Project Tomorrow Modifiers: Challenges, Buffs and Score

Project Tomorrow is a small game with a long tail. The three regions are the campaign; the Modifier system is the reason to replay them. It lets you turn a familiar map into a harder or stranger run without a separate difficulty menu.

The system is introduced after Suncrest. The October 6 patch lists 20 modifiers at launch, split between Challenges and Buffs. This guide explains the structure and how to use it without turning a run into a wall.

Challenges vs Buffs

Challenges make the region harder. They are the score multipliers. The more you equip, the higher the region's score potential.

Buffs give you an advantage. They soften the run, compensate for a Challenge or enable a strategy that would otherwise be too slow.

The two can be mixed. That is the design: a Challenge plus a Buff is a custom difficulty, not a binary easy/hard choice.

The important rule is that Challenges are optional. You can complete every region without equipping one. The achievements guide→ notes that one achievement specifically requires a Challenge, so at least one run will use the system.

Why Challenges raise the score

The score is the game's replay metric. A region completed with no Challenges has a baseline score; a region completed with several has a higher ceiling. The Challenges are not just handicap flags; they are the score's difficulty coefficient.

That means the optimal score run is not "equip everything". It is "equip the Challenges you can actually finish". A failed run scores nothing. A completed run with three Challenges beats a failed run with ten.

When modifiers unlock

Modifiers unlock after the tutorial region, Suncrest. The first region is deliberately modifier-free so new players learn the base loop before the game starts adding pressure.

If you do not see the Modifier menu:

• Finish Suncrest.
• Check the region select screen.
• Start a new region or replay a completed one.

Modifiers are applied per region, not globally.

A sensible first modified run

For your first run with the system:

1. Pick one Challenge you understand. A stronger enemy type or a tighter economy is easier to plan around than a hidden rule.
2. Pick one Buff that covers its weakness. If the Challenge slows your economy, take an economic Buff.
3. Do not stack three unknown Challenges. You will not know which one caused the failure.
4. Finish the region. A completed run is the point.
5. Add one more Challenge next run. Iterate.

This is the same approach as a roguelike difficulty ladder: one variable at a time.

Reading a modifier

Before you equip a modifier, ask:

• What does it change? Economy, defense, waves, terraforming or the map.
• When does it bite? Early game, mid game or the final waves.
• What counter exists? A turret, a building, a Buff or a change in build order.
• Does it affect the achievement? Some achievements require or forbid modifiers.

If you cannot answer the first two, do not equip it on a run you care about.

Challenge and Buff pairings

The launch build has 20 modifiers, and the exact names and effects are best read in-game. The pairing logic is stable:

• Harder waves + stronger defense Buff — a combat run.
• Slower economy + starting resources Buff — a slower but safer build.
• More enemies + area-damage advantage — a swarm run.
• Less oxygen + terraforming Buff — a cluster-focused run.
• Stronger flyers + anti-air Buff — an air-defense run.

Do not pair a Challenge with a Buff that does nothing for it. A defense Buff does not fix an economy Challenge.

The Challenge achievement

You Asked For It requires restoring a region with a Challenge modifier equipped. It is the one achievement that forces you into the system.

The easiest route:

1. Complete a region normally first.
2. Replay it with a single Challenge you understand.
3. Use the same build order that worked before.
4. Add one Buff if the Challenge targets your weakest phase.

Do not combine the achievement with the 10-machine achievement. One is a difficulty test; the other is a long economic project.

Common modifier mistakes

Equipping every Challenge on the first run. You will not finish.

Taking a Buff that duplicates your strength. A defense Buff on an already-safe base does nothing.

Ignoring the score ceiling. If you care about score, add Challenges you can finish, not the hardest ones.

Forgetting the achievement. A no-modifier run does not unlock You Asked For It.

Changing build order without changing modifiers. If the Challenge slows the economy, build defense earlier, not later.

The walkthrough→ covers the region order, and the review→ explains the game's replay value.

FAQ

When do modifiers unlock in Project Tomorrow?

After completing the tutorial region, Suncrest.

Do Challenges make the game harder?

Yes. They raise difficulty and the region's score potential. Buffs give advantages and can be mixed with Challenges.

Can I play without modifiers?

Yes. Every region can be completed without equipping a Challenge.

How many modifiers are at launch?

The October 6 patch lists 20 modifiers for the Early Access launch.

Sources

• Project Tomorrow on Steam ↗
• Project Tomorrow Steam news: Winterbloom and modifiers ↗
• Project Tomorrow achievements ↗

Official source: Project Tomorrow on Steam ↗ Project Tomorrow guides and walkthroughs