Warframe’s next operation is a big battle between mechs and evil AI

The best part about playing Warframe is using your titular Warframe to ninja jump, slash through scores of soldiers, and flip past security measures to steal secret artifacts. The free-to-play game’s next Operation puts a twist on that usual formula by forcing players to abandon their Warframes, and instead pick up big stompy, skull-adorned Necramech to fight back waves of Sentient AI enemies.

Players earn the Necramech by completing the initial quests on Deimos, a moon of Mars. Deimos serves as a big open world hub in Warframe, and it hosts a ton of activities and lore — including the chance to acquire and upgrade your own Necramech. These are a much slower alternative to the usual Warframes, but they make for an interesting change of pace as they have firepower and durability for days.

Operation: Orphix Venom will pit players in Necramechs against waves of Sentient AI enemies that disable their Warframes. Players who have not unlocked their own Necramech will be able to effectively rent the ability by taking control of abandoned mechs on the battlefield so they can contribute to the mission.

This will work similarly to Operation: Scarlet Spear in that players can complete multiple battles to earn Arcanes, valuable Warframe upgrades that are tricky to obtain through the usual means of Eidolon hunts. An even more valuable unlock will be Lavos, the newest Warframe. Lavos is an elementalist with powerful self-healing techniques.

Operation: Orphix Venom is coming “soon” to PCs; a console release will follow shortly afterwards.