Warframe’s big update of 2019, Empyrean, has launched. Announced at The Game Awards 2019, where Warframe always has a presence, the update was announced to be launched right then and there on PC, with consoles coming soon.
Four players co-operate on the Railjack space ship and navigate the open void of space. Each crew member can help by either manning the artillery or pilot the ship In a lot of ways, this is Sea Of Thieves in space, but for Warframe that’s just a content update rather than a game.
There’s a lot of new systems and progression being added as well. The Railjack can be upgraded with different Avionics that determents the active and passive abilities, plus abilities for the crew members. Players also get Intrinsicts – skills that affect the player ability or role on a Railjack regardless of what Warframe or loadout you are using.
All you need to access the new content from the Empyrean update is unlock the Archwing. From there, you can hit the “Join A Crew!” button to be matchmade into an open Railjack.
Building a Railjack of your own takes a lot of work. You need to be in a clan, add the Dry Dock to the clan dojo, and follow the questline to build your own Railjack. This was added earlier in a previous update, Rising Tide, which is now available on Switch. When you are on your own Railjack, you can also host a session, inviting other players to join.
Empyrean is described as the ” foundational update for Warframe’s space combat.” So it’s still a work-in-progress. Right now the content is designed for a co-op experience in mind, with adjustments for solo play to be made next year.