SOE's Lucky 13th DLC Features Group Content & a Big Story

During a recent live stream event, we had the opportunity to check out some of the fantastic group content that DC Universe Online's thirteenth DLC, Amazon Fury Part II, will bring to players. Senior Creative Director Jens Andersen and Design Director Jesse Benjamin hosted the hour-long event that featured a sneak peek at new raids and operations that are tailor-made for four to eight players.

According to Andersen, Amazon Fury Part II is a much meatier story than was found in the first part as is expected in the middle part of a trilogy. Things that happened in Part I will come to fruition in Part II, most essentially what is wrong with Wonder Woman's mother, Hippolyta, and why she has launched this vicious attack. Act of Defiance, the DLC's new operation, will answer that question but essentially, there is a power play going on among the Pantheon. Ares and Hades are sewing havoc and gather energy from the destruction of the war. Players will journey to the Underworld to track down Hippolyta and to take on Ares and Hades themselves.

Players will be able to take part in three new raids, two alerts, and open world missions. All were created in direct response to player input after the launch of Amazon Fury Part 1, with players wanting more group content.

"And we have delivered in Amazon Fury Part II. We will take our players to amazing places. We will go to South Gotham and other places that haven't been seen in awhile and we will revisit them. We will tell stories backwards and forwards until they meet and merge. Every story in the game is complex, yet related." Andersen said.

Players will also be able to gather costume styles: Two from Circe for Villains and two from Wonder Woman for Heroes.

Of particular note for DCUO's highest level players are the new Halls of Power raids. Once the highest raid has been defeated on 'normal' level, the new Elite version will unlock. According to Andersen, "It's WAAAAAAY harder!" Because of its extreme difficulty, players will be able to earn Elite gear with a 101 combat rating. To be able to actually get it will require players to run the normal version often enough to gear up to the 99 combat rating gear before considering stepping foot in the Halls of Power.

Another great new feature the team is bringing to DCUO is "Big Creature Tech". We saw this in action with a hydra that literally filled the room. We also got a look at Cerberus as he wandered the Labyrinth. Players will need to be especially cautious of the big creatures' multiple attacks in the form of snapping jaws, fireballs, swinging tails, etc. The system will be refined over time and will be brought into DCUO much more in future updates.

Amazon Fury Part II goes live on February 3rd. Learn more on the DC Universe Online site.