The first change, and perhaps the biggest, is the ability for heroes to swap their special abilities based on the weapon’s they’re using. Arrowhead’s Malin Hedström says that there are four ability-changing weapons available for each class, and these can change your strategy pretty drastically. The Wizard, for instance, can use this new feature to swap one of his magic types, while the Elf can use new bomb attacks. New potion abilities, which Hedström calls “massive, high-impact abilities that can turn the tide of battle in your favor,” are also available.
But the changes aren’t just limited to new features: Arrowhead has tweaked the finer points of the game to deliver something deserving of a better reception than the original game received last year. Difficulty has been reworked, completely removing the easiest difficulty and making the normal mode harder, and visual improvements have been made to both the monsters (of which there are more varieties) and the environment. The Shop is also no more, replaced with a “loadout” option at the lobby screen so that local cooperative players can all tweak their characters together.
Lastly, Gauntlet: Slayer Edition offers an “Endless” mode, tasking you and your friends with fighting through randomized levels until the game decides you’ve gone far enough. If there’s a Gauntlet mode capable of ending friendships, it’s probably this one.
Gauntlet: Slayer Edition is now available digitally on PlayStation 4 for $20. The new content is available free of charge to those who own the game on PC.
