Video Games
‘Killing Floor 2’ Bringing New Weapons, Enemies in Yuletide Horror Update
Once again, Tripwire Interactive is bringing the goods with a new holiday update for Killing Floor 2. The Yuletide Update, which is launching today, will introduce a new community map called Sanitarium, along with a new objective map called Biotics Lab, two free and two paid new weapons, and the return of “zesty” Christmas Zeds.
The biggest addition this year, however, is Rachel Clamely, making her Killing Floor 2 debut as a tough new boss known as The Matriarch. The story goes that Clamely is the daughter of Kevin Clamely, the former CEO of Horzine, the company responsible for the outbreak of Zeds. After unleashing the Zeds, Clamely mutated himself into the monstrous Patriarch. Rachel helped bring down two clones of the Patriarch in the original Killing Floor, but like her father, she’s now mutated herself.
“The Matriarch is a multi-stage boss that builds on and combines previous mechanics from other bosses,” Tripwire explains. “That being said, the Matriarch has a unique few tricks of her own. The boss battle is built on 4 primary phases, each tied to the different states of her health bars, broken up by escalating waves of E.D.A.R.s enemies that are added into the fray as she enters a new phase.”
As for the hardware you’ll be getting to bring her down, players will be gifed with the HRG Incision for the Field Medic, Winterbites for the Gunslinger, the Mosin Nagant for the Sharpshooter (though this is a paid DLC weapon), and the Riot Shield / Glock 18 combo for SWAT.
And yes, it wouldn’t be Christmas without the return of Gary Busey’s Badass Santa, who is back as a purchasable playable character. Also, stick around after the teaser trailer for a special surprise that Tripwire has in store for the game next year.
Moon Studios dropped a new trailer during the Sony State of Play for their dark action-RPG No Rest for the Wicked, while also hinting at the long-awaited launch window for the full 1.0 release. The game, which has been in Early Access on Steam since April 2024, will be launching this October in full for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam, while versions for the Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2 will arrive at a later date.
As a token of appreciation for supporters new and old, Moon Studios is offering an exclusive Early Access Founder’s Pack, a free limited edition bundle available for anyone who purchases the game on Steam prior to July 10, with rewards unlocking when 1.0 officially launches. PlayStation 5 users can receive the Early Access Founder’s Pack by pre-ordering the game once available, any time before launch day.
The Founder’s Pack includes:
- A New Secret Hideout: Spirit Cavern – The legacy of Moon Studios now lives inside No Rest for the Wicked, exclusively for Founders. A hand-crafted home that bridges both worlds.
- Sayer’s Vow: An all new Sword in the stone reserved just for the founders that only early adopters can extract in the game world.
- A Custom Founders Tag ensures players are clearly identified as early adopters.
- As a Founder member, players will get access to an exclusive Public Beta Test Realm reserved just for them, even after the 1.0 game launch.
As for the full 1.0 release, it will be a massive expansion of the core experience, introducing a staggering 60+ hours of new content, a new horde mode, powerful new weapons, bosses and enemies, new areas and a completely reimagined class system.
In No Rest for the Wicked, players take on the role of a “Cerim,” a member of a holy order imbued with mysterious powers, tasked with destroying the Pestilence, an ancient plague that has begun to consume the island Isola Sacra, itself already the site of great political upheaval and death.