New Anthem Update Detailed, Plus Cataclysm Content

After a month of silence, BioWare has finally revealed what’s next for their online IP Anthem including the long-awaited Cataclysm content that was first revealed when the roadmap went live back in February. Before the big update goes live for all, it’s been pushed in the Public Test Realm for the game, in addition to a few other small tweaks to help improve overall gameplay.

Game Update 1.2.0 brings new features to Freeplay mode, additional Legendary Missions and more.

Here’s what else is coming up: https://t.co/vtnemweNf4 pic.twitter.com/If7CfaU7LW

— Anthem (@anthemgame) May 29, 2019

In order to test out the new Cataclysm content, BioWare will be hosting a special livestream later today at 3 PM Central, giving players a chance to see how it all works. Despite all of the negativity surrounding the game itself, there are a lot of people still playing – and enjoying – the new IP, so it will be nice to see how the new free content plays out and if it can win back some of the players that were less than impressed with the title’s endgame content at launch.

As for the smaller update that already went live, here’s what’s new: 

Features

Freeplay

• Improved the compass to show collectible items as a question mark when you are near one.
• Added a purple target icon to show an area where an enemy that is guaranteed to drop loot will appear. When the enemy appears, they will have a white target icon.
• Added the ability to fast travel to different strider locations from the map while in freeplay.
• Three Emerald Abyss Legendary Missions have been added.
• Load screens now display lore regarding the location that you are loading into.
• Added a simple UI for players to communicate non-verbally with each other and express themselves via emotes. This is accessed by pressing down on the D-Pad if using a controller, or B on a keyboard for PC.

General

• Fixed an issue where the “Alt” key could not be correctly used in keybinding.

Creatures

• Dominion Storm and Frost Brutes no longer have shields.
• All Storm Javelins (Elementalists, Valkyries, etc) now regenerate their shields like other shielded creatures. When hovering they can be grounded with force or with fire status effects.
• The Scar Hunter can now be grounded with fire status effects.
• Improved the animation of the Scar Grenadier grenade throw to be more clear.

Javelin Changes

• Looking away from interaction point while interacting no longer cancels the interaction.

Gear Changes

Interceptor

• Base damage of Cluster Mine has been increased from 110 to 135
• Base damage of Searching Glaive has been increased from 550 to 605
• Base damage of Plasma Star has been increased from 110 to 210
• Base damage of Wraith Strike has been increased from 250 to 315

Colossus

• Base damage of Burst Mortar has been increased from 300 to 400
• Base damage of Flak Cannon has been increased from 42 to 60
• Base damage of Black Powder (Masterwork Flak Cannon) has been increased from 52.5 to 75

Ranger

• Base damage of Blast Missile has been increased from 220 to 310
• Based damage of Argo’s Mace (Masterwork Blast Missile) has been increased from 275 to 387.5

Storm

• Base damage of Flame Burst has been increased from 150 to 260
• Base damage of Venomous Blaze (Masterwork Flame Burst) has been increased from 225 to 390
• Base damage of Arc Burst has been increased from 300/150 to 375/185

Bug Fixes

General

• Fixed a bug where multiple status effects applied to creatures were not able to be detonated for combos.
• Inventory slot count at End of Expedition now matches the Forge and Vault
• Cortex Menu – Various bugs with navigation and opening/closing the cortex have been fixed.
• Cortex Menu – Fixed issues where some entries could not be ‘mark as read’ or would be become unread
• New items gained from an expedition will now properly show the new item icon
• Reduced frequency and intensity of several weapon muzzle flashes and gear effects.
• Colossus Components “Reinforced Hull” and “Colossal Stock Augment” have had several issues with their text descriptions fixed.
• Fixed an issue where the Javelin’s lower body would twist oddly when strafing and swapping weapons.
• Resolved errors with the “Conductive Lattice” Interceptor Component not always providing correct stat bonuses.
• The “Recommended Power” values were unintentionally reverted to their original values and have been fixed. The values should now read 425 for GM1, 575 for GM2, and 675 for GM3.

