The Free2Play MMO Warframe has been delighting its players for many years, but MeinMMO editor Maik Schneider never addressed it. Today the expansion “The Duviri Paradox” is released and the new content draws Maik into the world of space ninjas for the first time.
The history of Warframe is as changeable as it is exciting. The first few years after the release in 2013 you bobbed around with around 10,000 simultaneous players – decent, but not a real breakthrough for such a committed MMO.
However, with determination and an ear for community, they fought their way to the top.
Now it got me too. For the latest expansion, The Duviri Paradox, I attended a developer presentation and interviewed Community Director Megan Everett.
I’ll introduce you to some details of the crazy expansion and why I’m going to take a look inside the game for the first time. You can watch the brand new trailer with gameplay here:
Warframe: The Duviri Paradox gameplay trailer
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“Update is so crazy we want new players to be able to play it right away”
Why is the expansion crazy? The Duviri Paradox is a roguelite expansion for the MMO. Those responsible are taking a bold step, which, however, also opens up opportunities.
Imagine an MMO that has been bringing content and power fantasies to motivate players for 10 years. For example, there are over 500 weapons in Warframe and countless perks and abilities to strengthen certain playstyles.
Now you’re packing all of those available abilities into a roguelite game mode.
I start a run in the new open world of Duviri Paradox and when I complete missions I get loot and one of three random perks I can choose from. There are around 40 of these perks for the release – more could come in later updates.
Even as a beginner without Warframe experience, I can already build a fierce warrior, which would otherwise only be possible after a long grind. And yes: I can actually start directly as a beginner in the new extension.
This is where the opportunities I spoke of open up. Warframe boss Rebecca Ford put it in a nutshell in the developer presentation: “Our update is so crazy that new players should be able to play it immediately”.
The story behind the current Warframe boss Rebecca Ford is also very exciting:
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Roguelite mode with MMO content
How does the game mode work? You enter the open world as a “Drifter” in the Duviri Paradox. This means you cannot carry a Warframe. However, some missions provide you with a Warframe that you automatically equip but cannot keep.
For veterans there is a separate Warframe mode for the new open world.
This world is meant to represent the thoughts of a crazy “king” and you are at his mercy. There are six moods in total and they all change the world visually and bring different challenges with them.
At the end of a Duviri run is a boss fight with a giant dragon worm. The boss also changes with the mood, then offers different mechanics.
Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran, the Duviri Paradox comes with its own story campaign that you have to play through before all the roguelite mechanics are available. Beginners will also receive an in-depth tutorial if they choose to start Warframe directly with the Duviri Paradox.
The campaign mission should last around 1.5 hours and contain many cinematics. If you then play through one of the “moods” in roguelite mode later on, it can take up to two hours. Away from roguelite mode, you improve your stats to be stronger in the next run.
By the way, the loot from the Duviri paradox has been capped. The developers see the activity as a kind of “daily quest”. While you can level up certain things, the rewards are best on the first run of the day. Moods rotate daily.
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Open world, horses and arcanes
What does the update bring for “normal” Warframe players? The focus of Duviri-Paradox is clearly on the new Roguelite mode. But you also get access to a whole new open world to explore.
It’s already the 4th open world update for Warframe and similar to previous updates, you can explore the world as normal and find missions and things to discover everywhere.
In addition, the “Kaithes” come into play for all open world areas of Warframe. In the broadest sense, these are horses that can be visually customized and provide increased movement speed.
Overall, however, the content for the “classic” Warframe experience is limited. Nevertheless, there are a good number of new “Arcanes”, a dealer who takes your Duviri resources from you and new melee weapons that can also be used with your Warframes.
Personal conclusion: A role model for other PvE MMOs
We always had articles about Warframe on MeinMMO and I found it quite interesting. But reports about the high grind factor put me off and I never had potential players who wanted to convince me.
To combine the whole thing with the roguelite genre, I think is an absolutely brilliant move.
Games like Warframe build content over the years, create abilities, synergies, builds and give players all the tools to be a part of this power fantasy – if I toil hard for weeks, sometimes months.
Warframe lets me do it all in two hours – one Über Fighter and back.
This is something that one or the other PvE MMO could copy. Let’s just be the character we’ve been working so long and so hard on. Shows us the grind is worth it. And by the way, beginners can also enjoy an overpowering character.
Do you have any questions about the Duviri Paradox or an opinion, then leave a comment. Write me too if you want to read the play report of my first round of Warframe.
If you’d rather read more Warframe, check out: From intern to Warframe boss: ‘I said being a woman might be a problem’