The Finals is about to get even more chaotic with the launch of Season 2 on March 14, when it will introduce a slew of new hacker-themed abilities that sound like serious game-changers.
Season 2 sees the “game show” players participate under siege by a rogue hacker collective called CNS, which are looking to disrupt the show and spread their message. As part of their cyberattacks, players will be able to embrace some new gadgets that have the potential to completely upend the balance of Embark Studio’s squad-based shooter.
Medium-build characters are gaining two new hacker powers in the form of the Dematerializer specialization and the Data Reshaper gadget. The Dematerializer specialization allows players to temporarily erase surfaces like walls and ceilings, which can then be shot or moved through. The ability can be used both defensively or offensively, to make a quick escape or to ambush unsuspecting enemies. The Data Reshaper seems equally powerful. When used, the gadget transforms objects into different ones, allowing players to take out enemy fortifications by turning them into harmless tables or chairs.
Heavy-and-Light-build characters will get some new toys, too. Heavies can use the new Anti-Gravity cube to switch off gravity in the immediate area, while Light characters can deploy a pair of portals to aid in quick escapes. Anyone can use the portals, though players can’t see what’s on the other side or shoot through them.
The new abilities sound like the stars of Season 2 and should mesh well with the game’s sandbox-style gameplay and destructive environments, but The Finals is additionally introducing a new map via the CNS hacking, SYS4HORIZON, and a new 5v5 game mode called Power Shift where two teams battle to push a payload. Season 2 will also add private matches and a revamped ranked league system. There will be new weapons, too, with Heavies receiving a new KS-23 slug shotgun, Medium builds gaining the FAMAS burst assault rifle, and Light builds earning the 93R burst-fire machine pistol.
In GameSpot’s The Finals review, we called the shooter a “thrillingly chaotic concoction” that stands out from other FPS titles “thanks to its thrilling destruction, fast-paced gunplay, and anomalous approach to familiar objectives.”
