Dauntless Clear Skies Update Makes Its Hub World More Interesting

Dauntless, the free-to-play monster hunting action game by Pheonix Labs, is getting a new update today that revamps the game's hub city and one of its core weapons trees. The free update, Clear Skies, is out now on Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

Ramsgate, the social hub city at the center of the game, is being completely reworked in Dauntless' Clear Skies update. The update is mostly cosmetic; you'll hear new soundscapes around different areas of the city, while also offering new points of interest that you can interact with to further explore the lore of the Shattered Isles. Players can also challenge each other to a footrace mini-game across the city, as a small side distraction.

For more effective hunting, the sword has been completely reworked to introduce three core facets to its mechanics. At the core is a new Valour system. Core combos will generate Valour, while more powerful Valour combos will spend what you've generated. Special attacks work outside of Valour, but will be tied to a separate special meter. Pheonix Labs hopes this will give swords more adaptability to attack ranges in use.

The Clear Skies update also includes its own Hunt Pass, letting you pursue new cosmetics, bounty tokens, themed items, and more across 50 levels. The Hunt Pass will also include an exclusive exotic item, the Hunger Sword, which should work well with the new gameplay changes.

The update to Ramsgate directly addresses one of the shortfalls of Dauntless we highlighted at launch. In out 7/10 Dauntless review, critic Ginny Woo wrote, "While it can feel a little empty, and there are bugs that mar the experience here and there, its fresh look and lively spark are more than enticing enough to warrant a spin."