Home Gaming Bioware breaks down the details on how the four Javelins of Anthem work

Bioware breaks down the details on how the four Javelins of Anthem work

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Anthem Art 2

In the far future, when humanity expands beyond the borders of our solar system and begins colonising new worlds, you can be certain of one prime fact regarding our species: We’re still going to be damn good at killing anything that gets in our way. Humanity’s greatest trait is cruelty, a drive to create that which destroys. Our brains have evolved to become particularly adept at fashioning tools and using them for purposes other than what they were intended for, much like people claiming that their internet usage is for education.

In Anthem, that appetite for destruction (There you go, your daily reference to Guns ‘n Roses is now complete) has manifested itself in the form of Javelin suits. War machines for a new frontier, Javelins come in a quartet of flavours: The Jack of all trades Ranger, the hulking Colossus, glass cannon that is the Storm and the agile Interceptor.

Over on the Bioware website, the developer has begun sharing more details on these mechanised survival systems, and how each suit ties into a particular RPG archetype. Here’s a look at what makes each Javelin special, according to their profiles:

The Ranger Javelin

Javelins (1)

The Ranger is the first javelin exosuit you’ll receive as you begin in Anthem. It’s precise, versatile, and an all-around master of combat. All Freelancers train on the Ranger first in Anthem. Not because it’s the easiest, but because it’s the most versatile. In the hands of a master pilot, the Ranger can achieve feats of combat prowess that no other javelin can touch.

The Ranger has a deep bag of tricks to draw from, and there is no combat situation it can’t take on effectively. With access to every weapon type, the Ranger is a true wild card that can complement any team and any mission.

The Colossus Javelin

Javelins (2)

The largest of the four, the Colossus trades mobility for defense, carrying a deployable shield as well as a devastating Siege Cannon.

Meet Anthem’s Colossus, a hulking war machine designed to clear out entire hives of vicious predatory fauna with mounted artillery, heavy arms, or even, yes, a flamethrower. It’s got reinforced armor plating. It’s got jet propulsion. It’s got a cannon. I’m pretty sure it’s even got a cupholder (it doesn’t). If you’re looking to trample through the wilderness in comfort with heavy artillery strapped to your back, the Colossus is for you.

The Storm Javelin

Javelins (3)

Mysterious and devastating, the Storm javelin uses powerful seal technology to blast enemies with the raw fury of the Anthem.

Developed by the Dominion in their Northern home of Stralheim, the Storm uses seal technology to boost the latent kinesis powers of its pilot. The result is a javelin that can float effortlessly above the ground and unleash the raw energy of the Anthem itself. Only through painstaking arcanist research has anyone outside the Dominion had a chance to wield the Storm’s awesome potential. And while the Storm can channel unbelievable amounts of energy, it has little in the way of defensive capabilities and requires an expert pilot to stay above the fight and dish out damage from a safe distance.

The Interceptor Javelin

Javelins (4)

The Interceptor javelin might not have the imposing silhouette of the Colossus, but it still knows how to pack a punch. The Interceptor excels at getting up next to enemies to deal damage and then dashing away before they can strike back. With powerful blades and a full suite of devastating abilities, the Interceptor is both incredibly self-reliant and an excellent supporting squadmate.

Sounds like a solid mix of the usual RPG character ideas right there! Much like Destiny’s trinity of classes (Hunter and two Hunter punching bags in the Crucible), Anthem isn’t straying too far away from established ideas. There’s nothing wrong with sticking to the familiar, but it’s going to be interesting to see how Bioware injects a certain spark of creativity into the mix that fans expect from the studio.

Which class are you going to go for? I’m reading through those descriptions, and while I know that players will be able to choose from one of the four Javelins for any mission once they’ve earned them, they’re always going to have their default favourite. For me, that might just be the Interceptor, because I like the idea of weaponised sneakiness.

Anthem arrives next year on February 22.

Last Updated: October 5, 2018

26 Comments

  1. The Storm Javelin looks insane!

    Reply

  2. Dresden

    October 5, 2018 at 07:45

    The Storm Javelin looks insane!

