The Wayfinder Echoes Update Could be Airship Syndicate’s Realm Reborn Moment
After the Echoes Gameplay Stream on Friday, Airship Syndicate opened up the new version of Wayfinder to a new beta. This beta is exclusive to Founders due to the fact the game will be re-released on June 11th. Following a series of lay-offs and publisher related issues that caused them to temporarily delist the game. Coming off the announcement of the Echoes update, I was unsure what to expect in the overall package. The changes sounded transformative, but I was not prepared for what I was going to find. A game once an MMO turned into an ARPG felt more familiar yet fleshed out and very satisfying.
Fresh Out of the Gloom
I have only gotten to level 11 and will not be progressing until the relaunch for Founders on May 31st. This is because progress in the beta will be wiped before the official patch. Moving on though, the Echoes update in Wayfinder keeps the general gameplay experience and world relatively the same. The opening of the game is still identical, as well as a lot of the subsequent side quests. But some of the key new additions include plentiful cutscenes you can watch with select characters. It offers a lot of background details that were just never in the original version of the game.
There are also new basements and caves throughout the open world that have chests filled with cosmetic loot. But the biggest change that I am still wrapping my head around is how you acquire every character and weapon. Characters are a one-time unlock with a prestige system I have not experienced yet. In the original game you had to find multiple randomly dropped pieces of Wayfinders that you then used to craft their memory and summon them into existence. How they are unlocked feels more like natural progression when just questing. As you find their tokens to unlock them when just completing main quests. A very welcome change that players of the original game will definitely love.
Weapons are also just random drops. You will not find some of the end-game feelings weapons from the original like the Epitaph heavy scythe in the opening missions. You will just be working with the normal starting guns, shield and swords. But what makes this approach awesome is how each weapon how randomized echo slots, which you can then use to boost their stats like normal.
Duplicates then be sold at vendors. You can now favorite weapons, and echoes so you don’t accidentally sell them. As well as mark multiple to sell at once. The same applies to the echo fusion system.
Various New Vendors in Wayfinder, and Armor Sets
Wayfinder now not only feels more enjoyable due to a massive overhaul to the lessening of the grind. There is also a new vendor that shows up in every single area and dungeon of the game. Avaryce is not only holds Founder’s specific items to buy if you have been compensated from your Founder’s pack and other purchases. He also holds unique cosmetics and mounts for each dungeon variant, and even in the open world. This creates even more of an incentive to engage in certain events in dungeons and destroying crystals to trade in for some cool loot.
Speaking of cool loot, each Wayfinder also has their own armor sets now. These armor sets offer minute stat bonuses and every accessory in the game can now offer set bonuses to chase.
Also included in the Echoes update for Wayfinder is both Reward Towers. Which is the battle pass that gives you a lot of cool in game items and various cosmetics that you earn at your own pace.
So far, the game feels much more rewarding, almost to an overwhelming degree. When walking around Skylight, the main player hub, there are various secret cosmetics you can find just by looking around too. The options for customization might feel overwhelming, but the dungeons and open world are a nice way to give yourself some of the amazingly weighty gameplay of Wayfinder.
A More Motivated World and More Dungeons
Back in the “Call of the Void” update in Wayfinder, there was this very cool dungeon in the game’s Gloom location. Which is a different reality that creates dark monsters that appear in various activities. The dungeon was very eerie, and fun to explore in and it made its way back in the Echoes update. I was sad to see it go in the original game as it was just a limited time dungeon. But I love that it came back better than ever, with switches to activate doors and platforming.
Doing “Hunts” which are boss takedowns feels more intense. Considering the game has co-op as an option, instead of forced matchmaking. Every single move you make in the boss fight feels more crucial now. The way you get rewarded after each boss is through a cool looking chest after the fight. The Gloom Dagger modifier system also still exists in its pre-Echoes form. Where you can choose certain modifiers like Shadowtouched where every enemy gets bigger when close to death and explodes after you take them down.
The rewards system feels more traditional as opposed to frustrating in the original version of Wayfinder. The open world of Highlands also feels more natural too, considering the focus of exploring are the quests. As well as finding mini-bosses and groups of enemies that now taunt and react to you when you fight them. Being able to finally ride on a mount too feels great and expedites long journeys into the open world.
The game also runs very smoothly. I experienced only micro stutters when certain Gloom platforms popped into existence, and when puzzles in dungeon were being completed.
But is it Still Wayfinder?
There has been a conversation ever since the Echoes update was announced. That being if the game will still feel the same and have the magic the original version of Wayfinder had. I am of two minds on this. Being able to play the game at my own pace instead of worrying about an online aspect and hungering for the next event or update is going to be a welcome change after the early access period. But it still feels like an MMO that you can just play around alone in with no one around. It feels like being the last person in a server for the most part.
A lot of the game’s mechanics are still there and feel familiar. With the combat and platforming still feeling fantastic and the enemy variety is still vast. I love what Wayfinder is becoming, but this feels more like if things went according to plan, it would have been an optional mode. Similarly to “Safer Seas” for Sea of Thieves. You can still play with other people using a traditional peer-to-peer party system. But I and many others will always remember seeing Skylight flooded with people and taking down world raid bosses with people that show up surprisingly to help.
But one thing everyone should be able to understand, is that Airship Syndicate wants Wayfinder to be around so long as it’s around for purchase for many years to come. No worrying about shutting off servers and leaving everyone with nothing. Just a game that I can fully recommend when its back up that you can buy and enjoy. I hope you do too, because the changes are dramatic and very meaningful. It reminds me of what happened with the Realm Reborn relaunch for Final Fantasy 14. Obviously Wayfinder will not be an MMO any longer, but it feels genuine.
Wayfinder will be relisted on June 11th on Steam for $24.99, with the update coming to the PlayStation 5 later in the summer.
Disclaimer – Digital Extremes/Airship Syndicate Provided Founders Packs to Lords of Gaming for its original Early Access Release.