Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 developer Saber Interactive has introduced Replace 4.1, set to hit the sport on October 24, and detailed its patch notes.
Replace 4.1 follows scorching on the heels of final week’s controversial Replace 4.0, extensively criticized by Space Marine 2’s neighborhood for making the sport considerably tougher, even on simpler difficulties. The backlash to Replace 4.0 unfold to Space Marine 2’s Steam web page, the place disgruntled gamers review-bombed the sport.
The Replace 4.1 patch notes had been published alongside a message to followers from sport director Dmitriy Grigorenko, who, having digested the criticism of the final week, admitted: “The important thing takeaway for me, personally, is that I forgot that when the sport comes out, it is not a dev’s sport. It is yours at first.”
To that finish, Saber will set up Public Check Servers (PTS) that may let gamers check out main balancing updates and make their voices heard earlier than they’re pushed onto public branches. Anticipate PTS to go dwell early 2025.
As for the adjustments made with Replace 4.1 there’s a lot to dig via (patch notes beneath), however general they need to make Space Marine 2’s PvE Operations mode really feel simpler through a collection of buffs to weapons and the Space Marines, nerfs to the enemies, and in some circumstances the removing of controversial mechanics totally.
Players of Space Marine 2’s new Deadly issue might be delighted to listen to the universally hated ‘Tight Formation’ system, unique to Operations mode’s hardest issue, is just not lengthy for this world. Grigorenko revealed that the system was designed as a primary step in the direction of the introduction of gameplay modifiers down the line, each adverse and optimistic, “however your suggestions confirmed that the proximity necessities felt too restrictive.”
“Courses like Assault and Vanguard felt particularly penalized as taking part in them successfully requires a sure freedom of motion,” Grigorenko added. 4.1 ditches the Tight Formation system totally, and Saber will proceed to work on modifiers till they’re prepared.
There’s a nerf to the Tyranid’s dreaded Zoanthropes, too, with a discount of their defend’s effectiveness. Certainly, enemy spawns have been nerfed throughout the board. From 4.1, Extremis enemy spawn charges in Minimal, Common, and Substantial difficulties will revert again to their pre-Patch 4.0 ranges and might be considerably lowered in Ruthless issue.
Lastly, Bolters are lastly getting a buff. Ever since Space Marine 2’s explosive launch final month Bolters have underperformed, a lot to the disappointment of Warhammer 40,000 followers who love the weapons from the Video games Workshop tabletop and lore. From 4.1, harm throughout the Bolter household of weapons is elevated.
And if you happen to had been questioning whether or not 4.0 had nerfed the Space Marine roll, Saber confirmed that it had, though this was a bug and never a design determination. 4.1 fixes a bug that prompted roll distance to be shorter than earlier than.
These are all welcome adjustments, and gamers have already reacted positively, however what prompted Saber to go so exhausting with 4.0 in the first place? Grigorenko stated that Patch 3.0 had prompted a rise in win charges (Ruthless went from 60% to over 80%, for instance), and it had acquired suggestions that Space Marine 2 had turn out to be too straightforward even at its most issue.
In addressing this, 4.0 went too far in a variety of areas, significantly spawn charges even on decrease difficulties. “Your suggestions made it clear that the sport had turn out to be extra intense and traumatic on decrease difficulties, and this was by no means our intention,” Grigorenko stated. “As I’ve personally emphasised in interviews, Space Marine 2 is all about the energy fantasy, and Patch 4.0 negatively impacted it for a lot of of you.”
IGN has a lot extra on Space Marine 2, together with a deep-dive on the sport’s burgeoning modding scene and accompanying problems. Final month, Saber Chief Inventive Officer Tim Willits advised IGN how the breakout success of Space Marine 2 had “modified the whole lot” for the firm. And eagle-eyed followers have noticed the Space Marine chapter now all-but confirmed to get a beauty pack after the Darkish Angels, and even an unannounced new Thousand Sons enemy kind.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Replace 4.1 patch notes:
Gameplay and Balancing Tweaks – Operations mode
AI director and enemy spawns
DG: Right here was our reasoning earlier than Patch 4.0: When the sport got here out in September, the Ruthless issue win charge hovered round 60%. Weeks later, and with the adjustments launched by Patch 3.0, we noticed that the similar win charge had jumped to over 80%, and we acquired a variety of suggestions stating that the sport had turn out to be too straightforward—even at its most issue (at the time).
With Patch 4.0, our purpose was to tweak enemy spawns to extend the general variety of enemies somewhat than reverting to buffing their Well being. Sadly, this had an impression on the simpler issue ranges as nicely.
For instance, the win charge on the best issue dropped barely after Patch 4.0, from 95% to 93%. This may increasingly not appear like so much, however numbers aren’t the whole lot. Your suggestions made it clear that the sport had turn out to be extra intense and traumatic on decrease difficulties, and this was by no means our intention. As I’ve personally emphasised in interviews, Space Marine 2 is all about the energy fantasy, and Patch 4.0 negatively impacted it for a lot of of you.
