Hello Riftbreakers! For the longest time our gameplay videos and news articles had one (well, three, to be accurate) things in common - the enemies. We had a small unit in the form of [url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/780310/view/5262975441866604992]Canoptrix[/url], a slightly larger, range attacking[url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/780310/view/5262975441866604241] Arachnoid[/url] and the beefy [url=https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/780310/view/5262975441866604380]Hammeroceroses[/url]. This trio was quite enough for us to test our ideas and the initial mission design - especially since we were confined to the jungle biome only. As the game expands, so does our bestiary, including the basic cannon fodder. They seem a little less important than bigger creatures, but don’t be fooled by their small size. They are a very important part of the game design and they take the spotlight today. [img]https://media.giphy.com/media/YoLfyrLQTWZP2rbLXA/giphy.gif[/img] [i][b]They might be small, but they are not safe to be around.[/b][/i] Each biome has its own type of small, close-combat creature that’s a counterpart of our good old friend, the rabid space doggo - Canoptrix. However, they are not carbon copies of each other with a slightly different model. All the small species have their own characteristics, posing a different kind of challenge for Ashley and Mr. Riggs. Make sure to collect samples and visit the Bestiary to learn how to approach them. Enough of beating around the bush, release the gremlins! [img]https://media.giphy.com/media/cI3oNkrpcbPxDfkNw2/giphy.gif[/img] [i][b]KILL THEM WITH FIRE![/b][/i] Galatean deserts are home to Mushbits. They are insects, living in large colonies and always appearing in packs. These creatures have developed remarkable survival mechanisms to withstand the scorching heat and radiation of their home biome. Mushbits are incredibly quick, giving them a significant advantage over other species while fighting over territory or food. Yes, that includes you - trying to outrun these creatures is doomed to fail. Mushbits’ bodies are covered with an exoskeleton that grants them protection from heat and radiation. Their claws are also made of the same material - it’s razor-sharp, but also quite brittle. Physical damage should do the trick. [img]https://media.giphy.com/media/aSt3t8IRRzEz9KtU0u/giphy.gif[/img] [i][b]Granans jump with joy every time they see you![/b][/i] Let’s travel to a different part of the planet - the Acid Biome. Life has found a way to adapt to this area quite well and the area is teeming with plants, mushrooms, and animals, including Granans. They are happy little critters that skip around the place using their two short legs. One of their most prominent features is the bioluminescent appendix on the top of Granans’ heads. It is used to lure small animals into the Granan’s giant maw. As if hundreds of teeth were not scary enough, these creatures can also spit acid, albeit at a short range. Better equip Mr. Riggs with some protective armor. On the plus side, Granans don’t handle fire too well, which cannot be said about our next species… [img]https://media.giphy.com/media/iXWQrfoOTxjb6LaA4W/giphy.gif[/img] [i][b]KILL THEM WITH FIRE! Oh, shoot, doesn't work on these guys...[/b][/i] Morirots dwell in the rocky Magma Biome. They are completely resistant to fire and heat, which makes sense, given that they live in areas of high volcanic activity. For a creature this small, they are really tough, so you should fight them only when it is absolutely necessary. And it will be necessary. They are a very aggressive species and will do whatever it takes to get rid of your presence in their domain. We heard good things about cryo mods, you might want to give them a try to make fighting with them a little easier. [img]https://media.giphy.com/media/8plIatZEfLkFYVAMLc/giphy.gif[/img] [i][b]...and they just keep coming... [/b][/i] Each creature we showed you today comes in three flavors, from the most basic one to the heavily beefed up Ultra version. All in all, these creatures might be small, but they are the bread and butter of the attack waves and almost all combat scenarios in The Riftbreaker. Do not forget about them while preparing your defenses. Don’t forget about the streams every Tuesady and Thursday, either! We go live at 3 PM CEST on www.twitch.tv/exorstudios. Join our Discord at www.discord.gg/exorstudios to receive notifications about them.