First and foremost, Update 3.8 overhauls a few combat mechanics. Hello Games says that combat is now “faster-paced” than before. There have been tweaks to everything from camera settings to hit indicators, and sentinel health.
Repair bots have been added to mend damaged Sentinels in the field, and the pesky baddies now have more machines in their ranks. The Sentinel Hardframe Mech is an imposing goliath covered in dense armor and can fly around using a jetpack. Oh, and they have flamethrowers, too.
Heavy Combat Drones similarly have thick armor plating and add another wave of enemies before other heavy hitters like the Quad and Walker arrive.
To make things even more chaotic, Summoner Drones do exactly what it sounds like: summon reinforcements directly into the fray. What’s more, Drones can deploy shields, have three new weapon types, and can destroy the landscape around them, creating craters and other obstacles you’ll have to navigate.
There are a few new tricks up your space sleeve to face these new threats. Active camouflage technology allows you to disappear at a moment’s notice, avoiding sentinel patrols entirely or escaping from overwhelming numbers. It also helps against predators, too.
Player Minotaurs will now follow them into battle as allies; the Neutron Cannon gives access to a “charged energy weapon [that] can be used both as a rapid-fire projectile launcher and also charged up to release a deadly, close-range barrage of destruction.”; and Exomechs will be more useful in combat situations. Stun grenades provide further defenses against Sentinels, as well.
You’ll also be able to hunt and shut down Sentinel Pillars, ominous-looking structures that act as bases for Sentinels, giving you a respite from their shenanigans, however briefly.
Outside of all that, Hello Games has added new visual effects animations to various weapons, implemented more customization options, increased the number of Multi-Tools that can be carried, introduced new materials and upgrades, included a new Exobiology Expedition, and inserted new quests, lore, and stories. That’s not to even mention tweaks to warping, quality of life changes, and graphics fixes.
It’s a truly mammoth update. You can read more about it over here on the NMS Blog.
