Aquanox: Deep Descent is nearly here after years of development since its 2015 Kickstarter. Supporters clearly had to exercise some patience on this one, but at long last, it’s time to explore the deep seas. On October 16, the game will see a full release on Steam. The developers are now in full-on marketing mode with plenty of new trailers available. Last month, we received a cinematic launch trailer that portrayed the game’s free-spirited style. It also gave us a look at a submarine bay and the vehicles we will pilot. This week is all about the weapons in Aquanox: Deep Descent, and the latest trailer shows how they work.
There will be five main weapon attachments in Aquanox: Deep Descent at launch according to the trailer. Each offers its own playstyle, and it will be up to you to decide what you like. Submarines can also equip two different weapons simultaneously, kind of like dual wielding. If you are proficient at dealing with multiple mechanics simultaneously, it may be to your advantage to do this. However, doubling down on sniper style weapons could offer a serious advantage if you know how to aim well. Other weapons look much easier to use though, as they feature target tracking.
Another thing to keep in mind about these weapons is that they excel in different types of situations and do different kinds of damage according to the developers. For example, submarines boast shields and armor for health. There’s a mix of torpedoes, projectiles, and energy weapons that will do damage accordingly. That means extra emphasis on choosing the right combinations to take down enemies as quickly or safely as possible. The developer mentioned that projectiles are great at shredding armor and that energy weapons can be used to finish off enemies. They didn’t go into specifics though.
Know your strengths and weaknesses
At any rate, here’s what we know about each individual weapon. The Breaker is the first we see in the demo, and it is characterized by the high-velocity torpedoes it fires. The fire rate is slow for the Breaker, but the projectiles track enemies, making it easy to use. The Hazard is up next and features a burst fire functionality. It’s hard to say from the gameplay alone, but it looks to be energy based. The velocity of the energy is much slower than the Breaker, and it features a moderate projectile spread. It’s probably best to use the Hazard at mid to close range.
Next up is the Shard, which is effectively a sniper weapon. It looks great for duel wielding and picking off enemies from range, but you will likely get trounced up close by the Shrapnel if you use the Shard in that manor. Expanding on the Shrapnel, it’s described as a close range weapon. It’s more or less a submarine shotgun. It appropriately has a large bullet spread, but it absolutely devastates in the trailer. Last up is the Stingray, though it’s not the last in the trailer. The Stingray is clearly an LMG-style weapon, and it should perform well in mid-to-close range instances. It’s probably going to be one of the best versatile weapon, so pair with something more specialized.
There’s likely to be more info drops coming for Aquanox: Deep Descent, since the weapons trailer is only half of the gameplay equation. Submarines are customizable as well, so keep a look out for more news.
Aquanox: Deep Descent will be available on Steam for $29.99 USD when it releases on October 16. The game features co-op, multiplayer, and plenty of deep sea exploration.
