Anthem update 1.0.4 out now with full patch notes available
Goodbye, Forge loading screens. Hello, Legendary missions and Elysian Caches. Update 1.0.4 has finally been released for Anthem and it brings big changes!
As promised, BioWare has rolled out the much-anticipated 1.0.4 game update for Anthem. Many of the main features and improvements in today’s update were previously discussed on last week’s livestream, but now BioWare has released the full patch notes.
With over 200 bug fixes and gameplay improvements, it’s probably worth taking a look at the patch notes at some point, but until then, here are some of the highlights of today’s update.
For starters, the update has added Legendary missions. These allow you to replay critical path missions again on a “much higher” difficulty. Each day will offer a new Legendary mission (on a rotating schedule) and there is no limit on the number of times you can complete it. This means if you complete your own Legendary mission, you can join a friend and help them complete it (while earning yourself an additional reward).
Another new addition are Elysian Caches. These appear at the end of each Stronghold after the boss is defeated; however, to unlock them you must have an Elysian Key, which is earned by completing daily challenges. Once unlocked, the Elysian Cache contains vanity and crafting materials for each member of the group.
BioWare confirmed there are 67 unique vanity items available at the moment. These include vinyls, victory poses, emotes and arrivals. Additionally, vanity items will not drop as duplicates once you already own one.
Beyond these brand new systems, BioWare has once again tweaked the loot of Anthem, increasing the chance for chests and Apex creatures to drop additional items and crafting materials in Strongholds, Freeplay and Missions. Additionally, Stronghold bosses on GM1 difficulty and higher will drop more loot with a higher chance at additional masterwork and legendary items.
Beyond these three main features, the 1.0.4 game update includes hundreds of bug fixes and other changes – including removing loading screens when entering the Forge (finally!) This is a massive update and BioWare should be commended on the work they’ve done on Anthem since its launch.
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While Anthem didn’t have the most polished launch, BioWare has shown tremendous commitment to the game and today’s update should result in a much more enjoyable experience (although, there are numerous threads still complaining about the loot system being broken).
Today’s update was sorely needed, and while Anthem still isn’t the game it has the potential to be, this is a wonderful step in the right direction. BioWare’s commitment should also help instill confidence in Anthem’s player base that the developer is in for the long haul.
BioWare is obviously still listening to player feedback in terms of improvement Anthem, but this update at least creates a solid foundation for the game. Now BioWare can continue to fix bugs and tweaks current gameplay systems, while hopefully starting to work on adding more content to the game.
Next. It’s not too late for Anthem: 10 other games that massively improved after launch. dark
As someone who loved the combat of Anthem but felt the game could’ve used a little more time in the oven, it’s wonderful to see the game starting to take its first real steps forward. Once BioWare adds some more content – which hopefully arrives in May with the first major update in Cataclysm – Anthem could be worth diving back into.
Anthem update 1.0.4 is now available for PS4, Xbox One and PC. It differs in size depending on your platform and region, but the average seems to clock in at around 2.5GB.