If all goes well, urban survival MMO Nether will get an update on Steam early access this Wednesday, December 18, with several features that will significantly impact gameplay. The new features included are among the first selected by Phosphor Games Studio, based on feedback from players participating in the early access beta.
The new feature that I'm personally most excited about is the wing glider, a new item that will allow you to soar down from the tops of buildings. When I played Nether, the first thing I did was climb a ruined skyscraper. Its very top made for a good spot to hide and ambush other players, but there was little else to do there. Now you'll be able to spot a target in the distance, jump off, and glide in his or her direction, bypassing other players and dangers. At least for now, you're unable to shoot as you glide, which also introduces a risk of being an easy target when traveling this way.
The new update also adds a subway system, which will also change how you navigate Nether's post-apocalyptic landscape—this one below the world, instead of above it. Of course, there may be other players or monsters down there as well, so it may not always be the safest route to take.
Other features added in this latest update include new items—a flashlight, compass, road flare, and smoke grenade—and a new, tank-like enemy. Finally, the Surge objective will encourage players to kill a mini-boss that attacks random areas of the city by rewarding them with extra experience points and multipliers.
Phosphor says that future community-selected content, such as a playable female character and a motorbike (yay!), didn't make it into this patch, but will be added to the game within the next couple of months. You can find our more detailed breakdown of what Nether is and our impressions of it so far here .
