In a major announcement during the TennoCon 2023 fan convention, game developer Digital Extremes has unveiled the highly anticipated expansion for Warframe, known as “Whisper in the Walls.” Alongside this reveal, the company also shared plans for the game’s tenth anniversary and a surprising expansion set in a throwback to 1999.
Whisper in the Walls, the forthcoming expansion, takes players on a rollercoaster of the unusual, maintaining Warframe’s reputation for captivating oddity. In a mesmerizing 20-minute gameplay preview, the expansion showcases multi-storey figures, sudden shifts between dimensions, and even glimpses of retro Earth technology from the ’80s, like mobile phones and old beige PCs with CRT monitors.
Reimagining the Known in “Whisper in the Walls”
Rebecca Ford, Warframe’s creative director, shared insights about Whisper in the Walls in a pre-TennoCon event. This expansion aims to re-contextualize everything that players have encountered throughout their decade-long journey in Warframe. It offers new mission types, non-playable characters (NPCs), bosses, and factions, in addition to a fresh hub and a procedural tile set.
The expansion’s lore-rich storyline begins as players return to Deimos’ Necralisk and engage in a conversation with the enigmatic floating entity, Loid. Mention of the name “Kalymos” sparks intrigue, leading players on a walk-and-talk adventure down into the depths of the Necralisk. There, they discover the activation of strange machinery, triggering an unstoppable process that unveils uncharted territories.
From this expanded hub, players embark on quests in new procedural dungeons, aiming to awaken a mysterious “Sleeper.” These missions lead them into the abandoned laboratory of Albrecht Entrati, characterized by a stunning gold and purple tile set.
The surroundings echo both faded grandeur and the eccentricity of a “mad scientist,” complete with crackling lightning. Players navigate tight spaces and expansive vistas, facing an expanded faction of Necramechs. They wield a new grimoire weapon that hurls Void-infused pages at adversaries, catering to higher-level players.
Unpredictable and Bizarre
Around the 13-minute mark of the gameplay reveal, the surreal factor escalates. Exploring an underground chamber, the scene suddenly shifts to a desert wasteland. A boss fight introduces a new faction called the Murmur.
However, the surprises don’t cease here. The journey progresses through shifting sands and ancient walls, leading to an opulent chamber with an unexpected subway announcement. To everyone’s amazement, an actual subway train emerges from a device, hurtling through the chamber and disappearing into the wall.
As the demo nears its end, a new character named Arthur emerges. Bearing a resemblance to Warframe Excalibur, Arthur embarks on a sequence involving battling creatures to the tune of Nine Inch Nails. The gameplay delves into unexpected retro visuals as Arthur explores an abandoned subway station, in search of “Dr. Entrati.”
The reveal also brought news of a second major expansion, “Warframe: 1999,” scheduled for the following year. However, the initial focus remains on “Whisper in the Walls,” set to release before the close of 2023.
Digital Extremes has a plethora of offerings for players. As part of TennoCon celebrations, players can access a free Dex operator skin in-game until the year’s end. October welcomes the “Abyss of Dagath” update, with Halloween-themed content, quality-of-life enhancements, and groundwork for cross-save functionality.
Looking forward, 2024 brings “Warframe: 1999” and the anticipation of Warframe’s mobile version, currently open for pre-registration. The developer also showcased its upcoming fantasy game “Soulframe,” adding to the excitement for gamers.
