While exploring a decrepit laboratory, I stumbled upon a mysterious room filled with newspaper clips meticulously pinned to a corkboard. The tale, woven together with pieces of red string, revolved around the EVAS corporation. Are they the ones responsible for what is happening to me? As I unravelled clues and bits of information, I saw a narrative that seemed straight out of a dystopian novel.
It all began in the middle of the 21st century when a sudden surge in pollution plagued the world. This catastrophic event triggered a toxic epidemic called The Blight. The Blight spread like wildfire, ravaging the planet with its deadly and unfamiliar diseases. It began its sinister conquest by targeting plants and animals, but it wasn't long before it started to affect humans, putting our kind on the brink of extinction.
During this chaos, pharmaceutical corporations raced to discover a cure. My attention got turned to a firm known as EVAS. This name instantly felt familiar as their logo was plastered on almost every document I have found so far. It turns out that the native inhabitants of this island showcased an astonishing immunity to the blight, and a team of EVAS scientists was dispatched here to investigate.
The next part seems like something completely out of this world. I discovered that a powerful earthquake struck this region in the early 21st century, reshaping the landscape and giving birth to an extraordinary phenomenon. From the river coursing through the island emerged a mysterious substance – a greenish elixir possessing remarkable properties.
The news of this anomaly spread, turning the island into a tourist hotspot for several years. The townsfolk even rebranded their sole settlement as the marketing-savvy Green River. The water from this fabled river mirrored the miraculous effects of renowned mountain springs, strengthening the human body but falling short of miraculous healings. Eventually, the allure of Green River diminished, and the medicinal wonders of this substance were forgotten. Only a few island inhabitants, along with the flora and fauna, continued to bask in its blessings.
As the scientists of EVAS delved into their research, they discovered that the greenish water held a miraculous substance – a panacea capable of not only curing the blight but also shielding against the epidemic. Fuelled by this groundbreaking revelation, EVAS decided to start mass production. The substance was extracted from the river's waters, purified, and introduced to the market under the name Serum – a beacon of hope, marking the arrival of a new generation of medicine.
From that moment on, EVAS has become famous worldwide and started to introduce even more potent types of Serum. Some could even alter the body functions – increase intelligence, speed, or in some cases – prolong life. As their appetite for success and money grew, they started to test more advanced mixtures that were designed specifically for the elites. This could be why I was here in the first place. Was I one of their guinea pigs? If only I could remember more about how and when I got here – and what has happened to this place. Let’s hope I’ll find more clues further on the way.
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We have come to the end of our gameplay deep dives into the upcoming Steel Division: Men of Steel. It is time we coasted into slightly quieter waters ahead of the launch, but that doesn’t mean we have nothing interesting to show.
Today’s DevBlog will be a quick update on the work-in-progress of our next expansion, with some visual evidence!
How is it looking?
Our 3D artists are hard at work! All new units have been modeled for Steel Division 2: Men of Steel. Some of them, especially the Bulgarian ones, need to be reskinned. This is a long and painstaking process, but now almost entirely done. Only a few non-Bulgarian units have to pass through the Eugen workshop.
Not everything visual is 3D. As you can see below, the unit cards for the expansion’s infantry have also received their fresh lick of paint.
Some of the new vehicle cards, their models already done, have had their portraits taken.
New divisional insignias are also finished. Some of them were a tough cookie to track down, though. Thanks to the hard work of some of the Strike Team, we managed to do all the necessary research and turn the original hard-to-find insignias into something we could display in-game.
And to leave the best for last. While we are still implementing the final changes, dialogues, skins, models, and portraits, the expansion is already being tested by the Strike Team. It won’t be long before you get their first details and impressions!
Steel Division 2: Men of Steel Versus
In case you missed the last batch of gameplay insights into Steel Division 2: Men of Steel, be sure to check out our Gameplay showcases:
In Showcase #1 we highlighted the arsenals of the 1st Special Force Brigade and Kampfgruppe von Tettau.
In Showcase #2 it was time to put the spotlight on the 1st Airborne Task Force and 715. Infanterie-Division.
In the third one, aptly named Showcase #3, the units of the Groupement Dody and the 17. Divisioona were detailed.
And finally, in Showcase #4, we shared how the Bronirana Brigada and 1. Páncélos Hadosztály would look like in our new expansion.
Steel Division 2: Men of Steel Historical Description
That’s not all. For more detailed historical backgrounds, read all about the new divisions (in pairs) in our Versus DevBlogs.
Versus
The Wehrmacht reservist of the 715. Infanterie-Division and the paratroopers of the Allied 1st Airborne Task Force receive their highlight in our Versus #1DevBlog.
The Allied commandos of the 1st Special Force Brigade against the Market Garden-active Axis Kampfgruppe von Tettau in Versus #2 DevBlog.
The Finish-Swedish Axis 17. Divisioona and the partisan-infused and mixed Allied Groupement Dody in the Versus #3 DevBlog.
The Axis-Hungarian armored 1. Páncélos Hadosztály and the Soviet-allied Bulgarian Bronirana Brigada get their spotlight in Versus #4 DevBlog.
Aces And if you want to read more about the two new Aces - Allied Sergeant Tommy Prince and Hungarian tank commander Barnabás Kőszeghy - you’ll encounter in Steel Division 2: Men of Steel, look no further and check out this dedicated DevBlog here.
See you on the battlefield
That’s it for today’s DevBlog. Let us know what you think!
Be sure to join the Steel Division 2 community on our Steam forums. The latest Steel Division 2 news can also be encountered on our Instagram.
Looking for an online game? Visit the Discord server or Reddit page and get involved with the lively Steel Division 2 community!
