Meet Evolve’s Hunters: Day 2

This week, we’re taking a focused look at four of the characters from Evolve. Turtle Rock’s upcoming shooter features four different classes – assault, trapper, support, and medic – with a variety of different people taking on those specific roles. Yesterday, we learned more about Markov, a member of the assault class. Today, it’s time to learn more about Griffin, a hunter in every sense of the word.

Name: Griffin
Class: Trapper
Class Ability: Mobile Arena

Griffin is all about the hunt, and his gear supports that philosophy – from his outback-inspired hat down to his jungle-ready boots. As a trapper, his job is to detect and contain the monster. Fortunately, he brought the right tools.

His harpoon gun is the biggest thing setting him apart from his squadmates. It fires a missile that attaches to Griffin via an energy current. Once the monster is ensnared, the harpoon tethers the creature to Griffin, holding it within range and preventing it from escaping. As the monster, players can break the tether by attacking Griffin, but doing so requires shifting his or her focus away from the other hunters.

Griffin is also equipped with sound spikes, which he can stab into the ground. Once they’re deployed, they provide all hunters with a visual indicator on their maps when the monster walks within their range. Multiple spikes can be planted at any given time, giving players a choice: Do they cover one area comprehensively, or use them on known choke points to provide a rougher sense of the monster’s presence?

Griffin wouldn’t be much of a trapper if he didn’t have some kind of offensive weapon, and his handy submachine gun does just the trick. The run-of-the-mill firearm is good at medium range distance and does a decent amount of damage. Knowing when to switch from trapping duties and deliver some damage of his own is an important part of playing as Griffin.

Finally – like all trappers – Griffin has a mobile arena. This item creates a large, dome-shaped force field that prevents foe and friends alike from leaving the area. This is perhaps his most useful tool, and it’s one that can make or break a battle. See the monster trying to make his escape at his underpowered first stage? Trap him, enter the field, and take him on. Is the creature chasing your friends and you all need a second to catch your breath and regroup? Drop the mobile arena and use the time to escape. But beware: The monster can break the mobile arena at any time by incapacitating Griffin, making him a major target for a cornered beast.

The mobile arena, coupled with the harpoon gun, makes Griffin a master of controlling the ebb and flow of combat – and of the monster’s own movements. A skilled hunter can make or break a team, so players will want to get accustomed with Griffin’s abilities before marching headlong into the fray. If you’re playing the monster, you will learn to save a very focused sort of rage for Griffin and the other trappers.

Come back tomorrow for a look at another new character from Evolve. For more exclusive features and video coverage, be sure to check out our Evolve hub throughout the month by clicking the image below.

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