Spellbreak is a fast-paced multiplayer arena game with an emphasis on magic and manic movement. With the next chapter of the game on the horizon, coming April 8th, the developers at Proletariat sat with Game ZXC to demo the new modes and features. The upcoming update includes a new game mode, a refresh to the game's talent system, and new cosmetic options. The hour-long demo showed off the new game mode, Dominion, as the developers played a few rounds of Spellbreak with Game ZXC.
Having released back in June of 2020, Spellbreak debuted as a battle royale game with magical flair and fast movement reminiscent of classic third-person shooters like Unreal Tournament. The game began expanding its narrative and gameplay options last year with the release of its first chapter, Spellstorm. Now,  the team at Proletariat is expanding that vision soon with the next update for Spellbreak.
Testing Out Spellbreak's New Dominion Mode
The recent demo of Spellbreak's next major update focused around the new game mode being introduced, Dominion. Instead of the battle royale format familiar to fans of games like Fortnite or Apex Legends, Dominion is an objective-based mode more along the lines of Overwatch or Rainbow Six Siege. Players are tasked with capturing and defending objective points in frenetic 5x5 battles. This mode is the highlight of Spellbreak's first major update since last October, and it makes some massive changes to the formula that players are used to in the battle royale mode.
First thing that players will likely enjoy about Dominion is the ability to continue the match after getting smited by an enemy player. Instead of being ousted from the game after one death in the fashion of battle royales, players are granted a chance to regroup and select new upgrades and gear before dropping back into the fight. This will likely be great for new players looking to sharpen their skills in Spellbreak without having to join a new game to keep playing after a defeat. The 5x5 nature of the mode allows for even more flexibility with the elemental cross-ups that made the duo mode a fan-favorite in Spellbreak, meaning communication and mixing elemental powers are key to success and survival in the new Dominion mode.
Spellbreak Chapter 2
Instead of players dropping into matches with not much beyond their trusty spell gauntlet in the battle royale modes, players begin each match by choosing their offhand spell gauntlet and a choice of runes from a random list. Meeting with the Merchant before each match begins allows for players to begin each game with an idea of the elemental mixups they may want to prioritize in that match, and being able to choose new abilities on a respawn will allow for on-the-fly changeups for players each time they respawn. The update will also refresh the already well-rounded system of talents in Spellbreak. Players will have a higher cap on talent points, meaning they have more flexibility in choosing what passive abilities to take with them into each fight.
Overall the update felt fresh, not only to Spellbreak itself but to the competitive arena shooter climate as well. Little touches like stylizing the objectives as Sun, Moon, and Star over the simpler A, B, C present in most objective-based modes are nice, especially set against the much larger changes to the formula. The matches felt unique, tense, and very fast-paced. The new mode has all the promise to be a big boon for newer players in Spellbreak, allowing for more experimentation as they traverse the learning curve.
As with most seasonal releases, the new update will include new cosmetic options. The update also adds Leagues to Spellbreak, allowing for new players to feel a sense of progression as they play and giving veteran mages a chance to show off their skills.
Spellbreak Chapter 2: The Fracture releases April 8th for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One
