- Zero Sum Dev Log #8 - Bug Hunting thanks to Dev Log entries - 23 September 2026
Dev Logs are now weekly until release, probably daily the week leading to release.Why? Cause its actually a great way to find new bugs :DWhen I do these Dev Logs I usually talk about stuff i did the last few days, then I revisit it and play through parts of it to capture a gif for it. and thats a great way to find bugs. Like last week's "Leaderboard" entry. I needed a somewhat self explanatory screenshot of the score breakdown, so i did a run with the intend to do some combos and then die somewhere after the boss.This kinda mundane task showed me 2 bugs:Standard Minus mode with values >=2 were not counted as clean combo when only used with Plus or when cleanly reduced to 0 (e.g. firing a 2 at a 2), but it totally should be counted as clean. The only thing not counting as clean is boring gameplay with -1,+1 and *1not really a bug, but on the score breakdown, perfect waves were listed und…
- Zero Sum Dev Log #7 - Leaderboards - 16 September 2026
scores are implemented into every base map now, which will then be used to create a score for the steam leaderboards. 1 per level and difficulty.Score breakdown can be seen in the game over/run completion screens. things that flow into scores:waves clearedbosses defeatedcompletionperfect wavesflawless runcombo chainshp lost/damage takenshop heal penaltytime bonus under parspecial weights for receipt paper:time survivedphase 3,4,5 bonusraw sp gained multipliermistake penaltyefficiency bonusWishlist now — the numbers are counting on you not to.
- Demo Update v2.3 - Tutorial Fixes - 15 September 2026
fixed 2 issues in the tutorial:no weapon changes were possibleinvisible wall
- Zero Sum Dev Log #6 - New Sum Barrier Operator Mode Features - 9 September 2026
The Sigma Operator is intended as a very powerful crowd control, merging all hit numbers into one single target to deal with. The real problem is, how to incorporate 3 different weapon modes into it? Mode 1 is simple, a lob AoE, easy to aim, useful in certain situations.Sum Barrier is basically Mode 1, but stationary, but can absorb and sum numbers together over a longer time period.Magnet Aura is probably the strongest mode, but in the end just a better, mobile, version of Sum Barrier.So naturally Sum Barrier needed an upgrade and it got one :DI've added 2 new upgrades to it and with them now numbers can be manipulated while they are trapped inside the barrier and if you are able to reduce the sum barrier to 0, you get SP (meta currency) equal to the amount of numbers absorbed with it. This positions the Sum Barrier as a tool for SP farming and stationary crowd control.Problem Solved,…
- Zero Sum Dev Log #5 - School's back! - 2 September 2026
In "Problem Sets" you can create your own math puzzles with a lot of freedom, then get a code to share it and let anyone play it. Once they are done they get a result code to send back to you and you can collect and compare results of all of them. Perfect to create your own math puzzles and teach math in a fun way. In this Sample Set your job is to bring every number to 10 in Wave 1 and to 100 in Wave 2. You have limited shots to do so and fixed operators equipped. Stuff like this can be fully custom build for an infinite amount of custom math puzzlesWishlist now — the numbers are counting on you not to.
- Demo Update v2.2 - 26 August 2026
localization fixesclarified remainder and decimal spawn differencessome subtle indicator for the feedback buttonwriting paper rebalancing (enemies spawn faster now, especially on later waves)factorial fix (prevents factorials
- Zero Sum Dev Log #4 - The Euler Owl - 19 August 2026
A Taylor series builds a function out of infinitely many terms, each one smaller, but there are always more. The Owl's volleys work in a similar way: ignore them, and the expansion keeps adding numbers until the screen is more enemies than paper. Reduce them to zero or drown.Wishlist now — the numbers are counting on you not to.
