While it may feel that you are exploring the Monolith all alone you may find other players coming to your aid when you least expect it. This is through three asynchronous multiplayer mechanics - Trading, Reviving, and Into the Aether.
Trading and the Mailbox
Throughout your adventure, you can send most items - including Cartograms - to another player if they are on your friends list. You can do this via the mailbox in the command centre, near Edmund and next to Rohini.
As you progress through the main story, a Trading Post behind Edmund will unlock. This allows players to sell their cartograms to each other either after using them, or if the cartograms are not wanted. Got a cartogram containing a weapon you already own? Trade it off and pick up something else - someone else could need it more than you. They can even have special properties imprinted into them after trading!
Reviving
During your exploration in the Monolith, you may come across apparitions. Talking to these fallen warriors allows you to donate either one or three of your Reset Charges that will revive a fellow mercenary if they succumb to their fate.
If you face the jaws of defeat yourself and shout into the darkness, there’s a chance another player will heed the call and gift a Reset Charge so you can pick yourself back up and continue on. Be kind and pay it forward for other brave souls, or keep your Reset Charges to yourself and press on - the choice is yours.
Into the Aether
When you defeat a Boss at the end of a Cartogram, an Aether Tear will mysteriously appear. While not big enough for you to enter, it is wide enough for an item to pass to the other side.
If you choose to do this, one of your unidentified weapons or equipment will be sucked through the portal, closing it in the process. Another mercenary will have a chance to receive this item with a special ‘aether touched’ attribute that will provide extra benefits. Likewise, you too have a chance of receiving one of these items from other mercenaries!
Asynchronous multiplayer is not cross-platform, so Steam players won’t be able to trade, revive, or donate items Into the Aether to those on console or on Epic and vice versa - but we're sure there'll be plenty of help out there.
There’s less than a week until the beginning of the expedition! Are you excited? Let us know in the comments below ahead of the big day.
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Be sure to wishlist the game on Steam ahead of the May 8th release and try the game for yourself via the demo.