A huge new Where Winds Meet update adds a stunning boss, granny-carrying races, and the buildcrafting tool I wanted most

Where Winds Meet update 1.2 has just dropped, and there's a whole lot to look forward to in what ended up becoming one of last year's breakout open-world games. From a gorgeous new boss encounter to events including Guild Battles and granny-carrying in the First Jianghu Martial Games, you'll be finding fresh things to do across the map. There's so much that's been introduced, in fact, that some of the changes I'm most excited for didn't even make the cut in developer Everstone Studio's latest patch notes, including the ability to properly analyze your DPS and see exactly what's working and what isn't in your build.

Where Winds Meet ended up as one of last year's most notable surprises; it's the game that just keeps on giving, providing you're able to look past its questionable translations, the robotic replies of its minor NPCs, and an often overwhelming number of menus to dig through. Plenty of people have committed to doing so in pursuit of its Wuxia-inspired action, however; after reaching an early peak of more than a quarter of a million active players on Steam, Where Winds Meet still pulls in daily highs of more than 75,000, with an impressive 88% of user reviews giving it the thumbs up.

All of that brings us to Where Winds Meet version 1.2, which has just launched today, January 9. As the game's second major overhaul, there's already plenty to bring you back into the fray, including the final showdown of the Kaifeng story chapter. This includes an absolutely stunning, painterly boss battle that you can get a glimpse of in the trailer above.

Two new lost chapters are also on the way, though they'll be arriving with updates on Friday January 16 and Monday January 26, respectively. The January 16 update will also introduce a mysterious solo encounter in the Mistveil Prison, while the Nine Mortal Ways Base will become available from Friday January 23. Explore this zone and you'll be able to find an entrance to another special stage "hidden deep within."

If that wasn't already enough, Guild Battles are coming too. The actual action starts in just over a week, but the preparation phase is currently underway, and you'll want to get started ASAP. Use this time to learn special skills that are exclusive to the mode and "will play crucial roles in the battles." The competition will run from January 17 through February 6, with matchmaking available on Saturdays and Sundays.

If you want to get your moves locked in before then, you'll be pleased to see that new boss dummies have been added to the training ground. These include several variants, and you're able to apply a range of buffs "to better simulate the conditions of an active battle." This is actually very impressive, as it now offers comprehensive damage breakdowns to see exactly which skills are making the difference in your build.

Perhaps combat is less your thing? Then join the First Jianghu Martial Games, which promises "human ladder building, carrying grannies, escaping secret chambers, and building guilds." This runs from now until Tuesday February 3, and competing in the various events will earn you and your guild Little Red Flowers, with bonus prizes when your squad hits major milestones.

On the other hand, players who are repeatedly up to no good might find themselves sentenced to Joint Punishment, with their allies and friends (with a high enough intimacy rank) also facing retribution. Choose to face public admonishment together in the form of a Joint Parade, however, and you'll get a sentence reduction based on the size of your entourage.

Among the numerous quality-of-life tweaks, we've got an upgraded photo mode that features up to three adjustable light sources, the ability to adjust environmental lighting and character silhouettes, and even a double-resolution setting to allow you to snag gorgeous shots even if you aren't playing on high settings. There's a filter-based automatic gear recycle feature, and an option to undo accidental mishaps through gear retrieval.

Rounding out the official Where Winds Meet 1.2 patch notes is the 'Fledgling' status, which is a special feature to welcome new players. If you create a new character, you'll have this applied for a total of 14 days, and you'll get special Fledgling Growth Chests as you complete certain challenges. Other players who take part in activities with you will also be rewarded, encouraging veterans to help out newcomers where possible.

On that note, it's time to talk about some of the other major upgrades that weren't actually mentioned in Everstone's list. Fieryheart tickets, earned through campaign challenges, can now be used on Legendary Gear Custom Chests in the shop, allowing you to select the exact tier-71 items you'll want up to three times per week.

The ability to create alt characters also briefly appeared for some users, but seems to have been stripped out already - we know it's coming eventually, so perhaps it slipped into the build a little earlier than planned. If you do see it, I'd avoid using it for now, as some who tried it are reporting problems with their main save.

With the update only just being released today, players are still in the process of discovering other changes that were snuck in quietly. Among them, you can now change the set bonus on certain gear pieces, with up to eight free attempts listed per season. It looks like Energy now replenishes every eight minutes instead of nine, the cap on Jade Fish has been increased, and there are some weapon balance changes that you'll need to do some close comparison to spot.

Where Winds Meet update 1.2 is live now, and you can play for free on Steam. If you're already invested, then there's certainly plenty of reasons to jump back in right away. For those who have been on the fence about trying Where Winds Meet, the Fledgling status means there's never been a better time.