Keylocker's major Heart Strings Update is now live bringing in new romanceable NPCs, black holes, and more
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Keylocker's major Heart Strings Update is now live bringing in new romanceable NPCs, black holes, and more

by Mikhail Madnani on 19 July, 2025

Publisher Serenity Forge and developer Moonana have released the major Keylocker Heart Strings Update on Steam bringing in new romanceable NPCs, new backer weapons, new languages, and much more.

Moonana revealed some details for the update last month when the game was discounted for a Steam Daily Deal like how Black Holes from Moonana's Virgo Vs The Zodiac make a return in Keylocker with roguelite mechanics. The update also brings in new party member hats, the Quest Menu letting you view a marker for the selected quest on the map, and more that you can see in the long patch notes below.

Keylocker is now available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam).

You can find the full Keylocker Heart Strings Update patch notes and update video from Moonana below:

Keylocker Heart Strings Update patch notes

New Backer Weapons:

  • Lunaris

  • Transcendence

  • Sledgeamour

  • Saw Waves

  • Fantasia

  • Cl-Ferric Op

  • Backscratcher

  • Gu’Oui

New Romanceable NPCs

  • Patricia

  • Nahilys

  • Knitting Prodigy Jester Girl

  • Sargon

  • IC-Bot

New Feature - Jam Session

  • The Concert Minigame can now be played directly from the Main Menu

New Feature - Quest Maps

  • Maps with Quest specific markers can now be accessed via the Quest Menu

New Feature - Black Holes

  • Battle through Randomized Encounters in the new Black Holes, accessible through Laplace’s Place in the Palace, with new entrances scattered across all Zones.

  • Traverse through four randomized maps, each with an increasing Danger Level Encounter in order to challenge the Black Hole Boss Encounter.

  • Access the Black Hole Shop to purchase equipment you might have otherwise missed, or stock up on necessities like Milkshakes or Oil.

New Languages

  • Portuguese Brazilian

  • Simplified Chinese 

  • Traditional Chinese 

  • Korean

New Hats

  • Dealer's 2nd class hats

  • Rocket's secret hat

Zone specific changes

Prologue

  • Fixed a graphical error with shadows on Prologue - Hacker 2

  • Fixed an issue with being able to swap loadouts before the first combat tutorial

Scrapyard Zone

  • Added more equipment to find across the Scrappyard

    • Added a new Item Chest in Circuit Barricade (Post-Carpet)

    • Added a new Item Chest in Kymel Desert

    • Added two new Item Chests in District 9

  • New Quest - Ophelia’s Fashion Crisis

  • New NPC - Glitch

  • New Dateable NPC - IC-Bot Event Chain Start

  • New Dateable NPC - Nahilys Event Chain Start

  • New Dateable NPC - Patricia Event Chain Start

  • Adjusted Simon event in Icey’s Shop to require gifting

  • Improved Small Boxes Parade event

  • Adjusted Sequencer Desert Cleric Quest in Kymel Desert

  • Removed invisible collisions at the Desert

  • Fixed issues with Samurai Hat Quest (Vulture Lord)

  • Small overhaul to the enemy Samurai from the Reese Quest

  • Decreased Desert Dungeon BPM

  • Removed a missing string in Icey’s Shop

  • Fixed graphical issue on Watts Alley

Sewers Zone

  • Added a new Item Chest in Sewers 1

  • Added Backer Monument for Reese

  • New NPC - Gu’Oui

  • New Quest - Gu’Oui’s Request

  • New Dateable NPC - Knitting Prodigy Jester Girl Event Chain Start

  • Added Laplace’s Hideout Entrance near Tethys’ Ziggurat

  • Fixed an issue with Tethys & Mimas Boss Encounter Triggers

  • Added music on Subway Platform map

  • Updated RIVAL encounter on Subway Platform Map

  • Adjusted Subway Platform Event with Prince and Dealer to have Mimas stay out of the way

