Within the midst of social distancing and unrest, Bungie delivered a ViDoc outlining the way forward for their MMOFPS, Future. Whereas we lined the primary highlights of the reveal right here, I can be following the threads, digging a bit deeper into the implications for the Future universe with the announcement of Past Mild in addition to sharing insights as an lively member of the Future group.
Let’s dive in.
Vacation spot: Europa
For a location that we’ve got but to discover in-game, Jupiter’s moon Europa performs a fairly important position within the Future story. Not solely was Europa speculated to be a playable location inside the unique title, we’ve got a number of lore entries that allude to the Galilean moon holding various darkish, darkish secrets and techniques. Most notorious? The Deep Stone Crypt.
This facility has been shrouded in its share of thriller, however what we do know is… very, very troubling. It’s rumored to be the birthplace of the Exo, however no Exo has any recollection of the power. All they’ll recall is darkness, chilly, and ache. Much more troubling is that the Deep Stone Crypt (which allegedly a Clovis Bray or Braytech facility), its location up so far has been fully reduce off from their opus: the Warmind Rasputin.
The closest anybody (that we all know of) has gotten to it’s the deceased Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6… and we solely know this data from his will: letters to his potential killers. In a single such recording, Cayde calls out the minds behind the Deep Stone Crypt. He banters that he in all probability had it coming for figuring out means an excessive amount of for their very own good… together with one thing harmful. Cayde solely refers to it because the “lengthy, gradual whisper.” We should see if we discover out extra!
Exploring this space are an unlikely group of characters who we had not beforehand seen collectively. Every has both dabbled in Darkness or has been sufferer to horrific run-ins with it… or each. Eris Morn returns as a pivotal character carrying over Shadowkeep’s principal story marketing campaign alongside The Drifter – a personality we’ve got not seen a lot of out of doors of Gambit. However it’s the Exo Stranger’s return that’s a very long time coming for Future followers.
This Exo, previously generally known as Elsie Bray, made her look in Future’s marketing campaign, main Guardians into the guts of the Black Backyard. She by no means did clarify how she knew the situation solely that she “didn’t have time to clarify why” she “didn’t have time to clarify.” Hopefully, we’ll get greater than that from her this time round.
New Ingredient: Stasis
For the primary time for the reason that unique title launched, we’re getting a brand new injury factor! Stasis seems to be to be an ice-based injury sort that may be part of Arc, Void, and Photo voltaic within the rotation. Judging by the trailers, it’s going to function not solely a brand new factor, however our first foray into using the powers of the Darkness.
This isn’t an enormous shock as we’ve got seen increasingly more data in-game about Guardians dabbling in Darkness or being tempted by its powers. Whether or not it’s the Shadows of Yor, The Kentarch 3, and even gamers collaborating in The Drifter’s Gambit, there are Guardian who’ve entertained the considered powers juxtaposed to the Mild.
Curiously, Bungie is reusing the phrase “the road between Mild and Darkness is so very skinny” but once more. Price noting: this line was uttered by Uldren Sov proper earlier than he met his (first) finish. Maybe, we’ll see extra of the Awoken Prince-turned-Guardian.
Take note of issues like this; Bungie simply loves foreshadowing… and I really like them for it.
Vaulting Content material – Creating Area for the Biggest Hits:
Bungie answered a longtime query for Future gamers: why can’t we revisit previous areas? The introduction of Future 2: New Mild pushed that query to the forefront since new gamers had been attending to revisit the introductory Cosmodrome mission from Future 1’s marketing campaign. Inside the ViDoc, that query obtained a solution.
As Future 2 has grown, its file dimension has turn out to be astronomical – particularly for console gamers. As a substitute of making an entire new recreation with a brand new quantity or persevering with to bloat the present launcher, Bungie is opting to make Future a definitive MMOFPS expertise in a persistent world by persevering with to progress the story. So as to obtain this, content material can be cycled out of use and positioned into the “Future Content material Vault.”
Vaulted content material will be cycled again out and in of play, permitting strikes, raids, and locations from Future 1 to be revamped to present requirements and rotated in. With the discharge of Past Mild, gamers can have the chance to revisit the Cosmodrome in its entirety. Bungie plans to share extra data on this sooner or later.
Future Expansions and Options Roadmap:
Going again to my touch upon foreshadowing, I used to be not anticipating to get three expansions value of titles and key artwork within the announcement! That is good for a number of causes, however, primarily, it lets the participant base know that they will be attempting up threads which have been far too unfastened for a lot too lengthy. Bringing again the Exo Stranger is simply the start.
The Witch Queen (set for launch in 2021) will focus on Savathûn, the Hive’s Queen Mom of deceit and treachery. Whereas we’ve got not but confronted her, we’ve got fought towards her machinations. She is chargeable for plunging the Dreaming Metropolis into an countless time loop of destruction to feed her worm’s countless starvation for lies and manipulation. Every time Savathûn is concerned, nothing will be trusted. This might get trippy.
The 2022 growth at the moment has a working title (Lightfall), but when the important thing artwork foreshadows something, we may see one other confrontation between the Traveler and the Darkness. When this has occurred prior to now, it didn’t finish nicely for the Mild-bearers. We may very well be getting ready for Future’s Second Darkish Age and for the universe’s extra grim darkish components to take heart stage.
Story teasers apart, we additionally received some data relating to subsequent technology console help together with Bungie’s recommitment to additional supporting cross play between console households in addition to content material migration. Not solely that, Bungie is working towards cross-platform play a while past 2020.
Closing Ideas from a Seasoned Guardian:
It’s onerous for me to not really feel a certain quantity of hype encompass this data. Bungie video games have been on the heart of some very important moments of gaming for me and have been the crucible that has cast a few of my closest friendships. The data shared inside this announcement is sweet – I like what I’m listening to – however, I’ve some issues.
As talked about earlier than, Bungie loves the lengthy recreation. They adore it a lot that I fear that seed a lot content material up entrance will make the corporate (and player-base) focus a lot on what’s subsequent that they rush by the current.
Whereas I’ve but to leap into The Season of Arrivals (although not for the explanations different gamers haven’t both), I’m involved with how typically main story beats go unfinished or are delayed for years. Even the trailer for Past Mild doesn’t give us any strong conclusion to Season of the Worthy’s looming allusion: that the Darkness is in our photo voltaic system! Whereas among the new actions look to happen beneath the shadows of the ships, judging by the roadmap, it doesn’t appear to be they will take a detour any time quickly.
For being their first 12 months out from beneath Activision, Bungie has had some combined content material releases and I think about they’ve realized quite a bit alongside the best way. If Bungie can land this proper, Past Mild may catapult Future additional into the celebs. It begins with tying up a number of unfastened threads (that regarded a bit extra like frayed edges pre-Shadowkeep). And all indicators level to that occuring: the workforce is acknowledging their have to deliver some tales to an in depth.
Future has a wealthy, deep lore that may be drawn from. With this roadmap, it seems to be like Bungie may very well be drawing from that lore whereas pushing the narrative ahead. And I, for one, can not wait to be there for it.
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