The lithophage rockpox has infected our workplace.
suit up, miners. it’s time to decontaminate!
Download now and join your fellow miners in this new Season
(Season 03 coming to Xbox and Playstation on November 17th)
meteor impact
New Season event
A rogue comet is passing through the system, shedding hundreds of infected meteoroids as the gravitational forces tear it apart. So far, every single one has carried with it a dormant form of Rockpox, and each one represents a clear and present danger to the Hoxxian ecosystem.
Be on the alert for meteor strikes during your normal missions. If one happens during your mission, clear out the impact zone immediately, and get ready to get cracking. Powerful Rock Cracker modules will be sent in from the Space Rig to assist you. These must be hooked up to the meteorite and maintained while they crack it open so you can get at the Plague Hearts inside. But beware the noise is sure to attract the locals!
The hearts themselves are highly prized by the R&D department with a Scrip awarded at the Season Terminal for every 6 Plague Hearts you bring back.
lithophage outbreak
New warning
When you play a mission with a LITHOPHAGE OUTBREAK Warning you will encounter an area in which the Plague Hearts have grown into full Contagion Spikes, rapidly spreading across the cave.
All missions with this warning come with two main objectives:
LITHOPHAGE OUTBREAK OBJECTIVE: First, you will need to destroy the Rockpox Contagion Spikes and the spreading corruption with R&D’s brand-new anti-contaminant tools. Be extra mindful of the creeping tide of Plague Larvae erupting from the infected area as you work, and be prepared for swarms of Glyphids that have already been struck by the Rockpox and seek to disrupt your endeavours.
NORMAL MAIN OBJECTIVE: Second, you will still need to complete the normal mining objective. Fighting the Rockpox is critical, but it does not pay the bills! The order in which you tackle these tasks is entirely up to you.
rockpox infection
As if it’s not bad enough that the Lithophage is devouring the very rock beneath your feet, once a Contagion Spike matures it begins to grow pulsating pods, filled with Rockpox Larvae!
ROCKPOX LARVAE
These squirmy little devils seek out victims en masse in an attempt to take them over. Shoot on sight and watch your backs. So far both Grunts and Praetorians having been sighted stumbling around covered in Rockpox growths.
ROCKPOX INFECTED GRUNTS AND PRAETORIANS
If you happen to come across a Rockpox Glyphid do not bother attacking it directly as the affected creatures can take a tremendous amount of damage and still keep going, we are not even sure if they are still really alive. However, if you aim for the glowing Rockpox boils covering their bodies, you can even take a Praetorian down in just a few shots.
Cleansing tools
To help you deal with the Rockpox infection and neutralise the Contagion Spikes, R&D have whipped up some tools: the LithoFoamer and the LithoVac. Both will be needed to neutralise and cleanse an area affected by the Rockpox.
The process is quite simple:
Apply a generous coating of LithoFoam to Rockpox Blisters surrounding a Contagion Spike. The foam begins working on contact chemically bonding to the Rockpox while loosening the grip it has on the rock.
Use the LithoVac to suckup both the LithoFoam and any Rockpox it has bonded to.
Once enough of the surrounding Rockpox is cleared the Contagion Spike will collapse, taking any Rockpox remaining in the area with it.
NEW grenades
SCOUT: VOLTAIC STUN SWEEPER
The Scout has gotten his hands on an Electric Boomerang that bounces from target to target, electrocuting anything hostile on the way. No mentions of shrimps or barbies, please.
DRILLER: SPRINGLOADED RIPPER
The Driller has seen fit to repurpose one of his favorite power tools. He is now in possession of a motorised saw that powers along the ground and even up sheer walls, slicing and dicing anything it hits.
ENGINEER: SHREDDER SWARM
The Engineer has worked closely with R&D, and they have successfully made a portable robotic swarm from captured and reprogrammed Shredder Drones. Throw it on the ground to activate your very own posse of hacked drones that attack anything hostile on sight.
GUNNER: TACTICAL LEADBURSTER
And the Gunner gets a grenade with a gun on it - because of course it is. Throw and attach this device to any surface, and it will saturate the surrounding area with a blistering hail of lead.
SEASON 03
NEW PERFORMANCE PASS
On top of all that, a brand new Performance Pass with another 100 levels of unlocks will be activated, alongside an all-new Cosmetic Tree loaded to the gills with Cosmetics.
This of course means Season 02 is coming to an end, but don’t fret. Anything you’ve yet to unlock will simply be added to the ordinary loot pools in the game - nothing goes away.
cave variations
As we continue our exploration of Hoxxes, it only makes sense that we get some new sights on occasion. You can expect to see dozens of new cave shapes on missions now, with a special emphasis on Point Extraction missions that have been sorely lacking for a while. Don’t get lost, now.
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