The headset felt heavy as I loaded into the chaotic lobby, the taunts of other players already ringing in my ears. A loss streak had me questioning my skills, but the promise of a fresh start—a new episode—kept me hitting the ‘Ready’ button. Could this update be the thing that turned my luck around in Highguard?
Wildlight Entertainment’s raid shooter, Highguard, hasn’t been without its initial hurdles, but its responsiveness to player feedback is earning it a loyal following. The recent 1.0.4 update paved the way, and now, Episode 2 has arrived, bringing new content and significant improvements, especially to the “Gear Up” phase.
Highguard Episode 2: What’s New?
There’s something electrifying about the first day of a new season in any game. The air crackles with anticipation as players rush to explore the changes. Highguard Episode 2 delivers exactly that: a surge of fresh content, including a new Warden, an entirely new map built for vertical combat, and inventive weapon mods. Here are the highlights:
New Warden: Ekon, the Windwalker
Ekon, the latest playable Warden, is a legendary monster-slayer, the last of the Windwalkers. Forget summoning mounts; Ekon becomes the mount, a direwolf, shifting to a third-person perspective with enhanced awareness and a brutal Bite Attack. His other abilities include:
- Dread (Passive): Reveals the heartbeat of low-health enemies nearby.
- Wolf Spirit (Tactical): Sends a wolf spirit to hunt the nearest enemy, applying Dread.
- Fearsome Howl (Ultimate): Applies Dread to all enemies on the map and grants Ekon a speed boost.
How does Ekon’s Wolf Form change gameplay in Highguard?
Ekon’s transformation ability adds a layer of predatory gameplay. Instead of just riding a mount, you *are* the mount. This shift provides not only a unique combat style, with the new Bite Attack, but also an advantage in spatial awareness, which could make all the difference in tight situations.
New Map: Skydrift
Skydrift, the new map in Highguard Episode 2, isn’t just a reskin; it’s a fundamental shift in level design. Think of it as a vertical chessboard. This lost city, built on floating rocks and connected by chain bridges and Sky Jumpers (launch pads), demands a new level of spatial reasoning and strategic positioning.
Ranked Mode: Compete for Glory
Ranked Mode is where Highguard players can now truly test their mettle. The system has seven tiers, from Bronze (Hare) to Grandmaster (Leviathan), and rewards objective play over simply racking up eliminations. Two ranked splits occur each Episode, changing the map and base list to keep things dynamic.
Split 1 Maps:
- Kingdom
- Summit
- Rivermark
Split 1 Bases:
- Hellmouth
- Smuggler’s Den
- King’s Lair
- Soul Well
- Frosthold
- Wellspring
What strategies will dominate the Highguard Ranked meta?
Given the emphasis on objective play, expect to see team compositions that prioritize map control and coordinated pushes. Wardens with strong area-of-effect abilities and mobility are likely to be highly valued. It’s also possible that new “meta builds” emerge from this update, as players discover synergies between the new orange weapon mods and Warden abilities.
New Mount: The Wolf
Ekon isn’t the only one getting a taste of the wild side. All Highguard Wardens can ride The Wolf mount, and it’s free for anyone who completes 10 Ranked matches during the Episode.
Gear Up Phase Improvements
Wildlight is clearly committed to refining Highguard based on community input. Episode 2 brings a slew of quality-of-life improvements to the crucial “Gear Up” phase:
- Better POI Loot: Masterwork weapons now appear in red chests in Points of Interest (POIs).
- Ultimate Chargers: Barrels containing Ultimate Chargers glow gold for visibility.
- Waypoint Markers: Waypoint markers guide players towards POIs after leaving their base.
- Speed Gates: Always enabled when a player is near them, instead of only when a Shieldbreaker is present.
New Orange Weapon Mods
Weapon customization gets a boost with the addition of new Orange Weapon Mods:
- Impact Rounds (Saber Rifle): Higher crit damage, slower fire rate, 2-shot burst.
- Drum Magazine (Vanguard): Larger magazine, slower reload time.
- Doubleshot (Corsair): Fires a 12-round burst with each trigger pull.
Highguard’s Episode 2 feels like a significant step forward. Wildlight Entertainment seems intent on building a game that listens to its community and rewards strategic play. I’m curious, though: Will these changes be enough to elevate Highguard to the next level of competitive shooters, and, more importantly, what do you think?