After 6 years, Riot Games is finally bringing a new PvE game mode to League of Legends. This new mode, called Swarm, is set to launch in July and promises to offer a fresh, cooperative gaming experience that is quite different from what players have seen before in the popular MOBA game.
League of Legends Swarm event
Story
Swarm will take League of Legends players back to the world of the Anima Squad skin line, placing them in a story-rich setting where humanity’s last stronghold, Final City, stands against a new threat: the Primordians. According to Riot Games, these sea-dwelling creatures act like the planet’s white blood cells, aiming to eradicate humanity. The members of the Anima Squad will fight back using re-engineered Primordian technology in an attempt to save the world from this threat.
Event Duration
The event will kick off with the release of Patch 14.14 on July 17. Riot Games is encouraging players to dive into this new mode instead of enjoying the warm summer days outside. While an official end date for the event hasn’t been announced, it is expected to last about a month, similar to previous summer events. Whether the mode will return in the future will depend on its popularity.
Gameplay
This game mode will differ significantly from the traditional combat style seen in Summoner’s Rift. One of the major differences will be the control scheme. Instead of moving with the mouse as usual, players will use the WASD keys, which is a familiar setup from other types of games.
Riot Games had to rethink the champions’ abilities to fit this new mode, focusing on movement and teamwork to succeed in clearing all the levels of Swarm.
Gameplay Style
In Swarm, players will face numerous enemies while defending their territory. The mode is essentially a Bullet Hell experience, meaning players will grow stronger each time they die, similar to the mechanics in ARAM. During each round, players can collect weapons and items, although these will only provide limited assistance in the early stages. After dying, players will continue to level up and can choose a bonus, becoming progressively stronger with each death.
Player Count
While Bullet Hell games are typically designed for a single player, League of Legends is fundamentally a team-based game. Therefore, players can choose to face the horde of enemies alone or team up with a group of up to four people. Playing in a group has its advantages, as teammates can revive each other at any time. However, for those seeking a greater challenge, tackling the mode solo is definitely an option worth considering.