  • Added SFX for Horseman Statuization

Soundwave City

  • Adjusted Dateable NPC Gifting events in Subway Map

  • Added a Sign to indicate Icey's new Shop

  • Fixed a missing string during Bank Robbery Event Chain

  • Fixed an issue with Attorney only Bank fight

  • Added a new Item Chest in Barrel Brother’s Secret Hideout

  • Added Backer Monument for Ophelia

  • New Quest - Ophelia’s Fashion Crisis 2

  • New NPC - Drea

  • New Quest - Drea’s Delivery

  • Added new Cannon weapon to Workshop Shop

  • New NPC - Sonder Cypher

  • Added Backer Monument for Gu’Oui

  • Added Laplace’s Hideout Entrance near SWC Center

  • Fixed Jester Girl Milkshake Quest in Epimetheus Palace

  • Fixed issues with music desynch in Epimetheus Palace

  • Significantly updated and adjusted Senpai-Sama’s Apartments Encounter

  • Updated Musashi’s Animations

  • Updated SWC Route Quests to display correctly

  • Updated Clericone Rooftops Chase Sequence with new SFX

  • Updated Gamma 3 Prince Event graphics

  • Fixed Music Desynch related to Gamma 3 Prince Event

  • Getting Sliced on Apartments rooftop now appropriately clears Gamma Route Quest

  • Updated Janus Event in Palace Laboratory

  • Improved some Janus animations

  • Removed Freezetime during Janus EDEF

  • Added new BGM to Epimetheus Palace Ending Scene

  • Added “Give Up” option to Puppet Dance Minigame

  • Added new Main Story Quests to SWC

  • Fixed an issue with one of the Blockers on SWC Center not disappearing correctly

  • Fixed a crash related to Marionette ability in Epimetheus & Janus Bossfight

  • Updated Patricia’s Head Replacement Event in Beta Workshop

  • Fixed a potential Soft Lock caused by excessive Elephant Petting

  • Added translation to the Janus Doors names

Forgotten Technology

  • Added a new Item Chest in Zone Zero

  • New NPC - Nikara

  • New Quest - Nikara’s Challenge

  • New NPC - Sully “Skully” Walker

  • New Dateable NPC - Sargon

  • Fixed Cemetery Shortcut - can now access the Road's End map from the Cemetery, as the Whale intended.

  • Updated Pumpkin NPC Graphics

  • Updated Lilibug NPC Graphics

  • New Quest - Find a Floppy Disk for Akira

  • New NPC - Johnny the Naked Frog

  • A new Gunpowder Flower eventually grows near the Greenhouse

  • Added Laplace’s Hideout Entrance in Zone Zero

  • Removed a missing string in Forgotten Technology intro sequence

  • Added special Black Hole Akira Encounter

  • Updated Lilibug and Fenrir Sprites

  • Fixed an issue with Fenrir AI being unable to target player on certain tiles

  • Changed Fenrir AI Tags

  • Added new Main Story Quests to Forgotten Technology

  • Fixed Felix Lover event in Lake map

  • Adjusted Collision on Lake map

  • Reduced screen shake during Mother Tree scene

  • Carpet item is now removed at the end of Forgotten Technology to avoid Dome problems

  • Fixed an issue with a climbable vine on Greenhouse Exterior pushing you out of collision

Basilica of the Hymn

  • Added new dialogue at the end of Polydeuces’ introduction

  • Updated graphics for Polydeuces’ introduction

  • Updated Polydeuces’ Battle Animations

  • Polydeuces now recovers all LP and EP on his final phase, takes reduced damage

  • Fixed missing enemy palettes in Polydeuces bossfight

  • Added Laplace’s Hideout Entrance in Main Hall

  • Removed Freezetime during Polydeuces EDEF

  • Added new Main Story Quests to Basilica

  • Added Dealer's 2nd class hat chest to Pillars map

  • Adjusted collision on Pillars map

  • Updated Judge Combat SFX

  • Updated Oligarch enemy Animations

  • Updated enemies in Polydeuces’ Boss Encounter to use Church Palette

  • Updated Polydeuces Attack SFX

  • Added more Milkshake Rewards to Basilica Encounters

  • Adjusted a conversation on Pillars map outside of Basilica

  • Polydeuces now full heals when the 7th Seal is triggered

  • Polydeuces stats have been increased

  • Added an idle animation and drumming animation for Yu during Basilica Concert

  • Gates locking access from Basilica Main Hall to Doppelganger Breeding Grounds are now angled correctly

