Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue

X
Feature

Meet Evolve’s Hunters: Day 3

by Jeff Cork on Jan 16, 2014 at 08:00 AM

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. So far, we’ve learned more about Markov, a member of the assault class, and a trapper named Griffin. Today, it’s time to learn more about Hank, a hero who takes on a supporting role.

Name: Hank
Class: Support
Class Ability: Cloaking Device

As a member of the support class, Hank’s job is to make sure everyone else is OK. He doesn’t take a healing-hands approach like a medic; his skills and abilities center on maximizing the amount of destruction that his squadmates deliver and increasing their survivability.

Monsters will learn to hate the shield gun, a device that Hank uses to blast his teammates with a temporary form of invulnerability from a distance. Apply it to a medic, and they’re able to heal everyone without worrying about their own safety. Hit a member of the assault class with it, and they’ve got even more license to stand their ground (especially when used in conjunction with their own personal shields). However, the shield gun isn’t as overpowered as it sounds; the device can only run for a few seconds at a time, so players should try to only activate the shield at the moment the monster lands its attack on an ally, then quickly switch it off to allow the tool to recharge.

On the offensive front, Hank has a laser cutter that carves into monster flesh. It’s powerful, but it’s also a superheated arrow that points to the character’s location. Stealthy, it is not. When it’s time to lay into the enemy and finish it off, however, Hank’s laser cutter is second only to Markov’s powerful assault weapons.

Hank has another powerful offensive attack at his disposal, called an orbital barrage. This airstrike causes a ton of damage to anyone within its radius. It doesn’t hit a location with pinpoint accuracy, but it shells a large area. Orbital barrage is useful for scaring away monsters who are getting ready to chow down on incapacitated characters, buying time for their resuscitation. The location that the orbital barrage is going to hit is marked by a large red bullseye, and the missiles take a few seconds to land, making it easy enough for the monster to avoid – unless the hunters coordinate Griffin’s harpoon attack and hold it one spot. Communication is key.

Finally, as a member of the support class, Hank has a cloaking device which can render him and nearby allies invisible for a short time. It’s a powerful tool when used as a way to spring sneak attacks or to escape the scene when a monster’s winning. It can also be used to cloak incapacitated enemies when you’re trying to revive them – the monster can’t eat what it can’t see.

While supporting other members of the team may not sound all that exciting, Hank’s diverse set of skills draws on all styles of play. His laser gun deals powerful damage, the shield gun provides helpful defense to allies, the orbital barrage opens up strategic possibilities, and the cloaking device is great for stealth. As a result, Hank always has something to do, making him an exciting character to play as.

Come back tomorrow for a look at another new character from Evolve.

You can also follow our Evolve updates and other stories by following Game Informer on TwitterGoogle+, and Facebook.