    Reply

  3. Pariah

    October 5, 2018 at 07:56

    I’m defs a colossus person. Tanky is what I do.

    And for those of you here who are going to be getting this on release, wanna team up?

    I wish I had friends. T_T

    Reply

    • Dresden

      October 5, 2018 at 08:02

      Need to see the required specs on this game before answering that.
      Really hope it’s not too taxing, otherwise I’ll have to give it a skip.

      Reply

      • Pariah

        October 5, 2018 at 08:06

        I’m thankfully not in that boat. Even if I might not run it on max, I’m still good for a few years.

        But yeah I think it’d be a mistake to make the min requirements too taxing, otherwise you’re narrowing your playerbase too much. WoW did it right, their low settings are really low, meaning a potato could still run it. We’ll see I guess.

        Reply

        • Dresden

          October 5, 2018 at 08:12

          The problem I have is that my 3rd gen i5 is bottle-necking the rest of my system currently.

          I may need to upgrade before next year, perhaps Black Friday will have a few good deal this year on processors…

          Reply

    • kieker

      October 5, 2018 at 08:13

      apt username is apt 🙂 I am also looking at the colossus, but the storm also looks to be quite fun.

      Reply

      • Pariah

        October 5, 2018 at 08:17

        Yeah I chose my moniker for good reason. XD

        Reply

    • Umar Ellemdeen

      October 5, 2018 at 09:51

      I got the same problem no friends

      Reply

    • Captain JJ

      October 5, 2018 at 12:31

      You’d have to force me to put Origin on my pc at gun point before I’m even able to get this.

      Reply

      • Pariah

        October 5, 2018 at 12:43

        Eh, I have it installed for ME and Dragon Age. I don’t really uninstall shit unless I need space, and Origin doesn’t take up much.

        Reply

        • Captain JJ

          October 5, 2018 at 12:46

          Nah, I’ll never put origin on my pc.

          The Dragon age I like is on gog and the good Mass Effect games are on Steam anyway. But I doubt I’ll play them again.

          Reply

  4. Magoo

    October 5, 2018 at 08:15

    Why do they remind me so much of Warframes. :S

    I like the idea of Storm. Seems like a utility based combat Jav that requires a lot of mechanical skill.

    Reply

  5. Kromas

    October 5, 2018 at 08:29

    Where is the lootbox Javelin?

    Reply

    • Pariah

      October 5, 2018 at 08:42

      I have a feeling lootboxes are going to become less prominent due to all the EU lawmakers cracking down. The MTX though will be pervasive, that’s for sure. It’s EA publishing, after all.

      Reply

      • Kromas

        October 5, 2018 at 08:51

        I’m just having fun on EA’s behalf.

        Reply

        • Pariah

          October 5, 2018 at 09:08

          You mean in spite of EA. Because they’re anti-fun.

          Reply

  6. Admiral Chief

    October 5, 2018 at 08:57

    GOTTA CATCH EM ALL

    Reply

  7. Nikola

    October 5, 2018 at 09:21

    Colossus Javelin for me that’s for sure:)

    Reply

  8. miaau

    October 5, 2018 at 09:30

    so….. ranged attack, tank, mage and thief?

    Reply

    • Pariah

      October 5, 2018 at 09:31

      Seems like the ranger will be equally good in melee and ranged.

      Reply

    • Dresden

      October 5, 2018 at 09:43

      Thief is an interesting take on it. I imagined it more as rogue.

      Reply

  9. Craig "CrAiGiSh" Dodd

    October 5, 2018 at 09:41

    I lost so much faith in BioWare.

    Although this game looks kick ass, I’ll rather wait for the reviews and a special.

    Reply

  10. Ghost In The Rift

    October 5, 2018 at 09:42

    Yeah i’m getting the Skip this Title Javelin…like have zero interest.

    Reply

  11. Yondaime

    October 5, 2018 at 10:29

    I’d probably stick with the ranger, i’ll have no idea what i’m doing half the time anyways.

    Reply

  12. Gr8_Balls_o_Fire

    October 5, 2018 at 11:38

    Meh.. If it was single player maybe it would be interesting

    Reply

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