  • Simon is now correctly displayed in his Instrument animation during Basilica Concert

Doppelganger Breeding Grounds

  • Added Laplace’s Hideout Entrance on Outside DBG map

  • 3 new quest chain events around the DBG

  • Fixed an issue with repeating dialogue during Clayton fight on Assembly 3

  • Updated Pan & Daphnis Combat Animations

The Eternal Dome

  • Fixed Ending NPCs accidentally appearing too early in The Eternal Dome - Chateau

  • Fixed Dealer speaking when not present on The Eternal Dome - Temple

  • 3 new quest chain events conclude at the Dome

  • New Quest - Ophelia’s Fashion Crisis 3

  • Decreased Blue Elite Horseman survivability

  • Added a Combat Softlock Fail Safe - Turns will automatically proceed if attack execution halts for 10 seconds (prevents the mysterious Horseman Soft lock - please report to us anytime you see these long turns)

  • Implemented a fix for situations where enemies using LDEF with no EP available end up in a broken animation state (should actually fix Horseman Soft lock - but the fail safe is there too in case it didn’t)

  • Updated Dissonance Ending scenes for text visibility and graphical polish

  • Added Laplace’s Hideout Entrance in Temple of Saturn

  • Laplace can now only reset the stats of characters present in the current party

  • Added Felix Combat Animations for ending encounter

  • Added correct Turn Order Displays for all Romanceable Characters

  • Golden Gates RIVAL NPC now gets removed if Rocket is no longer in the party

  • Added more Milkshake Rewards to Eternal Dome Encounters

  • Added more laugh SFX to Prometheus encounters

  • Adjusted Simon Romance Ending hair color

  • Added Chateau mapname

  • Fixed an issue where a missing string is displayed when talking to First Dingus after Riddle Completion

  • Adjusted a Director string to remain inside the bounds of the text box

  • Cameramen photographing Bobo during Concert event on the Avenue Map now have SFX

Miscellaneous

  • Added SFX to all Skill Program Effect Animations

  • Added Dealer Secondary Class Portraits

  • Added Dealer Secondary Class Helmets for Cyberwalker, Terminator and Jester

  • Fixed Dealer Kanabo

    • Updated animations on all Dealer attacks, including but not limited to:

