People keep asking me if I’m okay. Bloodlines 2 Delay – Lauren, are you okay? The Saja boys are the bad guys of K-Pop Demon Hunters – Lauren, are you okay? You caught Covid and played for over 40 hours Warframe In a week? Well, I might understand why I’m asking if I’m not. On behalf of , I joined three tenocons and reminded me every year that Digital Extremes’ space games have one of the most vibrant and unique communities in the video game area. However, this time, I plowed into the warframe for over 40 hours as Covid limited me to my apartment for a week. I’ve clicked.
I, like many people, was bitten by a 1999 bug. With futuristic weapons and World War I tanks clashing, a cast of romantic companions, a MSN-inspired dating SIM with a unique interaction of two or more novels, it’s the most exciting thing I’ve come out of live service multiplayer games for years.
Last year, the hype peaked, but when I found myself slamming my head at Necramec requirements at Mars junctions, I took the crack to cut the grind. While completing Deimos’ mind, he gave them the necessary blueprints, fishing, mining and winnings needed to have enough resources to feel like the shattering of the winnings actually hit a brick wall.
Enter Techrot Encore, the second update from the beginning of this year, based on 1999. All eyes were looking at Technosite Coda, a new Protoframe, and of course, the David Bowie-inspired Warframe Temple, but Digital Extremes also removed the Necramec requirement on Mars, allowing them to launch a new war (the game’s pivotal campaign quest) without shattering it with Demos. The prayer answered.
These are all part of the push to simplify the onboarding of Digital Extremes’ Warframe. It is no secret that early games are bounce off points for many potential players. Speaking to Design Director Pablo Alonso and Digital Extremes COO Sheldon Carter, they say it’s all about balance. “We want to make sure that the people passing through the game aren’t going through because they’re too simple, but I’m talking about Warframe…” Carter laughs. “We had lightning bolts at the bottle moment of the game,” Alonso says. “We don’t want to ruin it — we still want it to have the digital extreme charm and the charm it has when the game starts,” Carter said.
After 40 hours of COVID and Rukozard fuel gameplay, it’s a balance I think I feel now more struck by the removal of necramech requirements. There is still about 20 hours of crushing to reach a new war, but I can now say from experience. It’ll get better – It feels a little attainable. There is an increasing variety in missions and there are many new mechanisms like arching and its underwater exploration. In general, it doesn’t feel like speed running through another green bass that I’ve probably visited three times now.
However, the early grinds are still quite rough. It feels like many different missions. There is no real continuity. And while some early elements are cleared in the later parts of the game, the story takes quite a while to really progress. I also have the luxury of having a top tier frame from friends either talented (MJ and Santi) or via the Digital Epters themselves. If you’re playing solo, shattering to get yourself some decent frames and weapons isn’t easy, and considering how many hours you need to plow to reach a new war (or where things get hot for me), you can imagine that you’ll be allowed to escape in peacetime.
However, the key to this article is to make sure you don’t stop. I know that 20 hours of crushing sounds horrible – I’m a Diablo player and found it pretty difficult. However, the quality of storytelling since the new war is exceptional. There is a twist and a turn. The spread of emotions juxtaposed with robot indifference. Is it on the same level at Gate 3 of Baldur, or is it early Dragon era? no. But what Digital Extremes created is a soaring space opera worth your time, even if you have to work hard to fall in love with it.
With combat smoothness, frame variations, and endless build crafts, Literal day. I spent hours polishing my Ember but went and swapped her for Oraxia (it’s ironic considering I have severe arachnophobia), then NYX, then Cyte-09. The flexibility of being able to switch characters on a whim adds a replayability and an additional layer of strategy when matching elements of the frame with the mission’s recommendations. And that was before I entered the world of fashion frames and orbiter renovations.
Hayes after Covid, whether I would continue to go back to Warframe or not, I was wondering. This was a post-Tennocon blues combination, coupled with whether he chose Zoom Round as an interstellar ninja or seeing his partner play Death Stretch 2? Thankfully, the answer is no. The beauty of Warframe is its ability to stop by, play a mission or two, and leave. The levels are fast enough, and can take just 15 minutes to progress through that junction, or more than an hour if necessary. As someone who spent 45 minutes sinking into one League of Legends game since she was 21, it’s a welcome change.
Have you ever suddenly made my favorite game? Certainly not, but perhaps my favorite live service game of 2025. I admire Digital Extremes’ commitment to staying true to Warframe’s roots while assessing its accessibility and ultimately giving them reworking to their early stages. If you’re looking to try it out as someone who’s bouncing it twice, or as a rookie, then you’re finally in great shape. So, yes, I’m fine, actually – it’s fine. Warframe finally becomes the game I’ve always wanted, and I can’t wait to experience Tau in 2026 (and finally Smooch Eleanor. Maybe that’s the most important thing).
