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 identified aquatic reptile,” in accordance with 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 he or she apparently solely seems in nighttime circumstances or in rain.
That is proper, Hunt has rain now, and it is arguably an even bigger risk than some slimy swamp lizard. For one, you possibly can’t escape the rain. It is pouring from minute one of many match and by no means lets up. The fixed (and considerably stress-free) pattering has an immediately noticeable impact on Hunt’s stealth and fight dynamics, which usually depend on eager ears to choose up audio cues. Footsteps are louder with everybody trudging by means of mud, which might be useful but in addition makes sprinting riskier.
Rain’s greatest results aren’t felt till partway by means of the match, when the storm graduates from regular showers to torrential downpour (you possibly can 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 appears to be like 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 often a loss of life sentence—within the few matches I performed right this moment, hunters used the quilt of the storm to hurry into fights.
At one level within the thick of the rain, I walked as much as a useless teammate and began a loud revive. An enemy walked into body a number of meters away and I used to be certain 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 hold within the sport. Final yr, Crytek launched “wildcard” map variants like a full moon nighttime that provides 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 often introduced again on random weekends).
Extra methods to expertise Hunt’s restricted three-map pool looks as if such a giant win for the sport that it would 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 recent 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 certain when it would be sensible 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 foreign money, 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 reside till August 23.
