Update March 24, 2017: just in time for the weekend, the new update is live. Go conquer your friends.
After their announcement last week, the time-bending Riftborn have arrived in Endless Space 2. They bring with them a multiplayer mode, two minor factions and a number of quality of life tweaks.
Turn back time in our list of the best old games.
The Riftborn are a race of extra-dimensional beings, who would’ve been quite happy to sit in their perfect alternate dimension and leave everyone alone. Unfortunately for all involved, a rift opened, pouring filth from our universe into theirs. Ultimately they did the only thing they could and stepped through the breach to try and sort it out, sheathed in quasi-robotic forms. Here’s their story prologue.
Their unique affinity, Continuum Sculptors, enables them to place singularities over entire star systems that slow, hasten or even stop the passing of time. Their sleek robotic ships are designed for efficiency, and can equip more modules than those of other factions. However, their focus on excelling in one function limits their versatility – attack ships, for instance, can equip very little shielding.
Update Three also adds two minor species, both oceanic – the Niris are a race of industrious cephalopods, while the Bhagaba are puppets of an alien super-mind, and made entirely of coral.
Competitive types will also be glad to know that multiplayer is now available for up to eight players, and new galaxy types and sizes have been added for you to scrap over. There have also been a number of quality of life and balancing improvements made to ship design, the tech web, and the UI.
The next update will be the last for the game’s time in early access, and will add a faction designed by the community – the Unfallen – plus fighter and bomber ships, cutscenes, tutorials, new minor factions and more.
So it sounds like Endless Space 2 is nearly ready, but if you’re already sold, head on over to its early access page. It’ll cost you £26.24, or $29.99 US.
Original story March 16, 2017:Sega have announced the seventh playable faction for Endless Space 2, a time manipulating race called the Riftborn.
The Riftborn are built around this new time-altering mechanic, which can apparently be leveraged to change the entire course of a game.
“Hailing from an alternate dimension orthogonal to the Endless universe, the Riftborn would’ve happily led out their abstract, timeless existences entirely ignorant of galactic strife, were it not for a breach that precipitated a disaster of unimaginable proportions,” say Sega.
“Like a poisoned blade slashed deep into clean flesh, the rift acted as a source of terrible disorder in the Riftborn’s pristine, geometrical universe. Desperate, unable to halt the disease’s advance no matter what they tried, the Riftborn took the last available course of action that might lead to their survival: Together with their strange time-shifting abilities, they stepped into the Endless universe.”
The Riftborn faction will be available in Endless Space 2 on March 23, as will a bunch of other changes and a new multiplayer mode that supports eight players.