The new hunters, one for each class, were revealed on a post on the games official website, along with tips from Turtle Rock Studios (TRS) for getting the most out of each character.
Firstly you have Torvald in the assault class:
After being attacked by a monster he was rebuilt to a half-man half walking tank, complete with back-mounted Mortar Cannons. Alongside this he comes equipped with a Shrapnel Grenade and an auto fire shotgun.
TRS Tip: Torvald’s Mortar is obviously great for splash damage at a distance, but you can also aim straight up for a close-range drop. Combine that with the Shrapnel Grenade to bring the Monster a world of pain.
Next is Crow, the Trapper of the group:
He is a recluse who knows the lay of the land with his pet Batray Gobi, who goes ahead and allows Crow to spot nearby creatures. He comes with a Stasis Gun, complete with two firing modes: A rapid-fire mode briefly slows down the monster, but a charged shot will drop a monster to a crawl for a longer period of time. He also has access to a Kinetic Long Rifle. Its rapid-fire mode deals lots of damage-per-second, but a charged shot puches straight through a monster’s armour and damages its health.
TRS Tip: Send Gobi out often. He should be looking for the Monster even when you’re in a dome to keep tabs on it. Also, try to stick with the charged shot with the Stasis Gun – it will slow the monster longer, as opposed to short-burst shots.
A genetically modified being, the Medic of the group is called Slim:
His primary weapon is the Leech Gun, saps strength from the Monster and that fuels how quickly his Healing Burst reloads, the radius of which is bigger than the other medics in the game. He also has a healing drone, which will target teammates and heal them over time whilst they are not being attacked. He also has a Spore Cloud Launcher, which masks the scent of the hunters, giving you a chance to escape from the monster.
TRS Tip: Fire the Leech Gun often – even if you don’t think you’re hitting anything. The Leech gun is how Slim replenishes the Medic Heal Burst ability. The more shots you take at the wildlife (and the monster), the faster it recharges!
Finally, you have Sunny in the Support class, who has history with hunters Abe and Parnell:
She comes equipped with Shield Drones which cover nearby enemies and protect them from damage. She also has a Jetpack Booster to allow allies to fly further, faster and when in range not run out of fuel. Rounding off this character is a Mininuke Grenade Launcher.
TRS Tip: Jetpack Boost teammates that are being attacked so they can dodge out of the way as much as possible. Also, if you’re hot on the trail of the Monster, Jetpack Boost your Trapper so that they can keep pace and drop a dome on it.
Each character costs £6.19 each, or are included as part of the £19.99 Evolve Season Pass along with three monster skins.
Also being released on the 31st March is the Monster Expansion Pack which allows players to take control of the Behemoth, a creature whose movement is predicated on it rolling around the map in a ball. He also has the most armour and most health out of any monster. It will also include two free maps and a free Observer Mode.
The two maps will be made available first on the Xbox One on the 31st March and the PS4 and PC on the 30st April.
This pack will cost £11.99, or free is it was part of your pre-order bonus.
What are your thoughts on these new characters?