This article was sponsored by Rend.
One of Rend's core ideas is that you're never alone. You're a member of one of three 20-player factions locked in a fight with the world around you. Factions are equal in numbers and strength, so rather than affecting your gameplay options, choosing one is more about finding like-minded allies. With that in mind, let's look at what defines each of Rend's three factions and how they clash in the proving ground.
First up, we have the Conclave or the green faction. The Conclave are an intelligent, strategic faction who battle with wits and value brains over brawn. Conversely, the Order, or the orange faction, revels in brutality and is never happier than when on a blood-soaked battlefield. Finally, the Revenant, or the purple faction, prefers to stay in the shadows and hunt as a pack, only striking when they're certain of victory.
These three prideful factions inhabit the same limited space and constantly find themselves in direct competition. That being said, Rend's PvP is built around three main points of conflict. Obviously, there's the fundamental fight for Valhalla: by collecting and offering Spirits, the factions sate the Yggdrasil tree and win glory for their faction. But you can do you more than just collect Spirits for your own faction: you can also steal them from others.
That's where the Reckoning comes in. The Reckoning is a regularly scheduled event where the shields protecting each faction’s base drops down leaving the Divinity Stones, the conduits that connect the factions to Yggdrasil, vulnerable to assault. During the Reckoning you can invade a rival faction and steal their Spirits, not to mention cause havoc in their base.
But Spirits are only part of the battle. To collect Spirits, you're going to need power, and the greatest sources of power in the proving grounds are the nine Control Points scattered around it. Control Points are objectives which factions can seize control of through skirmishes—smaller fights than the Reckoning, but fierce battles nonetheless.
The more Control Points a faction commands, the stronger they become. Captured control points offer numerous benefits, starting with a steady stream of Spirits to offer to Yggdrasil. Naturally, you'll also get some loot and resources for your trouble, and better yet, you can even get powerful artifacts which grant god-like abilities.
Just as importantly, Control Points serve as footholds for the faction that controls them. Factions can build strongholds around their control points, and they not only serve as respawn locations, but can also be used as teleports. You cannot underestimate the ability to teleport around the world of Rend. A faction that can mobilize quickly and efficiently will have an easier time defending its territory and outfoxing enemies.
The best part? Control Points are designed to promote competition. When you take an enemy Control Point, you're rewarded based on how long the enemy had held that point. So if they captured it a few hours ago, you'll get a modest payout. But if they've held that point for a week and you finally snatch it out from under them after a hard-fought battle? Well, you'll have exactly the resources you need to press your advantage, stock up for the next raid, prepare for the Reckoning, and amp up your Spirits.
Rend will launch on Steam Early Access on July 31. You can find more information about Rend on its official site.
