Regular readers will already know that I’m a sucker for a big budget roguelike mode, and we’ve get another one on our hands today. Landing as the centrepiece of the new Horde Mode Update, a new way to play has been added to demonic shooter Metal: Hellsinger.
What’s more, this new mode has got a very familiar setup that many of you will recognise. It’s called Leviathan and it essentially gives the game a roguelite twist with three power-ups to choose from as you advance through each level.
The new mode picks up where the main campaign ends, and players are tasked with finding a way to “to escape the maw of the beast, through three arenas, hordes of demons, and a new boss fight.”
There are lots of additional details over on Steam (where the game is currently 67% off), but I assembled the highlights for you below:
To carve a path forward, you’ll need to hone your skills: kill demons, gather Echo Shards for experience, unlock new Memories and upgrade choices, at the Altar of Echoes.
Beware of the Leviathan’s decaying aura – weapons will fade from your hands and the Unknown’s usual methods of destruction are not to be taken for granted.
Find comfort in death by gathering Void Echoes; with enough of them, you can unlock Dreams, more permanent abilities, that will aid you in your next escape attempt. And the next one. And the next one…
There’s a trailer below for your viewing pleasure. I’ve got the update downloaded already, and beyond the impressions below, I’ll keep you posted here if there’s anything truly remarkable to report.
On top of the free update, there’s also a paid DLC called Purgatory. Both are are available right now on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series. Here are the specifics for the paid content:
Make your guns roar to three new face-melting tracks composed by Two Feathers and performed by two powerful new voices – Melissa Bonny (Ad Infinitum) and Joe Bad (Fit for an Autopsy) – as well as the returning Matt Heafy (Trivium).
The DLC also adds a new weapon, a bow called The Telos:
- Slay demons with arrows from a powerful bow.
- Deal extra headshot damage and charge up your shots.
- Pick up fired arrows to shoot without pause.
- Unleash a hail of arrows in a wide area with your ultimate.
Hands-on with the new roguelite mode
As soon as I read about this particular update, I jumped in so I could take a closer look for myself. Happily, the new wave mode is really polished, and thanks to its adoption of a roguish framework, it’s quite easy to get to grips with how everything works.
You’re immediately dropped into a quick fire battle with a handful of enemies. The thing is, at the start, you don’t have any tools for the job. Yet, before that first battle and then after every level, you’re given three abilities or weapons to choose from.
Each new run has you starting off as a blank slate. Your first choice then is to decide which of your skills from the main game you want back. I went with my dash, because I wanted to be able to dodge out of the trouble that surely awaited.
It proved useful too, as I wove in and out of combat, often running away to avoid taking damage from groups, before returning to inflict some pain of my own. The wave doesn’t end until you’ve cleared the room, so it’s important to keep track of your enemies and attack at the right moment – in time with the beat where possible, of course.
Advancing through the levels
I quickly moved up through the first few levels – there are thirty by the looks of things – grabbing a crossbow to supplement the melee attack I started with. Existing players will naturally have a much clearer idea about what’s going and what the various upgrades mean, however, I think a newcomer would manage. Besides, roguelikers are used to a bit of early-game ambiguity.
Having made that last point, the game itself recommends that you don’t come into the Leviathan mode from a standing start. This one is intended to challenge existing players and give them new ways to play – and it does exactly that.
Is it enough to pull in new players? I’d say so, yes. I was pleased to see that this new roguelite mode was added as a free update, so rather than split the fanbase, the expansion simply enhances an already well-rounded offering. And at the current price point, if you’re a fan of Doom and frenetic action, you really can’t go wrong.
Want to read about another blockbuster rogue? The Last of Us: Part II Remastered is also getting one, in just a few weeks, but only on PS5. Hit the link to find out more.
