Space pilots on Xbox are taking flight into Wrath of the Ancients, the final expansion for Everspace 2! Here are a few non-spoiler things to know before getting started.
Beginning the New Story and Sidequests
Everspace 2: Wrath of the Ancients adds a variety of new post-game quest lines and multiple sidequests, but don’t worry, nothing is missable. New sidequests added in Wrath of the Ancients will unlock as players discover new areas and achieve certain levels.
Get started on the new expansion main questline by returning to Homebase to begin, A Different Ending, a storyline that will set you on course to meet with an old friend on your way to the Aethon star system.
Take Flight in The Wraith
While progressing through Wrath of the Ancients, you’ll temporarily acquire the Wraith, an alien armed blockade runner, modified for a human pilot. This ship is a high-risk, high reward fighter for players who like blending a wide range of abilities with up close and personal combat.
The Wraith’s ultimate attack and abilities introduce a unique playstyle for Everspace 2 pilots focused on gaining temporary stats by destroying enemies quickly.
“Spectral Form” transforms the Wraith into a semi-corporeal state which causes hull to decay—the less hull you have, the more damage the Wraith will unleash. When your hull reaches zero, Spectral Form ends and your ship is restored to full health, ready to strike again. In addition to a significant damage boost, being in Spectral Form replaces devices with new special abilities that will help clever pilots turn the tides of battle.
Gear Up!
Exploring new sectors of space is dangerous work. Skills will only take you so far—best to gear up your ship to survive! Wrath of the Ancients offers multiple new ways to strengthen a spacefight’s loadout. In addition to a variety of exciting new weapons incorporating alien technology, pilots will discover some awesome new legendary items.
Warden’s Embrace is a new unique Mine Launcher that Deploys a shield wall that blocks enemy fire, but allows your shots to pass. The shield will move forward depending on the charge duration and damage all enemies who pass through it.
True Shepherd is a special Sensor that boosts ally ship strength. Allies deal increased damage and whenever one of them destroys an enemy, you gain a stack of “Shepherd’s Resolve” for a few seconds, making your next few critical hits restore part of your hull, armor, and shield.
The Schrader is a nod to a well-loved former community manager. This special Mine Launcher fires a slow-moving mine that emits a shockwave every time it is hit by weapon fire.
Ascendant tier items are a new type of gear that have the potential to surpass stat values of similar Starforged and Legendary weapons, armor, and modules. Unlike regular gear, the rank of Ascendant items can be upgraded and receives a random attribute bonus on reaching the maximum rank.
Upgrading Ascendant items is done at Ancient Altars, special places found in Okkar systems. These altars allow pilots to exchange resources to unlock combat challenges for improved items. The higher the target rank, the higher the challenge will be.
Craft, Craft, Craft
With new resources and blueprints to collect, Wrath of the Ancients goes even deeper into crafting. Pilots will be able upgrade gear using sixteen new Okkar Catalysts that add powerful positive and negative modifiers to weapons, creating an even greater variety of builds.
Here’s a quick look at a few of the new Okkar Catalysts you’ll be able to craft.
- Piercing Shot
- Positive – Gains 50% shield and armor piercing.
- Negative – Can no longer deal critical hits.
- Safety Delimiter
- Positive – Gains 30% increased fire rate while weapon energy is below 50%.
- Negative – Becomes damaged when weapon energy reaches zero while firing.
- Alpha Strike
- Positive – Deals 50% increased damage the first time it damages a target.
- Negative – Deals 50% reduced damage on successive hits.
- Dual Detonator
- Positive – Explodes twice at the impact location with a 0.5s delay.
- Negative – Has a 10% chance to be a dud and not explode at all.
- Reserve Power
- Positive – Unlimited weapon and boost energy while ULT energy is below 10%.
- Negative – 20% reduced handling while ULT is fully recharged and ready.
Exploring New Star Systems
Wrath of the Ancients adds four new star systems to the explorable regions of Cluster 34. These star systems each have their own look, and are packed with deadly enemies to challenge, new puzzle types to solve, and powerful loot to discover. Unlocking each new region is easy, just follow the main questline.
Atheon – Visited briefly during a quest towards the end of Everspace 2, this system is filled with radiation fields and warship hulks drifting in the dark. Now, you’ll be able to return and seek a payday while navigating hazards left from the Colonial War. Longtime fans will be especially thrilled to see the continuation of a beloved quest line around an AI gone rogue.
Khaït Dominion – This system is the closest Okkar rim system to the Colonial border and also your first step on a pilgrimage deep into the heart of this alien culture. In addition to all kinds of space locations, you’ll also visit desert and swamp planets which are dotted with ancient structures and mysterious ruins.
Rhak Homeworlds – This system is the beating heart of this sector of modern Okkar civilization. Much of their population lives on gigantic orbital stations and sprawling mega-structures covering the planets below. This region is rich in rare resources, a perfect place to harvest new materials to craft equipment.
?????? – The forbidden system. No human has yet to visit this area of space and lived to tell the story. They say this region of space holds the most ancient of the Okkar worlds.
Wrath of the Ancients is out now on Xbox and Microsoft Store. New to the series? Grab the Galactic Edition and get the full adventure—including every DLC—in one killer bundle.
EVERSPACE
2 – Wrath of the Ancients
ROCKFISH Games
Among the Okkar, a growing number argue that if the Ancients reject Humankind, so should they. With the uneasy peace threatened, venture into the Okkar Homeworlds to discover the truth behind the threat… before war reignites the DMZ.
EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients offers space pilots an all-new adventure set after the events of EVERSPACE 2, as well as new mid-game side quests exploring the Okkar civilization and homeworlds. Take flight to battle against Ancient and alien enemies while tracking down the source of these threats to Colonial space.
This full-sized expansion is packed with new star systems to explore, allies to meet, and powerful new weapons to destroy enemy ships. The massive main story campaign will take pilots through four new star systems, each packed with locations filled with secrets and side missions to uncover.
Distant star systems bring new threats—battle challenging enemies and bosses in a never-been-seen before Okkar Ship. The new Wraith Okkar fighter uses rare technology to consume fragments of defeated enemies to activate special abilities. This high-risk, high-reward ship is deadly in the hands of a skilled pilot.
EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients features:
– Adventure through an exciting post-game storyline expanding the EVERSPACE universe
– Journey through several new major side quests exploring Okkar civilization and their homeworlds, accessible from midway through the main campaign
– Take flight in the new flyable Wraith Okkar ship
– Meet an expanded cast of new and returning characters
– Challenge new enemy types and bosses
– Explore four new and expanded existing star systems including the Okkar homeworlds
– Discover dozens of new locations filled with secrets and new puzzle types
– Power up your ships with new weapons and gear
– Break limits with new upgradable Okkar equipment
– Collect rare resources and crafting blueprints
– Space out to an expanded soundtrack adding new exploration, travel, and battle music
The post Five Things to Know Before Taking Flight Into Everspace 2: Wrath of the Ancients appeared first on Xbox Wire.