Strongholds

• General — Fixed various issues where players could get stuck, get outside of the environment, and other art-related issues.
• Heart of Rage – Fixed an issue where the Monitor’s glaive would rotate oddly during his final animation.
• Heart of Rage — Fixed an issue where you couldn’t replay the Heart of Rage after selecting to play another mission at the end of expedition screen.
• Heart of Rage — Fixed an issue where the door closed prematurely preventing players from progressing to the arena.
• Heart of Rage — Fixed an issue where a player could be party gathered if hovering too close to the door of the second arena.
• Heart of Rage — Fixed an issue where you would receive no loot if your entire party was downed during the final phase of the titan fight.
• Heart of Rage — Fixed an issue where the Monitor encounter would break if too much damage was done before the final phase.
• Sunken Cell — Fixed an issue where the Fury sometimes would collide with rotating pillar on entering the arena.
• Sunken Cell – Fixed some issues where creatures were unable to path to the player correctly.
• Sunken Cell — Fixed an issue where the flight suppression progress wasn’t showing for some members of a squad.
• Sunken Cell — Fixed an issue where Ash Brutes would be able to move while frozen.
• Sunken Cell — Fixed some issues with the Spanish voice over conversations.
• Temple of Scar — Fixed an issue where the player could stand inside the shield bubble of the final boss.
• Temple of Scar — Fixed an issue where the player could be knocked into a cage and trapped in the boss arena.
• Temple of Scar — Fixed an issue where rejoining a session at the final boss arena would cause the player to spawn outside of the arena and then get party gathered into the arena.
• Tyrant Mine — Fixed an issue where the icon would appear twice on the Expedition map.
• Tyrant Mine — Fixed an issue with text missing on the objective.

Missions and Legendary Missions

• General: Fixed an issue where the Legendary Missions did not unlock after completing Return to the Heart of Rage.
• General: Fixed an issue where a player could launch a legendary mission that was no longer available on the schedule and would spawn in with no content.
• General: Fixed an issue where Legendary Missions would be locked until the next mission was available if you started a mission and didn’t complete it.
• Finding Old Friends — Legendary: Fixed an issue where disconnecting during the mission would cause the mission objectives to disappear and prevent the mission from progressing.
• Finding Old Friends — Legendary: Fixed an issue where two objective markers were present at the same time.
• Finding Old Friends (Original and Legendary): Fixed an issue where dying on the “Go to Strider” objective, the player would be respawned across the map.
• Finding Old Friends: Fixed an issue where dialog wasn’t playing for some players in a squad.
• Finding Old Friends: Added missing summary text in the Journal entry for completed mission.
• Finding Old Friends — Legendary: Fixed an issue where players that did not bring both pieces of Ursix meat to gain entry to see Princess Zhim stopped the mission from progressing.
• Fortress of Dawn: Fixed an issue where players were able to control their EXO during the cinematics.
• Incursion (Original and Legendary): Fixed an issue with party gather after leaving the interior of the cave.
• Incursion (Original and Legendary): Fixed an issue with multiple objective markers appearing.
• Legion of Dawn: Added missing outcome text in the Journal entry for completed mission.
• Lost Arcanist — Legendary: Fixed an issue where the objective marker was using an incorrect icon.
• Rescue Haluk — Legendary: Fixed an issue where the mission didn’t progress until all party members arrived at the beginning location.
• Rescue Haluk — Legendary: Fixed an issue where the move to the lower courtyard objective didn’t appear until all party members reached a specific point.
• Rescue Haluk: Fixed an issue where the summary did not appear in the Journal after completing the mission.
• Matthias Contract — Arcanist Runes: Fixed an issue where no enemies were spawning on the last objective.
• Yarrow — Tempting Target: Fixed an issue where the objective marker was missing.
• Yarrow — Imposter: Fixed an issue with the text in the Journal when this mission was completed.

Fort Tarsis

• Fixed an issue where Forge UI appeared during cinematic for Crafting the Dawn Shield.
• Clarified the objective text for building and equipping the Dawn Shield.
• Fixed visual issues with the curtains at the entrance to the bar in Fort Tarsis.
• Adjusted the conversation with Sev in the introduction to the Sunken Cell stronghold to reflect that you’ve spoken with Sev previously.

Environment

• Fixed various issues where players could get stuck, get outside of the environment, and other art-related issues.

Freeplay/World Events

• Fixed an issue where scar hatches would sometimes appear and be enabled to enter in the middle of a world event instead of at the end.
• Reputation rewards — Fixed an issue where reputation points were not being awarded for the Freelancer in Need world event and added reputation points for discovering caves you can enter.
• Fixed issues with the Arcanist Korox Study world event where dying and respawning was sometimes causing the world event to break and not be able to complete.

Anthem is now available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC.