One of Steam's biggest battle royale games gets the coolest weapon I've ever seen in new update

If I asked you to name the best battle royale games on Steam, I'm sure many of you would say PUBG: Battlegrounds first. Call of Duty Warzone and probably Battlefield 6, thanks to its RedSec mode, may come quickly after. Apex Legends is still trucking along too, bringing that Titanfall flair to the genre. However, I'm not sure many people would mention Naraka Bladepoint, NetEase's surprisingly enjoyable (and popular) wuxia BR. With slick movement, a great death mechanic, and enormous snakes that gatecrash your battles, it's a brilliant take on free-for-all fighting and its latest update offers an exciting array of new additions.

Like any good live-service game, Naraka Bladepoint keeps its players well-stocked with regular updates. This month, however, it's bringing a whipsword to the arena. Yes, you read that right.

The whipsword does exactly what it says on the tin. Whip it and it cracks with lightning powers, or slice it like a sword to deal deadly damage to bosses in the game's Showdown mode. Promising a varied playstyle with the opportunity to switch up your line of attack on a whim, this could be an interesting addition to the game's PvE experience. Honestly, I've never heard of a cooler weapon.

The update also brings Zai to Showdown mode, the perfect wielder of this brutal new weapon. Her ultimate in the battle royale mode has always been utilizing a chain scythe, so a whipsword feels thematically similar for the evil assassin.

Elsewhere in the Showdown mode, the hero level cap has been increased to 25 and some Melee and Ranged Souljades have been upgraded to Mastery Souljades. These can be equipped in the new Mastery Slot and have no elemental-wielding attributes. However, you get the effects of the equipped Souljade's main and sub attribute, which is a nice buff.

The ongoing Rift event also brings Ling Qiye to the game. If you're familiar with the Zhanshen anime (also known as Slay the Gods), you'll already be aware of the Nightwatcher, but the show's protagonist is now available as a skin for Inor Wan. Fan favorite Cyra also gets a new skin in the form of a witchy ballgown, which will no doubt be a hit.

If you're an anime fan, then you've got two more updates coming this month, presumably including the Lannie skin teased in the trailer. If you're still waiting to jump into Naraka, this feels like the perfect time. Zai is a beginner-friendly character and the Showdown mode is the perfect intro to the game's combat before you face off against other players in the PvP battle royale mode. After all, there aren't any other battle royale games that feature giant phoenixes soaring through the skies.