- Zero Sum Dev Log #3 - Modulo, the player's nuke - 5 August 2026
There's a 960 on screen. It's angry, it's TANKY and your minus does 1 damage. You could be here all day. Or you could fire one %80 and watch it solve all your problems.Modulo replaces a number with the remainder after division. 960 divided by 80 is exactly 12, remainder zero. The bigger numbers in the game are just one good Mod Blast away from nothing, if you can do the math in your head. Modulo is one of the strongest operators in the game and that's fine, because its power lives in your head.Wishlist now — the numbers are counting on you not to.
- NEW DEMO CONTENT: Verdict Mode - 29 July 2026
Verdict Game mode has been added to the Zero Sum Demo!try out this new game mode where every operation is judged. Your goal here is not to reduce to zero, but to do clean math in one operation.This mode serves as a small sneak peek at the much larger Problem Set game mode, where you can create, share and play custom made math puzzles with tons of different approaches.more changes:SFX updatesreplaced missing glyphs for Traditional Chinese translationFont updates
- Happy Pi Approximation Day! - Zero Sum Dev Log #2 - 22 July 2026
Today is July 22nd. 22/7. Pi Approximation Day. Close enough to π and close enough to meet the Pie Pi Boss!π's digits go on forever and never repeat, which makes them perfect projectiles to hunt the player. Pie Pi fires sequences of Pi numbers each phase and every number has to be reduced to zero to expose a weakspot. Find away to its core and reduce this to zero to win this boss fight.Wishlist now — the numbers are counting on you not to.
- Zero Sum Dev Log #1 - 5 July 2026
Now that Steam Next Fest is over and the Demo is polished, it's time to start the Dev Log!I'm making good progress with the game and release is still planned for Q4 2026, still a lot to do, though.Currently working on finishing all phases and mechanics for all the bosses and am already ~55% done with it.I refined the Matryoshka (Nested Doll) boss a bit more and introduced a new enemy type with it, the shielded number.
- New experimental demo boss, steam leaderboards & small fixes - 13 June 2026
Added an experimental demo boss with Steam LeaderboardsChanges to Math Paper map (Conveyor mode) — now plays differently from the standard Writing Paper modeFixed some grading inconsistencies
- Demo: additional boss behaviours, new upgrade nodes, loadout additions - 9 June 2026
Summation Serpent head now charges the player when no more segments are to be clearedcan be stunned by clearing the number that breaks off the serpentFactorial Factory now spawns smaller and much slower factorials on the last two phasesAdded two more upgrades to basic division (start with /5 and start with /10)"Start with"-values can now be adjusted in the loadout if unlocked via upgradesMap selection boxes now show the highest achieved grade
- Minor Summation Serpent and Sieve Spider boss fixes - 5 June 2026
Sieve Spidernow uses the correct number designs as follows:"spiky" numbers only for invincible numbers"glitched" numbers only for weakpoints (legs)NEW: "hatched" numbers instead of "spiky" for all sieve numbers.as before, in easy mode, sieve primes having an additional small effect to indicate that they are primesSummation Serpent:fixed a bug, where under very specific circumstances it could happen, that the head became targetable even though some segments where still alive. Thanks to @agentimouton on Instagram for the bug report!added the missing hard mode feature, where the summation serpent is charging the player for 3.5s at double its current speed after a segment has been broken
- Zero Sum Demo Playable During Steam Next Fest! - 1 June 2026
Gear up for some raw arithmetic violence!In Zero Sum, every bullet is an equation and every enemy is a number. No health bars. No hit points. Just pure mathematical combat in a hand-drawn twin-stick shooter that looks like your math notebook came to life and got angry.The Demo is available during Steam Next Fest and includes a substantial chunk of the full game:2 out of 6 maps10 out of 22+ weapon modes3 out of 9+ bosses35 out of 80+ upgradesWhether you’re blasting numbers with division, nuking them with modulo, or pulling off stylish combos for bonus RP, the demo gives you a proper taste of the full chaotic experience.→ Play the Zero Sum Demo during Steam Next Fest (June 15–22)!