    • Kanabo, Scythe, Longsword, Greatsword, Battery, Gun, Throw

    • Added SFX to Dealer Battery Attack

    • Fixed an issue with Dealer’s Gun hitframes

  • Polished Bobo and Dealer Mancer animations

  • Polished Nail Effect animation

  • Fixed an issue with Bobo’s Harpoon Attack not having freezetime

  • Updated Bobo Wind Instrument animation

  • Fixed Rocket Guarding Animation

  • Fixed Rocket’s Arms not being visible during Flamethrower Attack

  • Attack/Onhit popup icons in battle are now colored by their Attack Type

  • Fixed start-up crash from opening menu while game is loading

  • Added instrument sounds for rhythm moves

    • Harp

    • Bagpipe

  • Updated many Item Images

    • Added an item image for Macross Item

  • Laplace’s Hideout has received a visual update

  • Fixed issues with Senpai-Sama’s romance route

  • Updated all RIVAL battle Animations

  • Added Idle animations for

    • All Developer NPCs

    • All missing Backer NPCs

    • Yu

    • Sista

    • Generic Metalhead NPC

    • Sniperboss and Maskboss

    • Generic Terminator NPC

    • Akira

    • Dr Hax no-computa

    • Dione

  • Added Drummer Yu sprite

  • Adjusted Pioneer LDEF

  • Fixed Madman EDEF Effect

  • Adjusted Apodemossy Counter Freezeframe

  • Added Freezetime to Pioneer Drill Attack

  • Added new effect to Clericopter pistol attack

  • Fixed an issue with Apodemossy Counter

  • Made Fabricant Chainsaw Attack easier to block

  • Updated Clericopter EDEF SFX

  • Updated multiple hardcoded strings to be localized

  • Fixed an issue with Milkshake Limits resetting on game load

  • Adjusted special player-enemy to use hats

  • Removed color tags from places where color tags don’t function

  • Added a new expression for Nahilys

  • Added a new expression for Rocket

  • Added a secret new NG+ hat for Rocket

  • Added new Main Story Quest Texts

  • Fixed Items sometimes being in an invalid equip state

  • Multiple UI Adjustments to accommodate new Localizations

  • Added at least 1 stat up item to all shops

  • Added SFX to Detective Alligator events

  • Adjusted Bobo’s feet during Warping Sequence

  • Fixed Turn Order Display Palette issue

  • Updated Portraits:

    • Sargon

    • Generic Attorney

    • Birdman

    • Saci Perere

    • Catapulteer Grumbler

    • Fenrir

    • Glitch

  • Patricia’s portrait now changes after her head replacement in the Acquaintances Menu

  • Fixed using the Dpad to select options in the battle pause menu

  • Fixed a rare issue with the Horsemen enemies

  • Fixed an issue with some portraits appearing incorrectly for one frame

  • Adjusted Lover Heart gain from events and gifting

  • Changed Amplitude effect name display color

  • Friendship levels are now displayed correctly in messenger windows

  • Dealer now gains or loses hearts depending on your actions throughout the game

  • Bobo now starts the game with Simon as an Acquaintance

  • All lovers can now reach max hearts

  • Fixed Relationship Statuses not being cleared when starting a new file or NG+

  • Added ability to “Give Up” during Concert Minigames

  • Added ability to “Autoplay” during Concert Minigames

  • Added Venue Selection to Jam Session minigame

  • Fixed 2 instances of missing strings in Japanese Localization

  • Fixed last save/load slot not animating correctly

  • Reduced size of Chained Prince’s name

  • Added a new check to ensure battle and area music are always synced

  • Fixed an issue with Choice Events crashing the game when there are too many choices

  • Added a familiar BGM to Laplace’s Hideout

  • Achievements are now backfilled when continuing a Demo Save in the full game

  • Fixed an issue with NPC Culling and Item pickup on non-standard viewport size maps

  • Non-player Character Allies now show their sprite when trying to move around the GRIDS

  • Arrow Timed Hit now appears with a delay and an animation to help players see which Timed Hit is starting

  • Line Timed Hit now appears with a delay and an animation to help players see which Timed Hit is starting

  • Nana the Alpaca is now blue

  • Nana the Alpaca will now have a christmas hat when playing the game in december

  • Fixed a Textbox memory leak

  • Rhythm Minigames encountered during exploration are now affected by Timing Difficulty (and are more lenient in general)

  • Added support for Steam Deck Resolution (1280x800)

  • Added black areas to cover unrendered parts of the screen for various resolutions

  • Changed Jam Session Result screen Song Name Font into one that supports all localizations

  • Fixed an issue with Synergy Activations sometimes appearing as a blank string

  • Fixed an issue with followers appearing out of position when swapping Party Leaders

  • Beamdog Blade is now cool

  • Fixed an issue with Jam Session percentage only going to 99.99%

  • Added a crying SFX for Stray Kids suffering (quite a few events across the whole game)

  • Fixed an issue where increased Item Limits were not being stored correctly when loading saves

  • Fixed an issue where the DPad on controllers was not usable inside of the in-battle load menu