We ignore all weather warnings, instead rushing headlong into the Rift: Storm Legion beta.

Brave New World

My journey to the east started on the massive continent of Brevane, at a slowly crumbling coastal town of Cape Jule. The derelict stone buildings were succumbing to the steady onslaught of the encroaching jungle, with thick vines slowly pulling the masonry apart. There were no roads or paths either, save for the partially destroyed monorail that hung in the sky as a monument to forgotten glories. 

It’s a wilderness that encourages exploration, thanks largely to a revamped quest system. While the main storyline still pushed me from town to outpost, Carnage kill quests and lootable collection quests lure lore junkies deeper into the jungle. Much of this content is optional – Storm Legion offers a range of different ways to level if wandering the land isn’t your thing. Rifts and Invasions make a return, with Hunt Rifts being a boss fighting addition to the theme. 

If Brevane is overrun with life, then Dusken is steeped in death and decay. The Shapers, a group under the command of Regulos, create constructs, creatures and even citadels from living matter. The squishing sound I could hear underfoot as I crossed the continent wasn’t due to muddy soil, but instead caused by a carpet of flesh and organs. Both continents are a reflection of an art team becoming more confident in Rift’s unique style, as well as being encouraged to “go wild” with ideas. But despite the improved look, Trion has resisted bumping the PC requirements to run the game.  If you can play Rift now, you’ll be able to play Storm Legion. 

As to why the world has been tripled in size with these new continents, I’m told that the team simply ran out of space with the original and want plenty of room to expand. Although 7 dungeons, 2 raids, 2 chronicles and an alternate-reality sliver will be in-game at launch, I’m told to expect the first content update for Storm Legion mere weeks after it hits the shelves. 

Bridging the two continents of Brevane and Dusken, Tempest Bay represents one of the few holdouts against Crucia and Regulos. This massive, communal island city is also home to all manner of creature comforts, including those vital trainers and traders. But while the busy port forms a vital hub, I spent most of my time out adventuring. That, or furnishing my freshly acquired dimensions.

Dimensional Shambler

If you haven’t seen Trion’s livestream on the subject, Dimensions give players the chance to own a copy of a small part of Telara, such as a couple of houses or a watchtower. After getting the chance to try them out for myself, it’s also the best implementation of player housing I have ever seen. Instead of having to place certain objects in specific areas, I’m free to move, scale and rotate furniture and construction materials in any way I see fit. My only obstacles to what I can build are my own limited imagination, and being able to afford all the items I want to use.

There have already been stacks of emergent gameplay in dimensions, with players using them to create jumping puzzles, mazes and other challenges. Set a dimension public and anyone can enter, explore and rate it with a simple ‘+1’. There’s a league table ranking the most popular dimensions, including a flying fortress and a boat made from benches. Even though roughly a dozen dimensions will be available at launch, Guilds will also be able to get in on the action. It’s even possible to see players hiring themselves out as interior designers, offering to style dimensions for a few platinum coins.

By instancing player dimensions, Trion saves itself the problem of having to dedicate plots of land or entire zones to housing projects. It also avoids the initial gold-rush as players scramble to buy the best plots, or the deserted ghost towns left by players who have long-since quit the game. The rating system also ensures that great examples of dimensional ingenuity rise to the top, inspiring others to try building new things. With crafters able to create significant construction materials, dimensions have the added bonus of boosting the player economy. It’s a whole sandbox metagame waiting to explode.

We’ll be keeping an eye on Storm Legion as it develops further, including the Cleric Soul Reveal due to be livestreamed tomorrow night. And, if you’re eager to explore the expansion yourself, join in on Friday, 2nd November for the open beta weekend!

Gareth “Gazimoff” Harmer, Staff Writer