It’s time once again to see if you can survive with the Beta Weekend 2 in Icarus. One of the things that players can look forward to is the addition of storms and extreme weather events. So better be prepared to face severe winds and flashy storms.
There may even be thunderstorms that can damage structures and start forest fires. The only consolation is if you can call it that, is a warning before the disturbance arrives.
Beta Weekend 1
Before we look into what other things Beta Weekend 2 has to offer, let’s take a quick look at what happened before.
In a post, RocketWerkz revealed that the first beta was all about testing the core of the game, particularly, the gameplay mechanics and architecture. The results showed that not only were the servers and game held up. While it was clear that the base survival mechanics were pretty solid, it was also important to develop the exploration and survival features of the game.
Beta Weekend 2
So, in addition to the weather, what else can be expected this weekend? Players should be happy to know that the playable area has been increased. There’s four times more space to explore, so expect to find more waterfalls, lakes, cliffs, and caves.
Meanwhile, balance changes have been implemented on metal ores and caves. In the previous tests, metal ores were abundant and rather easy to find. This time, metal ores like aluminum, copper, and gold are now exclusively found in caves. The new Beta Weekend also brings new building tiers which are Aluminum and Concrete. Plus, there are new options like double doors, inverted corner pieces, and roof corner pieces.
Other new additions are:
- More Survival Mechanics
- Survival challenges and solutions have been scaled up.
- There are new mechanics, modifiers, and debuffs that need players to plan carefully.
- Scaling Animal Strength
- The complexity and variety of animal encounters have been expanded.
- Be prepared to face more aggressive, dangerous, powerful, and populated animals.
- Basic Firearms
- Shotgun and the Hunting Rifle are unlocked.
Upcoming Beta Weekends
There are a total of sixth beta weekends planned. These are:
- Arctic: September 25 to September 26
- Desert: October 9 to October 10
- Missions: October 23 to October 24
- Community: November 6 to November 7
Pre-order
To join the ongoing Beta Weekend and the upcoming ones, pre-order the game on Steam. It’s being offered at a 10% discount for $26.99 until November 28. In addition to the base game and beta access, it also comes with a Forest Biome Outpost and Timed XP bonus on launch.
A Deluxe Edition, priced at $89.99, is also available and includes:
- Beta Weekends Access
- Icarus
- Next Two DLC Chapters
- Two Extra Outputs
- Exclusive Enviro Suit
Icarus is a session-based PvE survival game that can be played solo or up to eight co-op players.
