Team17 and PlaySide Studios have launched Rebellion’s Rise, the latest update for dark fantasy survival real-time strategy game, Age of Darkness: Final Stand. The update introduces the early access title’s first long-range Hero, Cyrus, a noble-turned-rebel, who can inflict ranged attacks with his bow and – as his experience on the battlefield develops – slow the progress of the Nightmare horde with explosive caltrops.

Rebellion’s Rise also introduces new units for each of the game’s three factions: The harbinger, a slow-moving ranged support unit for The Volatists; the fast-moving, high attack speed rogue for The Rebellion; and the lightbearer, a multi-purpose unit for The Order that can scout, fight, or heal allies, with the added benefit of exploring through The Veil – the game’s fog of war – without consequence.

As Cyrus gains experience and levels up in his fight against the Nightmares, additional abilities are unlocked, including:

- Splintering shot (Level 2) A passive ability that creates a conical area of effect behind the point of impact
- Snipe (Level 3) Causes high damage to the first target hit; each enemy hit also has a chance of triggering a Splintering Shot
- Caltrops (Level 4) Spawns between 25 and 50 small but explosive caltrops that have a slowing effect and area of effect damage, as well potentially trigger other caltrops to explode
- Violent Volley (Level 6) A volley of arrows that will detonate any caltrops they overlap with, as well as having a 30% chance to trigger Splintering Shot and increased attack speed for Cyrus

Currently in Steam Early Access, Age of Darkness: Final Stand features proprietary SwarmTech technology allowing over 70,000 enemies – the Nightmares – to be rendered on screen simultaneously, as they try to overcome player’s attempts to defend humanity’s last vestiges of hope.