Everything can go wrong in Warframe's Empyrean, and it rules

Empyrean is a co-op spaceship fighter where there are constantly five fires, and you and your team have four buckets of water. You all control ... Skiptomaincontent clock menu more-arrow no yes Gaming PlayStation Xbox Nintendo PC Tabletop Pokémon AllGaming Entertainment WhattoWatch Movies TV Comics StarWars Marvel AllEntertainment Reviews Recommends Essentials AllReviews Features Guides AnimalCrossing HorizonForbiddenWest PokémonLegends:Arceus EldenRing BreathoftheWild PokémonGo AllGuides Merch Buyer’sGuides Videos Podcasts GalaxyBrains AllPodcasts ✕ Filedunder: Impressions PlayStation Nintendo EverythingcangowronginWarframe’sEmpyrean,anditrules FindingthefuninMurphy’sLaw By CassMarshall Dec11,2019,9:00amEST / new Sharethisstory SharethisonFacebook SharethisonTwitter Share Allsharingoptions Share Allsharingoptionsfor: EverythingcangowronginWarframe’sEmpyrean,anditrules Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email DigitalExtremes Everythingisonfire,ourshipisblaringatus,andtwoofmyteammateshavejetpackedintothegreatbeyond.That’sjusthowthingscangoinWarframe’snextexpansion,Empyrean. WefirstsawthisexpansionatTennocon,theWarframefanconvention.PlayersconstructashipcalledtheRailjack,whichtheycanupgrade,customize,andoutfit.Fromthere,theplayerslaunchintospace,andexperienceanentirelydifferentscopeofcombat.We’regoingfromgroundskirmishestothestars,andtheRailjackisthevesselthatallowsplayerstogotoetotoewithmassivespacearmiesalaStarFox. Empyreanisaco-opspaceshipfighterwherethereareconstantlyfivefires,andyouandyourteamhavefourbucketsofwater.YouallcontrolyourstandardWarframeaboardtheRailjack,keepingtheshiphealthyanddishingoutdamagefromitspowerfularmaments. Thisisn’tthepowerfantasyofthebasegame;it’sclosertoafullyco-operativeversionofSeaofThieves.Thingsarestillwork-in-progress,andnoneofthefollowing,includingfootage,isfinal.ButtheendresultofthecurrentEmpyreanisfrantic,desperate,andsatisfying.Muchofthefunisfindingallofthewaysthatthingscanspinoutofcontrol. TherearefourrolesinEmpyrean:Tactical,Piloting,Gunnery,andEngineering.Playerscangohardinonerole,gettingstatbonusesandabilities,ortheycanbeajackofalltrades.Eitherway,everyonewillneedtochipinaroundtheRailjack(Warframe’snewly-addedspaceship),andanexistinggroupoffriendswilllikelyslotintospecificrolesbasedonskillorinterestlevel. Wewant[Empyrean]tofeellikeanextensionofeverythingpeoplewereusedto,”saysDaveKudirka,seniorproduceratDigitalExtremes.“Welookedattheusualtropesofengineeringandgunnery,becausethosearenicecontainersforpeoplethathaveplayedanykindofgamethathasthosethings.” WhilethedeveloperssaythecoregameplayofEmpyreanwasbuiltaroundtheintenttonot“gettoowacky”,it’sstillbuiltontheskeletonofWarframe,agamewhereeveryoneplaysarobotninjawhocanbulletjump80feetintotheair.Onthegroundinafullsquad,Ifeellikepartofawell-oiledmachine. Onthespaceship,thingsaremuchmorechaotic. What’stheworstthatcouldhappen? Theshipisvulnerablewhenunderfire.Thehullwillbreachandfireswillstartonboard.Asthepilot,Iamfocusedonnavigatingusaroundrubbleandusingmyweaponstotakedownalienships.Thegunnerscanassist,dealingoutasmuchdamageaspossible.Nomatterhowefficientlywesetup,wefindourselvesneedinganotherbodysomewhere. Thereareonlyfourplayers,buttonsofstufftodo.Wecanfindmaterialsinspacetobuildnewsuppliesfortheship,putoutfiresandrepair,jumponguns,pilot,clearoutboardingpartiesfromtheenemy,andevenstageourownboardingpartiestoclearoutenemyships..Withallofthoseoptions,it’seasyforthingstogowronginamazingfashion.Allfourpeoplecanleavetheshipatthesametime,leavingitfloatingthroughspace.Maybeyourbuddyboardsanenemyshipbutdoesn’ttellyou.Oops,youjustshotitdown,sendingbothfriendandfoedowninflames. EmpyreanremovesWarframefromitslootershooterstylegameplayandreplacesitwithsomethinginelegantandexciting.Attimes,thatmeansplayingBennyHill-styleshenanigans,likethepilotabandoningtheirposttosprintthroughtheshipandtendtoanurgentbreach.Othertimes,wewouldactuallysolveaproblemthroughteamwork. RebeccaFord,liveoperationsandcommunitydirector,servedasoursquad’sone-womanboardingparty.Onemissionhadusmowthroughwavesofsmallerships,whileFord’sIvaraWarframebreached,boarded,andhijackedlargervessels.Ihelpedusnavigateanddodge,andtheothertwomembersofourpartyfocusedentirelyonputtingoutfiresandsealingbreaches.Therewardfeltsweeterforthechase. Navigatingthechaos Everyplayerhasaccesstoatacticsscreen,wheretheycancheckinontheirotherplayersandgivecommandsviaapingwheel.Thiswillbealifesaverwithrandomgroups,butitremainsusefulforpre-existinggroups. “Tostartoff,itwillbedifficultforasolopersontorunaRailjack,”saysKudirka.“There’salotofaspectstomanage,alotofenemiestomanage.Butacoupleofsidegunners,andthenitbecomesmoremanageable,andyoucansplityourtimebetweencombatandresourcecollection.It’sterrificwhenyouhaveadedicatedsquadoffriendsyoualwaysrunwith,you’regoingtofindyourrolesprettyquickandfigureoutwho’sdoingwhat.” Failureisn’tpunishinginEmpyrean;youdon’tlosetheRailjack,orgetyourprogressmeaningfullyreset.Instead,it’sbacktothedrawingboard.Thatmightentailafriendswitchingtoboardinginsteadofguns,orsomeoneelsetakingupthepilot’sspot. There’salottomixandmatchinEmpyrean,anditfeelslikethebasegameofWarframeinthebestways.It’sflexible,cinematic,andgenuinelycool.It’salsoanoccasionalnightmarecarnivalwherethingsgofrom0to60andyourfriendsareoutinspacewhenyouneedthemmost. Signupforthe newsletter PatchNotes AweeklyroundupofthebestthingsfromPolygon Justonemorething! Pleasecheckyouremailtofindaconfirmationemail,andfollowthestepstoconfirmyourhumanity. Email(required) Bysubmittingyouremail,youagreetoourTermsandPrivacyNotice.Youcanoptoutatanytime.ThissiteisprotectedbyreCAPTCHAandtheGooglePrivacyPolicyandTermsofServiceapply. 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