Everspace's ultra-difficult hardcore mode comes to Xbox One and Windows 10

Players diving into space shooter Everspace on Xbox One and Windows 10 now have a new challenge to look forward to. Hardcore Mode is now available on both platforms as an experience designed to make you want to rip your hair out.

Separate from the main story mode, Hardcore Mode amps the difficulty up significantly by eliminating ship improvements you've earned from the standard game mode and giving you only one life. Instead, Hardcore Mode will start you out with a set of fixed perks that can only be upgraded at specific points.

Each time you enter a new sector, you'll also have to choose a handicap modifier that pushes teh difficulty even higher. These can range from leaking fuel to combat not pausing while repairing, developer Rockfish Games explains. For a bit of added fun, there's a handicap that adds in a game mode that changes the visuals and sound effects to a retro mode.

All of this leads up to a revamped end sector and a final difficult battle that players will be able to take on – if they can make it there, that is.

Hardcore Mode should tide over players who have already completed most of the challenges in the base game. It also comes just ahead of the massive Encounters expansion, set to release on Xbox One in February alongside a free update that will add 4K support on Xbox One X.

Everspace is available now for Xbox One and Windows 10 for $29.99. Support for Microsoft's Xbox Play Anywhere initiative means you'll only have to buy the game once to play on both platforms.

See at Microsoft