Killzone: Shadow Fall multiplayer progression ditches XP: Honors, shields & more detailed

Killzone: Shadow Fall developer Guerrilla Games has released another multiplayer details blog, which runs down how the new progression system works, as well as leaderboards, shields and more.

You can find the first part of the blog series here if you missed it.

The second instalment confirms that XP progression is gone, replaced instead with points that are earned by completing challenges online.

The blog explains, "Unlike previous Killzone games the multiplayer progression in Killzone Shadow Fall isn’t based on XP, but on Challenges. Completing a challenge adds a point to your rank, and rewards you with weapon attachments as well as enhancements to your abilities and visual identity. There will be more than 1500 challenges available when the game launches, ranging from straightforward (“Destroy 1 Turret”) to very specific (“Kill 1 enemy player with Laser Tripmine while they are carrying a Beacon”)."

It's an interesting system, and on top of that you'll be able to earn Combat Honors in a game. These stackable rewards are unlocked by spending points in a round and you can have as many of these as you like. The caveat is they disappear when you stop playing, and must be bought all over again.

Weapons can also be upgraded with two attachments at any one time, and each weapon has varying selections of tools that can be equipped. The blog stresses that all weapons are skill-based, and there will be no buffs such as reduced recoil or auto-aiming in the name of balanced, fair play. This is definitely a good move.

The blog adds that Exoskeletons or Jetpacks will not appear in the multiplayer component at launch, and explains, "Their inclusion would introduce a wide number of new variables and exceptions to account for, and we want to focus on offering fair, reliable and consistent Warzone customizability."

Finally, on shields, the blog explains, "Players can now select the ability to deploy a smart nano-shields that block enemy attacks while allowing allied projectiles through. The nano-shields can be destroyed or knocked out with EMP weapon attachments, or simply deconstructed when no longer needed. As with all class abilities, players have the option of disabling nano-shields in their custom Warzones. We’ll cover the classes and their available abilities in more detail in the coming weeks."

We'll update you once the next batch of details releases.

What do you think?

Killzone: Shadow Fall releases on PS4 November 15 in North America and November 29 in Europe.