ROCKFISH Games has released the second major Early Access update to their spacefaring looter shooter RPG, EVERSPACE 2— Zharkov: The Vortex opens up an all-new star system, a new spaceship class, companion, main and side missions, activities, challenges, and more than 120 improvements and fixes being added to the space action RPG.
Set in a gas cloud system, Zharkov: The Vortex is packed full of new environments, locations, and star bases to discover. Fair warning, Zharkov is EVERSPACE 2’s most dangerous area yet as it is filled with lightning storms, ruined hulks, and strong enemies seeking their next target.
Playing as Adam, a former clone pilot, the player will dive deep into the shady dealings of the Grady & Brunt mining operation and uncover secrets leading to mysteries of The Ancients, and learn how the factions in the game are all connected.
During a certain section of a high-risk undercover operation, players have to prove their 6DOF maneuvering skills when navigating a remote-controlled maintenance drone through narrow tunnels and pass laser security barriers undetected to prevent an inside job from going south.
Further progressing through the fully voiced campaign, EVERSPACE: Encounters players will recognize the new companion added, an old friend: Tareen, the Okkar trader will join the roster of companions and provide some very useful perks. As the new quartermaster, Tareen will expand the player’s storage and increase the number of ships that can be parked at the Homebase.
The latest EVERSPACE 2 ship, the Vanguard, is a lightweight reconnaissance fighter with a focus on speed, quick maneuvers, and defensive measures – perfect for players who love to delve headfirst into the battle and take out enemies in quick succession. The Vanguard’s Special “overcharges” the ship’s shield to up to 200% capacity when boosting or when in Cruise Mode allowing for shield-buffed attacks. This ship also receives an increased critical hit chance when attacking enemies from the rear, making clever combat positioning a significant advantage in dogfights. The Vanguard’s Ultimate, Time Extender, slows down time giving plenty of opportunity to regain the upper hand in any given combat situation if things get messy.
Vanguard ships also come with one out of four random Passive Perks that let cruise drive to be activated with enemies nearby, reduces Web effect by 50%, lowers up to 20% support device cooldown depending on overcharge percentage, or makes Time Extender immediately restore all weapon and boost energy.
Along with the Vanguard, players will also be able to access the second tier of all other current ship types, granting new wing styles and better base stats.
The Zharkov: The Vortex update also brings a significant amount of additional features such as new missile and mine types, a grappling hook, additional music tracks, new gameplay mechanics, and more. For more details, read the latest Steam News Update.
Zharkov: The Vortex Early Access Update Features:
- New Star System – Zharkov: The Vortex takes players deep into the eye of the storm
- New Companion – Tareen the Okkar Trader joins as the homebase quartermaster, expanding storage capabilities and allowing for more ships to be held in the base hanger
- New Light Fighter Class: The Vanguard – A lightweight, highly maneuverable reconnaissance ship with a high emphasis on speed/mobility and defensive measures
- New Main and Side Missions – The plot thickens, so players will start putting the pieces together of how everything is connected in this mind-bending sci-fi story
- New Gear – The new Fusion Hook allows for quick turns through asteroid fields; new Corrosion, Armorbreaker, Shieldbreaker, and Destabilizer missiles and Web and Corrosion mine launchers add an arsenal of new ways to destroy enemy ships
- Newly Voiced Lines – Added English voice acting for dialog added since the previous Contracts/Hinterlands update
- New Activities, Mini-Missions, and Challenges – All kinds of activities have been scattered through the new star system
- And More – New music, ship colors, item set bonuses, item affix, crafting UI/UX improvements, and lots more!
The full changelog can be found here. A high resolution image of the EVERSPACE 2 2021 roadmap can be downloaded here. The game is currently 20% off on Steam. Deal ends on August 9, 10:00 am PDT.
Follow EVERSPACE 2 on Twitter, Facebook, or join the game’s Discord to stay in the loop on the latest developments.
Every Friday, the EVERSPACE 2 team shows off content from their latest dev build on the ROCKFISH Games Twitch and YouTube channel from 8 pm to 10 pm CEST / 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST / 11:00 am to 1:00 pm PST.
