Hello Riftbreakers!
Now that the dust has settled after the release of the second World Expansion for The Riftbreaker and Into the Dark Story Expansion, we can finally come back to our classic developer blogs. Some of them will be more technical, while others will talk more about gameplay and design. Today’s article belongs to that second category. We will have a detailed look at all the new weapons that made their way into the game with the latest updates. If you have not tried them out yet, this one is for you!
Pickaxe
Designed with the Crystal Caverns biome in mind, the Pickaxe is a melee weapon that deals area damage in a cone shape in front of the Mech. That allows you to dig through walls quickly but has a sweet side effect - you can use this melee weapon just like a short-range gun. Depending on your playstyle, you may find the Pickaxe to be the optimal choice for a melee weapon for other biomes as well.
Bouncing Blades
This fun weapon will allow you to take advantage of the narrow corridors of Crystal Caverns biome. Bouncing Blades shoot out spinning disks at a very high velocity. The spin of the disk allows it to bounce and ricochet off walls several times, slicing through the enemies several times. The alternative fire mode also allows you to charge the launcher up with several disks at a time. Then, they are unleashed all at once, resulting in a delightful salvo of spinning death blades. Oh, and did we mention that they are covered with acid, corroding anything they come in contact with? Well, now you know!
Shard Gun
This weapon is the reward for completing the Into the Dark storyline. It is essentially a machine gun that weaponizes some of the crystalline structures found in the Crystal Caverns biome. The weapon synthesizes the crystal structure of very brittle minerals that Ashley and Mr. Riggs discovered during their visit to the cavern system below the surface of Galatea 37. Combining the crystals with traditional, low-caliber bullets results in a deadly combination. Projectiles fired from the Shard Gun split into razor-sharp pieces and pierce through the enemies. The shards split from the original bullet can deal damage to more enemies, giving you the power to mow down hordes quickly. Additionally, the crystals give bullets cryo properties, meaning that enemies hit with them will be slowed down significantly.
Sonic Fists
Sonic Fists are an ‘underground’ alternative to the standard Power Fists known from the original Riftbreaker. However, there are a few key differences between the two. Instead of relying on energy damage and very fast attack speed, the Sonic Fists deal physical damage at a slightly lower rate. They make up for these small disadvantages with a much higher power level and the shockwave they create with each attack. The shockwave allows you to keep a little bit of distance from your targets, making them easier to use and even viable as a multi-target weapon.
Immolator
This is the favorite weapon of every home-grown pyromaniac. Not only does it shoot explosive projectiles made of molten lava, but it also sets everything on fire afterward. Immolator also has an alternative firing mode, which shoots a much bigger projectile that explodes into a sizeable ring of fire after hitting an enemy. This weapon is especially useful in situations where you are fighting a group of smaller creatures accompanied by a couple of ‘tankier’ friends, like Gnerots or Krocoons. Since Immolator deals fire damage, it will get around resistances of most creatures outside of the Volcanic Area biome.
Spewers category
Fire, Cryo, and Acid Spewers are brand-new takes on weapons utilizing liquid ammunition. They shoot out balls of a gel-like substance that do not deal impact damage. Instead, the gel splashes all over the area of impact and stays on the ground. Enemies that come into contact with the gel take damage and get affected by additional elemental damage effects - they are slowed down in the case of Cryo Spewers and get set on fire in the case of the Fire Spewer. This type of weapon is very effective when fighting against large groups of smaller creatures, as the substance stays on the ground for a considerable time. It allows you to essentially form a barrier against such creatures wherever you need it. Spewer weapons reward quick decision-making and predicting where the creatures are most likely to swarm you.
Floating Mines category
Floating Mines have been a part of The Riftbreaker arsenal for a long time. The weapon allows you to place mines in rapid succession in a large area at a low ammo cost. However, the mines have a limited lifetime, meaning that you can’t simply cover the entire area of the planet with mines and call it a day. This requires the players to adopt a playstyle that focuses on predicting where the enemies will attack from and luring them into traps. Given that our latest expansion takes place in the Crystal Caverns biome, you spend the majority of the time navigating narrow tunnels and passages, giving you plenty of opportunities to set such traps. In World Expansion II we expanded the Floating Mines ‘family of weapons’ with more models, each utilizing a different element and allowing you to take advantage of the weaknesses of various species of Galatena Fauna. Now we have a full set of Floating Mines that can deal Acid, Fire, Gravity, as well as the classic Area damage. Each type of mine has its own set of effects, allowing you to easily distinguish between them on the battlefield. Plus, they actually float in the air now! Give Floating Mines a try if you haven’t done so before.
What are your thoughts about the types of weapons introduced in World Expansion II? Are any of them too strong or too weak, in your opinion? What kind of weapons would you like to see in the future? Let us know here in the comments, on our Discord at www.discord.gg/exorstudios, or our suggestion board at riftbreaker.featureupvote.com! We’re curious to hear what you think!
EXOR Studios