This is the reason we’re rolling again these adjustments. Extremis enemies’ spawn charges in Minimal, Common, and Substantial difficulties will revert again to their pre-Patch 4.0 ranges and might be considerably lowered in Ruthless issue to hopefully strike a steadiness between how exhausting the sport was at launch and the way “straightforward” it turned with Patch 3.0.
Minimal, Common, and Substantial Difficulties:
- Diminished spawn charge of Extremis enemies to match pre-Patch 4.0 ranges
Ruthless Problem:
- Considerably lowered spawn charge of Extremis enemies
Weapons (solely in Operations mode)
DG: We have been wanting to deal with the Bolter household for some time, as they have been underperforming throughout all issue ranges. This has been a frequent piece of suggestions from a lot of you, and the knowledge confirmed enhancements had been wanted throughout the board. The % Injury improve is predicated on which courses have entry to which sort of weapon and the way the Bolters compete with the different choices accessible.
- Auto Bolt Rifle -> Injury elevated by 20%
- Bolt Rifle -> Injury elevated by 10%
- Heavy Bolt Rifle -> Injury elevated by 15%
- Stalker Bolt Rifle -> Injury elevated by 10%
- Marksman Bolt Carbine -> Injury elevated by 10%
- Instigator Bolt Carbine -> Injury elevated by 10%
- Bolt Sniper Rifle -> Injury elevated by 12.5%
- Bolt Carbine -> Injury elevated by 15%
- Occulus Bolt Carbine -> Injury elevated by 15%
- Heavy Bolter -> Injury elevated by 5%
Problem
⚙️ Ruthless: Participant’s Armour is elevated by 10%
DG: We’re partially rolling again the change from the earlier patch on Ruthless issue following your suggestions. With Patch 4.1, we’re hoping to search out the proper compromise between how straightforward Ruthless issue felt after Patch 3.0 and the way it felt after final week’s Patch 4.0.
The explanation why it was lowered final week was that we observed a really substantial bump in win charges on Ruthless after Patch 3.0, as Minoris enemies would not take away the complete Armour bar with their assaults, ranged AI Injury was nerfed throughout the board, and the means to regenerate Armour by parrying regular Minoris assaults was added.
Extra observe: Regardless of the final patch notes itemizing a lower in Armour in Substantial issue, this variation was mistakenly overlooked of our final replace, therefore why you gained’t see it being reverted as a part of this week’s patch.
⚙️ Deadly: “Tight Formation” system is eliminated
DG: Earlier than anything, allow us to make clear our reasoning for the introduction of this mechanic. As we labored on including a brand new issue tier, we would have liked to ensure this new problem was significant and attention-grabbing. With “Tight Formation”, our goal was so as to add a brand new layer of problem for our most expert gamers by including horizontal development somewhat than simply vertical development (i.e., dealing extra harm to ever stronger enemies). This sport is about the energy fantasy, and enemies that take dozens of melee hits break it. Thus the problem wanted to come back from different sources.
This technique was additionally designed as a primary step in the direction of the introduction of gameplay modifiers down the line, each adverse and optimistic—one thing World Battle Z gamers might be aware of—however your suggestions confirmed that the proximity necessities felt too restrictive. Courses like Assault and Vanguard felt particularly penalised as taking part in them successfully requires a sure freedom of motion.
In consequence, we’re eradicating the system totally and can proceed to work on modifiers till they’re prepared. We are going to proceed to watch your suggestions after the deployment of Patch 4.1 to ensure Deadly issue feels as difficult and rewarding as it ought to.
⚙️ AI
DG: A recurrent piece of suggestions we’ve seen is that the AI allies can really feel ineffective at occasions. We already improved allies’ behaviour in Patch 3.0, and we hope this extra buff will assist solo gamers full their Operations.
- Bots deal 30% extra harm to bosses.
DG: Preventing Zoanthropes is commonly reported as a supply of frustration. Alongside the adjustments to the AI Director, we’re taking away a few of their shields’ effectiveness to alleviate a few of that frustration.
- Zoanthrope: Protect swap cooldown with one other paired Zoanthrope is elevated by 10%.
Normal Fixes & Tech
- Mounted a bug that prompted roll distance to be shorter than earlier than.
DG: This was in all probability the most impactful and annoying consequence of Patch 4.0. Whereas i-frames had been the similar, the distance distinction made it a lot much less efficient versus ranged assaults. With this bug fastened, you must really feel an awesome enchancment in your fights towards ranged enemies and managers.
- Mounted bug with unlocking Deadly issue rewards decals.
- Crash fixes and basic stability enhancements.
Our groups are always engaged on enhancements to the sport’s stability. This patch is not any exception, so you must encounter fewer crashes.
Wesley is the UK Information Editor for IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You may attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.