We know you’ve been (not so) patiently waiting for this one, Tenno, but we know it’s worth the wait! Our team has poured their heart and souls into this update and it shows. Update 14: The Mad Cephalon arrives today on PS4, and with it comes our most ambitious changes to date.
A complete overhaul to the player UI, the arrival of Kubrow companions, our Infested Breeding Grounds event, and the brand new player ship Liset round off our focus on the new-player experience. There’s a lot of ground to cover, so let’s get started!
Vor’s Prize
While we can break down a lot of this update into smaller parts, at the center of it all is Vor’s Prize, Warframe‘s first quest in the newly introduced quest system. We’ve completely overhauled our tutorial to give players a better understanding of how to use Warframe powers, acquire some starter mods, and learn the basics of the game all while taking part in a pretty exciting showdown between you and the dangerous Captain Vor.
We’ve built the tutorial as a sort of prologue to the full game, and anyone with an existing account will get a chance to start the prologue once they log into Warframe for the first time after downloading the update. If you choose to play through it, you’ll be treated like a new player, temporarily needing to unlock features like the Marketplace, Arsenal, Mods and the Foundry before you’ll have access to them again.
None of your progress on the Star Chart, obtained mods, Warframes, or mid-construction items will be interrupted so if you want to enjoy the lore in the prologue you can do so without fear! Otherwise, there’s no way to experience Vor’s Prize without playing the prologue at this time.
The Liset
On top of all the juicy lore, a large portion of Vor’s Prize is dedicated to helping the player rebuild their ship, the Liset. Each part of the ship you recover will give you access to various features like the ‘Mod station’ or ‘Foundry’, and we’ve fit in a lot of fine details that really help bring the technology and atmosphere of Warframe to life.
Guiding you through the process of rebuilding the ship’s functions is Ordis, the Liset’s somewhat unstable A.I . Cephalon. Too much time alone in space has left Ordis feeling a little unbalanced, but he’s always happy to provide helpful advice and useful information. Just don’t mention Kubrow. He’s a little sensitive about his clean floor.
UI Overhaul
With the Liset bringing so many changes to the way players interact with elements of Warframe, we needed to give our UI a major update. Now players can choose to interact with our menus directly through each of the Liset’s terminals, or alternatively pull up the quick access to move from menu to menu.
Although each menu looks great, we’re definitely most proud of our updated Solar Chart which is much easier to navigate and clearly track progression. Alerts, quests, special events, nightmare modes, and Solar Rails will all be clearly marked to make browsing the system easier.
Breeding Grounds
In our last update, hints of a dangerous new Infested threat was on the rise, but the full depths of Alad V’s madness unfolds in Update 14’s Breeding Grounds, a special event that introduces our latest game type: Hive Infestation.
Instead of taking a tileset we’re familiar with and tweaking it to fit the new game type, we decided the claustrophobic horror theme of the Infested deserved its own special showcase. Hive Infestation takes place on a unique Corpus tileset: A transport ship twisted and warped with mutating infestation. It’s our most creative and probably grossest tileset yet, so be sure to check it out to get your unique in-game rewards from the event!
Mirage
With command over the domain of light and illusion, Mirage is a Warframe that offers players a lot of versatility in how you can approach her abilities. Her summoned clones stick close to the player, attract enemy attention and even do a portion of the damage from your equipped weapon. Her Eclipse ability grants benefits on whether or not she’s standing in light or shadow, granting increased damage or evasion depending on which. She can set traps in unused lockers and crates to be set off when the enemy gets too close.
Or you can just throw a deadly exploding disco ball at your enemies, which pretty much sums up how much fun she is to play. Throw in a Vauban or Nova and you’ve got yourself a deadly dance party in the making!
Kubrow
Although not as flashy as a new spaceship or exploding disco ball of death, the Kubrow represent a pretty huge landmark for the team and we’re really excited to finally let these puppies loose. Obtaining a Kubrow is the first immediate quest after Vor’s Prize, and unlike the Sentinel, raising a Kubrow will take some time as it matures from a fresh-faced pup into a stronger, more agile predator. It’s a little more demanding, but in return you do get a loyal stalwart companion.
There are currently four different genetic traits for Kubrows that players can choose from, each with their own personalities and benefits. Other customization features like mods, colors and patterns help make Kubrow feel like a distinct companion more than just a pet. Although Ordis is less than thrilled to have one on board, more difficult missions may be much easier with a specialist Kubrow ready to help.
Hysteria 2.0 and New Weapons
Valkyr fans can finally rejoice, as Hysteria now not only has been updated to function properly with our Melee 2.0 system, but has also been coupled with unique animations and combos. It’s not the only change we’ve made to the game, but to be honest having her Ultimate finally get the flashy overhaul it deserves is something to celebrate.
Joining her revamped claws are some new weapons available for research: The sword and board Silva and Aegis, the infestation spitting Mutalist Quanta, the Tenno claw weapon Venka, the uncorrupted Corpus Quanta, and Mirage’s Akzani pistols. All of the unique melee weapons will also have their own stances, with more to come down the line.
We’re really excited for how well everything has come together for U14, and whether you’re brand new to Warframe or have been stomping Corpus with us for months, there’s plenty in this Update to keep you busy. In the meantime, why not ponder over a pair of clues that will help start your journey on acquiring the trickster Mirage and furry Kubrow companion?
“If it’s Mirage you seek, you may obtain by Quest. To her powers of illusion we can attest. Within a vault, the requirements lie, as part of a dark and corrupted infested sky.”
“Fetch the Kubrow Quest by slaying the mechanical four-legged pest!”
Good luck out there Tenno, and happy hunting!
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