Once you’ve accepted that the Half-Life 3 release date is unlikely to somehow appear any time soon, there are lots of other exciting games that draw inspiration from the beloved Valve series. Among them is the delightful Abiotic Factor, a co-op survival game that has already racked up an impressive overwhelmingly positive Steam rating of 96% from more than 10,000 reviews since its launch in May. Now, with its Crush Depth update imminent, developer Deep Field Games details everything we can expect alongside a new roadmap.
Kicking off its overhauled lineup is the second episode of Abiotic Factor, Crush Depth. This first major update opens up two new sectors to explore, Security and the Hydroplant. The former plays home to a new trading post, and is bound to contain some worthwhile gear upgrades – but only if you can brave its darkened hallways. The Hydroplant, meanwhile, takes advantage of the new swimming and diving mechanics introduced to the survival game, plunging you into the depths in search of underwater treasure.
Beyond that, you can make a trek to the Voussoir Facility up in the snowy mountains. The game’s temperature system has been reworked, meaning you’ll want to pull on some warm clothes before heading out into the cold. There will also be new portal worlds to explore. Back at base, a laser system has been introduced that can be used for both power transfer and defensive options alike.
Of course, there are even more updates and upgrades to look forward to. Certain storage units such as the Fridge and Med Kits are now specifically restricted to food and medical items respectively. Radial wheels have been introduced for charging stations, flashlights, and weapons to make swapping between options simpler. There’s also fishing, a new chef’s counter crafting table, jetpacks, scoped weapons, an SUV, moisture teleporters, carbon structures, and even more besides.
So what comes next? Deep Field already has some answers for you with its new-look roadmap. Next on the list is the Halloween update, which will then be followed in the fall by the second major update, Dark Energy. This will introduce hardlight technology (think of those Portal-style bridges and walls), a teleportation network, spawn inhibitors, high explosives, and travelling traders. It’ll also see you infiltrate the reactors under the GATE facility and head into as-yet undisclosed forest and nest zones.
Even further ahead comes the third update, Cold Fusion. This will see the final chapter of the story, along with an additional facility to visit. It is set to arrive in the winter, and will also mark Abiotic Factor’s transition out of early access and into version 1.0. Of course, Deep Field notes that this roadmap is constantly in flux, and “may change in response to development priorities and community feedback throughout the early access journey.”
For the time being, at least, there’s plenty to look forward to. The Abiotic Factor Crush depth update launches Monday August 12. In addition, you can get Abiotic Factor at a 20% discount on Steam through Thursday August 15, meaning you’ll pay just $19.99 / £16.79 down from its usual price of $24.99 / £20.99. For a closer look at the roadmap and even more details, simply check out the game on Steam.
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