last Defense Academy- just got a whole lot harder. The 1.1.1 update is now live on Nintendo Switch, and it brings with it a brutal new challenge mode called “Extreme & Despair,” pushing players to face truly punishing tactical battles. It’s a free update, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

Released by XSEED Games in partnership with TooKyo Games and Aniplex, the patch includes more than just difficulty tweaks, according to a press release. Alongside the new mode, players now have the option to load directly before decision scenes from the chapter select screen, an incredibly welcome quality-of-life feature for anyone deep in route-hopping or chasing different endings.

One of the most practical additions is the ability to skip previously cleared battles when replaying different story routes, saving time while allowing players to focus on exploration and narrative divergence. It’s a smart move for a game built around high-stakes, multi-threaded storytelling.

The new difficulty mode itself doesn’t alter exploration or story sequences, but it does make combat encounters significantly more dangerous. Enemies hit harder, strategy becomes more essential, and survival feels even more desperate, apt for a game about standing between the world and its end.

While the update mostly improves things, a known issue still lingers. Skipping the exploration section after completing a battle in Chapter00_0_a-019 may cause a crash. Until that’s patched out in a future update, players are advised to avoid skipping that portion.

The Hundred Line -Last Defense Academy- first launched in April and is available physically and digitally on Switch across the Americas via XSEED, with global PC and Switch distribution handled by Aniplex. The new patch gives returning players something fresh to chew on, and for newcomers, it’s the perfect excuse to dive into this strange, stylish fight for humanity’s last stand.