Another year, another major update for the ever-evolving free-to-play game Warframe. Fans were rather vocal about the buggy and overambitious updates released last year, which is why Digital Extremes have gone back to basics with the Heart of Deimos update.
Releasing on August 25 on all platforms, the Heart of Deimos will introduce Warframe’s third open-world alongside a new systemic system. While it might not sound as game-changing as Railjack, this update’s scope towards building on core aspects of Warframe is exactly what the game needs right now. From customizable mechs to consuming Warframes for their abilities, here is everything we know about the upcoming Heart of Deimos update for Warframe.
8 New Infested open-world
At the heart of Deimos lies an Infested hellscape filled with nightmarish foes to slay. Similar to open-worlds released previously, players will complete bounties and obtain resources to progress their standing with the landscape’s faction named the Entrati.
As with the Plains of Eidolon, there will be terrifying bosses that roam the open-world during certain timeframes that drop valuable rewards when slain. Unlike Eidolon hunts, there is always a boss to hunt no matter the time of day.
7 Void Derelict Key Removal
Deimos isn’t just an open-world, it’s an entirely new planet on the Star Chart. With the inclusion of Deimos comes the retirement of the Orokin Derelict Key system.
That tileset is being reused for Deimos’s more traditional missions such as Exterminate and Capture. Players that wish to farm Corrupted Mods or the Nekros Warframe can now do so without the worry of crafting Derelict Keys. This also means that Derelict runs will now have matchmaking.
6 Customizable Mechs Are Coming
Of course, exploring a moon covered in miasma and Infested might prove too hazardous for some. While Warframes can handle the atmosphere and enemies just fine, the locals have taken to creating custom mechs named Necramechs.
As with most open-world systems, these mechs can be summoned at will after the completion of “The Second Dream” quest and are fully modular. While Digital Extremes haven’t gone over the extent of how customizable Necramechs are, it’s safe to say they’ll have at least three types of parts players can swap between. They should offer unique stats as with Zaws and K-Drives. Necramechs can also be used in the Plains of Eidolon and the Orb Vallis.
5 Xaku Warframe
Digital Extremes have taken the community’s raw talent and passion to heart with their next Warframe. Xaku is a community-made Warframe comprised of other broken Warframes combined into one.
Xaku has a little bit of everything in its kit. This Warframe can imbue its weapons with Void damage — although this doesn’t damage Eidolon shields — fire lasers that stun targets, and even detonate their body to deal massive damage while giving its remaining skeleton a massive speed boost.
4 Helminth Room Overhaul
No longer is the Infested room in the Orbiter used solely for popping Infested Cysts. This room has been overhauled to include a new endgame system and a resource sink for veteran players.
Resource Sink is rather literal in this instance, as a giant maw exists in the room that wants to eat the player’s hundreds of thousands of Nano Spores and Alloy Plating. Feeding Helminth these resources will enhance its power and allow the Helminth to imbue a player’s Warframes with strange new powers.
3 Warframe Ability Swapping
Arguably the most game-changing addition with the Heart of Deimos update is the Helminth Chrysalis system. Players can use the infested chair as a sort of operating table to replace one ability from any Warframe with an ability from another Warframe.
As overpowered and game-breaking as this sounds, there are a few caveats. Every Warframe has a curated ability that can be learned and used on other Warframes, and these can’t be ultimates or kit-defining abilities that Digital Extremes refer to as “signature” abilities. Learning a Warframe’s power requires a non-Prime version to be sacrificed to Helminth, consuming the frame whole in 24 hours. If digesting a Warframe for its abilities sounds too gruesome, players can obtain new powers from Helminth itself.
2 New Player Experience
New players haven’t been left in the dust in the Heart of Deimos update, either. Those that could never get into Warframe will be happy to hear that its introductory quest is being replaced entirely. The new quest looks to give newer players a taste of Warframe’s insane lore and better ease players into the game’s dozens of intricate systems.
1 New Lore
Some of the best moments in Warframe are when the game’s universe is expanded upon with new lore and cinematic quests. Digital Extremes are doubling down on this with the Heart of Deimos, providing fans a look into the origin of the Infested, the Entrati, and a whole host of lore entries that are similar to the Vitruvian entries seen during “The Sacrifice” quest.
It is safe to assume that Deimos will contain the most lore-rich content out of any of the open-worlds in Warframe thus far.
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