Hello Riftbreakers!
With the release of The Riftbreaker just around the corner (October 14th, for those of you who missed it), it is high time we finally let you know some more details about the Campaign Mode. Don't worry, though - we won't spoil anything so that you can explore and discover the game's secrets on your own. Today, we're going to tell you about one of the aspects of Campaign Mode - planetary exploration.
Over the course of the main campaign in the Riftbreaker, Ashley and Mr. Riggs are going to pay a visit to four completely distinct biomes. Each of those biomes is unique when it comes to fauna, flora, and environmental hazards. You start your adventure in the Tropical Zone - a place abundant in essential building resources, with lots of wildlife but very few other natural threats. This is a great spot to set up your HQ, as it is going to give you the highest probability of survival and a chance to complete your mission to open up a rift portal to Earth.
As you progress through the story, it is going to become clear that your headquarters' immediate surroundings won't cover all your needs. That will force you to travel to other areas of the planet, which we told you about before: the Radioactive Desert, the Acidic Plains, and the Volcanic Zone. Since Ashley is a newcomer to Gataea 37, her initial knowledge about the other biomes is limited to what she can learn through the use of the Orbital Scanner. The Orbital Scanner is an excellent tool for gathering general information about broad areas of the planet and searching for particular elements or minerals. However, you will have to find out more about specific areas of interest by scouting them yourself.
Your primary goal in each biome is to find and collect the necessary resources to construct and power the Rift Station. Each time you travel to a new biome for the first time, Mr. Rigs will inform you about the readings from his sensors and tell you the recommended course of action. Based on those suggestions, your job is to gather as much data as possible and get used to the conditions in the new biome. The Bioscanner will help you gather helpful research samples; it also feeds Mr. Riggs's sensors with many details that would otherwise go amiss. After you've collected the necessary data, you will be able to conduct further research at your HQ or continue venturing deeper into the biome.
The samples gathered from native species of fauna and flora on your exploration missions will allow you to research and develop new technologies. Thousands of years' worth of evolution granted those lifeforms the ability to survive in their habitat. Gaining that knowledge usually gives you a good base for developing your own shielding technologies that will protect you from the hazards of the new environments.
The second significant bit of knowledge gained during scouting is the intel about creature species living in other areas of the planet. All biomes are different and unique. The creatures you encounter will differ in their behavior, strengths, and weaknesses. Some creatures will attack you on sight, while others will leave you alone as long as you don't interrupt their routines. Learning as much as you can about the native creatures and understanding them is vital, especially if you want to set up an outpost in those areas later on.
And there we have it - an overview of the exploration parts in The Riftbreaker Campaign Mode. In the following articles, published over the coming weeks, we will tell you about other elements of the Campaign gameplay, including sampling and research missions, setting up outposts, and much more. We will also tell you how all the tasks you complete affect the entirety of your playthrough. Don't miss the articles and the release - we're going to Galatea 37 on October 14th!