With the bulk of its fan base finished with Honami, it’s the perfect time to get our first look at what is coming in the next update. The Wuthering Waves 3.0 Gameplay Showcase does just that. With glimpses of characters, mechanics, a new boss, and a look at the new region of Lahai-Roi, there is a lot to dig into. Let’s start with the pair of new characters.
The first of two playable characters shown is Mornye. Described as a brilliant and reserved Startorch Academy professor, she is researching ways to surpass time and space. Her character design and animation feel measured and elegant. She spends a lot of time in the air, and the way she weaves around feels instantly reminiscent of The Shorekeeper.
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While Mornye’s energy may be similar to everyone’s favorite butterfly girl, her combat is a bit more direct. Utilizing lasers, her moveset draws heavily from the sci-fi elements of the advanced Startorch Academy. She fires beams from one of her hands, as well as seemingly calling some down from above. Her ultimate summons a holographic display to target her foe with a barrage of fire.
While all of Mornye’s time in the Wuthering Waves 3.0 Gameplay Showcase is eye-catching, there is one particular moment that is sure to conjure curiosity. After unleashing one of her attacks, the professor is seen clutching one of her arms as she makes an audible sound of exhaustion.
Mornye and Lynae show off their moves in the Wuthering Waves 3.0 Gameplay Showcase.
Why she is struggling begs for an explanation. Is it due to an old wound? Perhaps she has experimental tech that is taxing her? Also, the energy signature of her weapons feels notably similar to that of the Haunglong resident Xiangli Yao. Could he be connected to the origins of her tech?
The second character featured in the Wuthering Waves 3.0 Gameplay Showcase is Lynae. The free-spirited Startorch student is all about speed and artistic expression. The first thing that stands out about her is her movement. Lynae roller blades rather than walking. Her skating animations look cool, giving the character an upbeat energy, and her wheels are also incorporated wonderfully into her combat animations.
After finishing a chain attack with her pistols, Lynae is seen pirouetting in place, as the momentum from her shots spins her. She also incorporates lots of jumps into her moveset, each of which shows the character flipping and spinning in classic skater style.
Wuthering Waves 3.0 introduces a new expedition motorbike.
The other visually notable thing about her moveset is the unique effects that accompany some of her big hits. As previously mentioned, Lynae loves art. To bring this element of her personality into her combat, Kuro Games’s developers replaced many of the impact effects one would expect to see with bursts of graffiti-style art. These visual elements look great and play perfectly into the character’s energy.
The final element that the Wuthering Waves 3.0 Gameplay Showcase uses Lynae to highlight is the new travel option: the expedition motorbike. This utility feature greatly enhances movement speed and can be played in the standard third-person view or first-person view for a surprising change-up. No HUD elements are visible in the showcase, so it’s unknown if the bike will deplete the stamina bar or have its own gauge, like Rinascitta’s gliding.
It’s also noteworthy that Lynae has the bike incorporated into her move set. One particular attack sees the vehicle appear, so the student can launch it at her opponent. While it seems everyone will be able to ride the bike, it clearly will have a closer tie to Lynae’s character.
Another curious note about the bike is the music that plays when it’s on screen. The music abruptly changes to a different piece while the bike is active. This may indicate a radio feature. Given that some measure of the was explored with Ragunna’s Mummer echoes, this doesn’t feel impossible. I personally would love to cruise to an immense boss battle with ‘O Sun, Witness Me’ on blast to hype myself up.
The new Gundam-like boss stands out from the rest of the recent bosses.
The first half of the Wuthering Waves 3.0 Gameplay Showcase wrapped up with a fight against one of the new bosses. This flying foe opened the battle with a bevvy of range attacks before swooping down to confront the resonators.
The enemy looks great. The winged, humanoid design feels reminiscent of a Gundam. While its sleek, science-fiction design makes it stand out from the styles of opponents we’ve seen over the last year, it works for the world of Solaris III overall. Its futuristic look feels on par with another boss, the Fallacy of No Return, from the 1.3 update.
What we see of the world in this section of the showcase is a beautiful setting ringed with hi-tech elements. A lot of purple hues are present in the area, giving it a gorgeous look, while still bearing a bit of ominous energy. This stands in stark contrast with the second half of the showcase.
New characters, traversal mechanics, a boss, and more make Wuthering Waves 3.0 look promising.
The back half of the Wuthering Waves 3.0 Gameplay Showcase focuses on Mornye as she makes her way through a far more fantastical setting. A herd of small, rather adorable creatures follows the teacher around as she executes some simple platforming sequences in both 3D and 2D areas. This section of the game must take place in some form of Sonoro Sphere.
While everything in this section of the video is upbeat, bright, and fun, the most captivating aspect is that everything around Mornye moves in time with the upbeat music that bops along. Platforms extend and retract to the tune, as both background and foreground elements bounce with the music. It is surprisingly fun, and tops off this early glimpse into the upcoming zone with a clear message: Anything could happen in Lahai-Roi.
New characters, traversal mechanics, a boss, gorgeous environments, and surprising fun make the Wuthering Waves 3.0 Gameplay Showcase the perfect sneak peek to entice players’ curiosity. With the full preview presentation announced for December 12th, the community won’t have to wait long to learn even more about the next leg of Rover’s journey.
You can check out the full showcase video here.
