Bring It!
Valve announced yesterday that Mann vs. Machine was coming on Wednesday. They will be detailing out the update—as they have been known to do—over the days leading up to release. Yesterday was day one, where we were treated to a goosebump-inducing trailer, details on the robots, a peek at one of the new maps, and every Medic’s favorite dove, Archimedes.
SAXTON DELIVERS THE NEWS
In a blog post titled MvM Day One: They Are Legion, Saxton Hale himself introduces the beginning of the update two years in the making. Mr Hale explains that the robot invasion is serious business. The robots are mad and it is our job as his hired mercenaries to protect the Mann Co. empire. Saxton links us to the Mann vs Machine update page, where we will see the details unfold over the next three days. He also links to a new comic showing why he can not be here to protect the Mann factories himself. There are hippies and yetis, and the entire thing is caught on film. Lastly, before spitting blatant lies that everything is going to be OK, he links us to a report of all known data on the enemy.
YOUR BODY IS NOT READY
Grab a drink. Place headphones on your head. Turn volume up to eleven. OK, now your body is ready. Click full screen and then play.
Right? Go take a shower and change up, I’ll wait.
MEET THE ROBOT
In a page titled “THIS IS THE ENEMY” we are introduced to all the currently known robots:
- Hordes – So many robots!
- Two Heavy-based robots, one with Fists of Steel and the other with Killing Gloves of Boxing.
- The Demoknight wielding The Eyelander and able to charge with the power of The Chargin’ Targe.
- Two Snipers robots, archer-style with the Huntsman and Jarate splattering Sydney Sleepers.
- Sandman Scout robots with stunning baseball skills.
- Medics, both Quick Fix and Uber robots.
- Sentry Busters don’t just have a clever name. Not based on any classes, just time bombs on legs.
- Giants – So big!
- Soldier – Rapid fire rockets
- Heavy – The big gun is even bigger
- Scout – Speed proportionate to size
Along with the robots, the game mode is revealed to be Capture the Flag defense with a bomb as the flag. The Robots are trying to move the bomb forward to blow up our Mann-base, it is our job to stop them. We play teams of six classes of our choice holding our ground (A Valve employees confirmed on the Steam Forum that all nine classes are available, not just the six in the trailer). Three waves of robots are described and the bomb carrier gets special buffs, becoming more powerful with each wave. We will also get stronger with time as we will be able to upgrade our weapons and abilities with cash dropped by the robots. The robots page ends with mysterious tank tracks. This could be some sort of gameplay interaction with the huge tanks shown in the trailer. I’m hoping for Johnny 5.
MANNWORKS AND THE CORPSE GRADE QUICKLIME
In a sneak peek at the first MvM map Mannworks, Saxton Hale details to his workers how to handle the robots when they arrive. He explains that the six of us will be there fighting off the robotic rushes and that they should stay out of our way. Mannworks is a Quicklime factory advertising Corpse Grade product (“Just add body!”) A single screenshot is shared, presumably showing the final point. It is unknown how much ground we have to defend leading up to that.
THAT BLOODY DOVE
We first met Archimedes in the Meet The Medic video back in 2011 as the Medic’s pet dove who had nested inside the Heavy. In what no doubt will be another sell-out, Valve will be releasing a plush version of the blood-covered bird in the Valve store. For a short while after the MvM update page was posted, the Archimedes plush page was viewable, but went down shortly after it was discovered. Archimedes will sell for $24.99 and will come with an in-game unlock code. Similar to the Baloonacorn and the Pyro, the code will probably deliver a Genuine Archimedes that will proudly fly above the Medic when equipped.
Archimedes No! It's filthy in there!
WHAT IS IN THE DAY TWO BOX?
The title of day two is Mercs, short for mercenaries—that would be us—so we will probably get details on the upgrade system that will be in place. We will probably see another comic and, based on the layout of the MvM update page, it looks like we will get a glimpse of at least one more map. Come on back to Icrontic for a full write up of the surprises Valve and the TF2 team give us tomorrow.
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