Attention Stormbreakers, the Spellbreak Chapter 2 update goes live on April 8, 2021 and adds several new features to the game. If you're not already aware, Spellbreak is a free-to-play battle royale that allows players to use magical elements instead of traditional weapons. It also has more of a story going for it than many other multiplayer PC games out there.
I had the chance to preview the new content for about 35 minutes with Proletariat Inc. demoists. In just my short time, I saw the new Dominion mode. Also thought the unlockables looked awesome.
Prove your elemental control
You and your squad use elemental gauntlets that shoot fire, ice, electricity, gas, wind, or stone to try and beat other players online. Attacks can have elemental reactions when one type is mixed with another, so your team can become really deadly when working together. Chapter 2 also brings a bunch of new features to discover.
What's new in Spellbreak Chapter 2?
During my 35 minutes with the Chapter 2 demo, I got to see a lot of cool new features and items. Voice acting, which was introduced with the Chapter 1 update, continues in Chapter 2. Additionally, three big things are introduced in Chapter 2: the new Dominion game mode, League Ranking, and the next set of Chapter Pass rewards. I'll dive into each one and explain my experience with it.
Spellbreak Dominion Mode
Spellbreak's battle royale only allows teams of up to three players, but Dominion allows up to five team members.
A brand new multiplayer mode will be added with the Chapter 2 update. Unlike the base Battle Royale experience, which only allows up to three members in a team, Dominion mode allows up to five team members. So what else makes this mode different from the others? Players capture and control areas with the help of their magic.
Players come hurtling to the ground as they would in any other mode and then must work to claim three separate locations by standing in them long enough and taking down opponents. Upon claiming an area, the team earns a point, which is displayed at the top of the screen.
There are two ways for a team to win: reaching the specified number of points first or having the most points by the time a 15-minute timer has counted. I love the idea of the timer as it prevents matches from going too long, but during my experience with the game, the 15-minute timer gave far more than enough time to finish a round.
Each time a character dies and then responds in Dominion, they have the option to trade Boons to a merchant for better gear. This keeps things exciting and makes sure respawned players aren't at a total disadvantage.
Spellbreak League Ranking
To add a little more fun to the Spellbreak experience, Chapter 2 introduces League Ranking. There are six leagues total: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Legend. As players do well in rounds and earn points, they move up the tiers within a league until they move up to the next league level. But if you do badly, you can also go backwards. Don't worry, every five tiers works as a milestone that you can't fall under, so you can't completely lose your hard-earned progress after a few bad games.
| League | Cost to participate |
|---|---|
| Bronze | Free |
| Silver | Free |
| Gold | 250 Crowns |
| Platinum | 750 Crowns |
| Diamond | 1,250 Crowns |
| Legend | 1,500 Crowns |
Players who perform well in matches are rewarded with Crowns towards the next tier. Once players get into the Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Legend Leagues, they need to pay an increasing amount of Crowns to participate. Proletariat Inc explained this is to keep players focused and prevent team members from going AFK during matches. There's definitely nothing more frustrating then having a team member flake out on you during an intense moment, so this is a welcome element.
The ability to lose Crowns and Tier levels also requires you to take a risk each time you play, but can also be rewarding. I'm sure having something to work towards and seeing your League ranking improve over time will definitely make things more interesting.
Spellbreak Chapter Pass story & rewards
Anyone who purchases the Chapter Pass will unlock new outfits, emotes, titles, badges, and more as they play. It costs 1,000 Gold or $10 of real-world money. The highest Chapter Pass reward is the Vowguard Inquisitor outfit given at level 50. He's a strict-looking guy who has a part to play in the Spellbreak Chapter 2 story, but you'll have to play to learn more about him.
What do you think?
Well, what do you think of the Chapter 2 update? Are you planning on playing? Tell us about it in the comments below.
Prove your elemental control
You and your squad use elemental gauntlets that shoot fire, ice, electricity, gas, wind, or stone to try and beat other players online. Attacks can have elemental reactions when one type is mixed with another, so your team can become really deadly when working together. Chapter 2 also brings a bunch of new features to discover.
