Hawken Invasion Patch adds Co-Op mode, New Predator mech stalks about

It's hard to think of Mechs as capable of being stealthy. Their engine makes all kinds of ruckus, while their metallic joints and heavy feet make sure anyone can hear or feel them from quite a distance. But pit a bunch of them against each other and suddenly the sounds of your enemies are drowned out by the sound of your own machines gyros whirling about.

So it was with that in mind that the developers behind Hawken released their new stealth mech, the Predator. An Ambush specialist, the Predator can camouflage itself while simultaneously revealing nearby enemies, even through terrain. The downside is it reduces long distance vision while active and is easily deactivated by doing anything other than prowling about.

The Predator's weapon loadout reflects the medium-class mech's close combat affinity. Two new weapons, a remote detonated mine launcher and a chargeable nail gun come standard equipped on the Predator. The mech can also disrupt the enemies vision by disabling their visors with a special Predator-only disruptor item.

Invasion also adds a new Co-Op mode which aptly fits the patch name. Co-Op Bot Destruction pits groups of players against 25 waves of invading bots, with each wave progressively harder than the last. Adhesive Games mentions players can upgrade their mechs between waves to increase their damage and armor, or reduce their heat generation.

Players must choose one mech to bring into battle and can only be revived by teamates. Every few waves, the group will face off against special boss mechs which require coordinated attacks to destroy. The new Co-Op mode allows players to earn the same credit rewards as the usual PvP modes, which should entice players looking for new ways to earn advance mechs.

The full patch notes can be viewed here which include additional information regarding bug fixes and balance updates.