The following map effects favor the Monsters, meaning that they gain an advantage in the game.
Armored Minions
Maps: Colonial Water & Power, King’s Fort, New Calico, Salveron Industries
Only found in Defend mode, this map effect gives the Monster minions extra armor, making them tougher for the Hunters to take down. This map effect only happens in the final round of Evacuation if the Monsters won the previous game.
Canyon Striders
Maps: Barracks, Orbital Drill, Refueling Tower, The Dam, Wraith Trap
Additional Canyon Striders provide more food for the Monster. These guys are extremely easy to kill and grant two bars of energy, making the Monster’s feeding much more efficient.
Carnivorous Plants
Maps: Aviary, MedLab, Refueling Tower
Additional carnivorous plants make environments more dangerous for Hunters. Watch your step when playing as a Hunter. These plants are a nuisance for the entire team, so take them out whenever you see them lying in wait.
EbonStar Corpses
Maps: Orbital Drill, Rendering Plant, The Dam
EbonStar corpses provide more food for the Monster. Slain EbonStar workers lie around the environment, which make for easy feeding for the Monster.
EMP
EMP blasts temporarily cancel and shut down Hunter abilities. Watch out for a yellowish circle to appear on the ground. This indicates an incoming EMP strike. If caught inside the blast, a Hunter loses his or her class ability. A blue electric aura signifies that the Hunter has been hit. The class ability icon in the lower-right corner of the HUD is obscured.
Falling Satellite
Maps: Barracks, Rendering Plant
A satellite is destroyed, sending pieces to the ground. Hunters who are caught underneath one are damaged. Watch out for incoming parts, and dodge to the side to avoid impact.
Hostile Wildlife
Maps: Aviary, MedLab
Chemicals from the destroyed ship contaminated the waterways, causing local wildlife to act dangerous and hostile to Hunters. If the wildlife on Shear weren’t tough enough to avoid already, now they all attack the Hunters with even more aggression. Have your weapon prepared as you move through the environment.
Man-eating Eels
Maps: Armory, Barracks, Rendering Plant, Wraith Trap
Flooded areas with man-eating eels make environments more dangerous for Hunters. Steer clear of water, as these eels quickly eat away at a Hunter’s health. Monsters are unaffected by them, so use that to your advantage.
Mutated Plants
Maps: Aviary, Distillery, Weather Control
Mutated plants allow the Monster to restore health when eating them. Carnivorous plants not only devour Hunters who pass by, but they now provide Monsters with a health boost. It is even more important now that Hunters destroy these plants whenever they find one.
Phantoms
Maps: Distillery, MedLab, Refueling Tower, Weather Control
Phantoms create more hostile encounters for the Hunters. Watch out for the stingray-looking flying creatures, which swoop down and deal some decent damage to the Hunters. When nearing one, shoot it out of the sky.
Radioactive Clouds
Maps: Refueling Tower, Weather Control, Wraith Trap
Radioactive clouds damage Hunters in their vicinity. When playing as the Hunters, watch out for green, gaseous clouds around the environment, which eat away at a character’s health as they walk through. There is no effect on the Monster, so use it to your advantage.
Second Monster
Maps: Aviary, Fusion Plant, Rendering Plant, Weather Control, Wraith Trap
A Monster minion follows the Monster and attacks Hunters. If you have played a game of Defend or Nest, you know what it is like to go up against the Monster and a minion. This enemy heads straight for the team, so be ready.
Storms
Maps: Armory, Barracks, Distillery, Orbital Drill, Rendering Plant, The Dam, Weather Control, Wraith Trap
The weather becomes stormy with this map effect. The type of storms depends on the chosen map (for example, select an ice map, and you get snow). This map effect does tend to obscure vision a bit, making it a little tougher to spot the enemy.
Teleport Rifts
Maps: Armory, Fusion Plant, Refueling Tower, Rendering Plant, The Dam
Teleport Rifts allow the Monster to teleport to different locations. Check out the map to find the location of the rift. Step inside, and be sent to a different location—either near or far. This is great for getting far away from the Hunters at the start of the round.
