#Future 2’s latest Unique harms and weakens wielders, Bungie says its intentional however gamers aren’t shopping for it – Destructoid

The Future 2 neighborhood is up in arms once more, this time over the brand new Slayer’s Fang Unique shotgun from Kell’s Fall.

Because it seems, the weapon can truly injury and debuff its wielder, leaving some beneath the impression that the state of affairs is one other blunder throughout Bungie’s buggy Episode: Revenant. Nonetheless, the state of affairs took an odd flip when the studio hopped to social media to clarify that the self-damage and Weaken impact usually are not bugs; they’re options.

Episode: Revenant, and the better yr that’s adopted since The Remaining Form enlargement, hasn’t been the perfect for Future 2. The primary Episode, Echoes, led to an unsatisfying flop, and Revenant has had no scarcity of points because it started. Between the now-infamous Weightgate, Tonicgate following quickly after, and a crop of Dawning Occasion points, the hits to morale and studio belief have been relentless. Now, gamers have a tough time taking Bungie’s rationalization at face worth when one thing appears off in-game.

Why is my gun hurting me?

Think about the shock of gamers who get caught by their very own ricocheting projectiles of Slayer’s Fang. Not solely will the weapon injury its wielder, however it will probably additionally apply the Weaken debuff. Slayer’s Fang could be as highly effective as the rest within the recreation, but when it’s Weakening and has an opportunity to kill gamers, it turns into much less sensible and extra of a hazard.

It seems that’s been the consensus of the Future 2 neighborhood, with many taking to social media to query whether or not the brand new Unique weapon’s habits is an accident. With the state the sport has been in currently, it wouldn’t be a lot of a shock if yet one more piece of content material shipped damaged. Nonetheless, Bungie has made it clear that Slayer’s Fang is (principally) working as meant.

The burn means it’s working

In a publish on X (previously Twitter), Bungie introduced the dialogue to the Slayer’s Fang Unique and acknowledged a number of the discourse highlighted by the neighborhood. “We’ve seen conversations round Slayer’s Fang’s skill to do self-damage and apply Weaken to your self if you happen to’re hit by the ricocheting projectiles. Observe, the Weaken is simply utilized whereas Nightsworn Sight is lively, whereas the self-damage at all times occurs. That is intentional for each gameplay and narrative causes and we needed to present a little bit of perception into our thought course of.”

The staff defined that the potential of self-damage was a acutely aware selection. Bungie famous, “A whole lot of ricochet projectiles or explosives do self-damage (Sleeper Simulant may even kill the person) and it’s an essential balancing measure.” The studio added that this potential self-damage creates a danger/reward situation that influences a participant’s selection of weapon use.

Bungie additionally shared a lore purpose why Slayer’s Fang behaves the best way it does. “On the narrative aspect, Slayer’s Fang is conscious of its use as a instrument for destruction and doesn’t lend its energy to its wielders simply,” the studio famous. “You might discover that if you happen to mishandle Slayer’s Fang, the gun with a mouth for a barrel may chunk again slightly. With the last word Slayer Baron weapon in your hand, chances are you’ll not concern desires nor enamel, however it would be best to deal with it with care.”

Within the ultimate part of the publish, Bungie doubled down, stating, “So, acceptable for its design and narrative objectives, Slayer’s Fang does slightly injury plus a brief Weaken as a substitute of outright killing the participant.”

Bungie’s definitive assertion on Slayer’s Fang went about in addition to anybody accustomed to the Future neighborhood may anticipate. Between the X publish itself and related Reddit subjects, commenters shortly identified that Bungie’s rationalization felt too handy. One X commenter mentioned, “Dude there is no such thing as a approach you place an unique weapon within the recreation that may actively hurt utilizing the weapon as meant.”

Others are echoing an identical sentiment throughout social media. “I’m truly not too bothered by the self injury and even weaken making use of from the ricocheted photographs as many others appear to be because it’s been a gift interplay all through the sport,” explains one Redditor. “However what’s actually bothering me is the try at giving it a story rationalization of constructing the self-damage a canon in-universe consequence. It reads prefer it was written up by one of many teenaged children of one of many builders who’s going via their edgelord section.”

In fact, it wasn’t a completely detrimental response. Some gamers beloved that Bungie took the time to give you a story purpose for why the Unique weapon was behaving the best way it was. “Please don’t change it,” begged one X commenter. “[R]ealistically it gained’t come up in fight and it’s a neat little narrative beat. Individuals complaining are doing it simply to complain.”

Poor design or backtracking?

Plainly the Future neighborhood has an actual chicken-or-egg state of affairs right here. Was the self-damage and Weaken debuff meant all alongside as a yet-to-be-disclosed narrative tidbit? Or is Bungie’s rationalization a bandaid aimed toward yet one more unseen wound? It’s robust to say, and we’ll in all probability by no means get a definitive reply. Nonetheless, it’s attention-grabbing to notice that there’s no point out of the potential injury or debuff anyplace on the weapon and even hinted at via its Lore web page.

If Slayer’s Fang’s self-damage and debuff have been intentional, then the standard of the weapon design turns into a part of the dialog, even when we’re taking the lore rationalization into consideration. And positive, different Unique weapons like Sleeper Stimulant have deadly ricochet potential, however these aren’t weapons gamers are sprinting into melee vary to make use of. Sleeper Stimulant additionally doesn’t punish gamers for utilizing it with a Weaken debuff, rising injury taken throughout the board.

I do suppose the state of affairs appears a bit odd. As I discussed, there’s nothing within the weapon’s Lore hints that the gun may hurt or debuff wielders. Additionally, this isn’t the primary time this has occurred. It appears more likely that Bungie made a strong, enjoyable shotgun with some oversights. The neighborhood shortly uncovered these oversights, and it’s a lot simpler to say that it was at all times speculated to work that approach.

Slayer’s Fang has its followers and has certainly proven to have its haters. Both approach, it’s turning into clear that it’s removed from an computerized decide. As many gamers have famous, there’s no scarcity of shotgun decisions in Future 2, and lots can just do as a lot, albeit another way, as Slayer’s Fang. That’s all with out the danger of damaging or Weakening oneself and with out utilizing an Unique slot.