Staff Writer Paul "LockeColeMA" Cleveland got the chance to explore the game's latest update at an NCsoft event with members of the development team.

The Incarnate system introduces new powers in one of four categories:

Judgment: Damaging AoE and cone-shaped attack powers.
Interface: Modification of existing powers to add a passive effect such as a regeneration debuff.
Lore: New powers to summon Praetorian pets to fight for the character.
Destiny: Healing and supportive AoE powers.

These abilities are unlocked by gaining incarnate experience through the new level 50 trials, Lambda Sector and the Behavioral Adjustment Facility (B.A.F.). The B.A.F. is a reeducation center where prisoners have been mind-washed, essentially becoming sleeper Manchurian candidates loyal to the evil Emperor Cole. Players must defeat bosses while containing the escape, leading to a hectic battle and a lot of action... or so we heard. Instead of the B.A.F., our team got a chance to try out Lambda Sector through the use of the new Team-Up Teleporter function, which transports leagues directly to the trials.

Lambda Sector involves larger leagues of 8-16 players. Normally players start outside the wall of the trial and choose to either perform a frontal assault or to scale the walls, but we waltzed right in the front door using our super-powered GM friends. After defeating a powerful War Walker inside the facility, players are able to enter the lab proper. Doing so triggers an alarm, which would worry those of us without instant-kill commands. The alarm also starts a 5-minute countdown before the final boss, Marauder, arrives; in that time, our group split up to find any weapons available to help during the final fight. There are weapons caches and containment chambers on each side, and destroying them will give these items and add another minute to the countdown. The items you find grant temporary incarnate powers that help in the final fight against Marauder by either closing down his reinforcement portals or pacifying him when he powers up. The action was quick and difficult to follow for the most part, but we defeated Marauder without too many issues (beside me dying once or twice... oops).

After the hands-on tour, our guides gave a general outline of what's to come in the future for City of Heroes. Each new issue will include at least one incarnate trial but, unlike the current Issue, future ones promise to hold new items for players of all levels. Part of the joy of City of Heroes is creating a new and unique hero, so low-level content will obviously be added; according to the staff, CoH is a “very alt-centric game,” so they're trying to add something for everyone. And while the teams plan to expand lore slots and add more pets, they want a slow, gradual build-up, to keep from burning through all their good ideas at once. With that the meeting closed, offering plenty of new Issue 20 goodies for players and promises of more great features to come!