Hunt: Showdown’s newest occasion, Tide of Shadows, marks the primary time in two years {that a} new boss has entered the bayou: the Rotjaw, a snarling alligator that “defies the physiology of any recognized aquatic reptile,” based on Crytek’s in-lore patch notes, and stalks knee-deep bogs ready for its subsequent meal. Rotjaw is Hunt’s first out of doors boss, and she or he apparently solely seems in nighttime circumstances or in rain.
That is proper, Hunt has rain now, and it is arguably a much bigger risk than some slimy swamp lizard. For one, you may’t escape the rain. It is pouring from minute one of many match and by no means lets up. The fixed (and considerably enjoyable) pattering has an immediately noticeable impact on Hunt’s stealth and fight dynamics, which usually depend on eager ears to select up audio cues. Footsteps are louder with everybody trudging by means of mud, which will be useful but additionally makes sprinting riskier.
Rain’s largest results aren’t felt till partway by means of the match, when the storm graduates from regular showers to torrential downpour (you may take heed to it right here). Imaginative and prescient turns into an issue as fog and globby drops disrupt sightlines. Water drains off rooftops by the gallon, which does not have an effect on gameplay however simply seems to be very nice. Throughout heavy rain, sound basically turns into a non-factor.
The one factor you are prone to hear over mom nature’s superior wrath is gunshots. “Stealth” takes on a unique that means when you will get away with stuff that is normally a dying sentence—within the few matches I performed as we speak, hunters used the duvet of the storm to hurry into fights.
At one level within the thick of the rain, I walked as much as a lifeless teammate and began a loud revive. An enemy walked into body just a few meters away and I used to be positive he’d heard me, however he had his again turned, none the wiser.
The rain situation joins a rising listing of enjoyable Hunt map modifiers that I want Crytek would maintain within the sport. Final yr, Crytek launched “wildcard” map variants like a full moon nighttime that offers each map a spooky twilight really feel and the “Inferno” variant that units the map on fireplace. These have been each nice, however just like the rain wildcard, they have been solely accessible throughout two-month occasions like Tide of Shadows (after which sometimes introduced again on random weekends).
Extra methods to expertise Hunt’s restricted three-map pool looks like such a giant win for the sport that it might be price making everlasting, however I additionally perceive that having unique options throughout occasions makes them really feel extra particular, and doubtless builds buzz that interprets to extra battle cross purchases.
Talking of, free on the cross this season are a handful of latest weapons, together with two new wild rifle/shotgun combo weapons: the three-barrel medium ammo Driller and an extended ammo pistol constructed to problem the dominant Uppercut, the UpperMat. I attempted each of them out briefly and, whereas I am but positive when it might be good to drop 500 Hunt {Dollars} on a medium ammo rifle, the UpperMat proved immediately lethal in an 8-kill server wipe.
Tide of Shadows is shaping as much as be the largest Hunt replace of the yr, if not due to the brand new boss, then due to the numerous adjustments to how its premium forex, Blood Bonds, can be utilized. You’ll be able to learn up on these adjustments, and a bunch of different balancing tweaks, within the full patch notes. Tide of Shadows is stay till August 23.
