Warframe's Isleweaver update is live right now, and we're headed back to Duviri

It's an open secret that I am deathly afraid of spiders. While smacking them around in games like Diablo and World of Warcraft has certainly helped, when one of those eight-legged demons appears in my flat, all hell breaks loose. So when I heard that the newest Warframe, the arachnid-inspired Oraxia, sports various insectoid legs and can effectively turn into a scrambling spider, I was pretty sure I'd be coming back for whatever update is after Isleweaver. Then, I heard we're returning to Duviri to chase after 1999's much-beloved Major Rosalka, and decided that it was time to put my fears aside and dive back into the weird, fantasy-inspired world that introduced me to Warframe in the first place.

The Duviri Paradox, while met with a somewhat mixed response, is still one of my favorite parts of Warframe. Feeling like the testing bed for Soulframe, Digital Extremes' upcoming fantasy game, its weird blend of high fantasy tropes and the space game's signature style make it one of the most unique zones I've ever seen. So, when I heard we were heading back there in search of 1999's notorious Major Rosalka, and that there was a whole new island to explore, it was music to my ears.

But Rosalka's not the only one causing trouble. The looming threat of the stone-like Murmur and, of course, The Man in the Wall (or The Indifference) looms over the Kingdom of Duviri, threatening to destabilize it even further. It's your job to find out what's going on and bring an end to these malevolent machinations.

Amid the chaos, however, lurks Oraxia, the long-awaited spider Warframe. Sporting insectoid legs and a poison-focused DoT (damage over time) build, she's the perfect frame for glass-cannon assassins who love one-shotting foes and getting out unscathed. Oh, and she can go invisible. Invisible spiders. Great.

Her lair lies at the heart of Duviri's new island, the Scholar's Landing, where you'll face off against her in a brand new mini-boss battle. You'll be able to purchase Oraxia as soon as the update launches, with a unique bundle including her Arachna Armor, Chelicera Helmet, Scyotid throwing weapon, Spinnerex whip, spider-inspired Scuttler Domestik Drone, and the Zygiella Ephemera. There's some Platinum in there too, of course, but let's be real, the highlight is the whip. An invisible spider, with a whip. It just gets even better.

Speaking of better, Valkyr has also received a significant rework, which hones in on her berserker identity. Her new passive, Rage, empowers melee weapons when you kill enemies, and will grant three seconds of invulnerability when it reaches 75% or higher. This works perfectly with her refined abilities, which are all about charging into the fray and obliterating your enemies.

And there's plenty of Murmur to shred through. There's the brand new Operation: Eight Claw, which sees you reunite with the Mad King of Duviri, Dominus Thrax, who's rather perturbed by Rosalka's incursion. Defeating the Murmur will net you a brand-new weapon and a three-tiered Signa, and as a fashion frame enthusiast, I need the latter.

If you're also a cosmetic obsessive, there's the new Aphrodita collection for support goddess Citrine, which is absolutely gorgeous, and you'll finally be able to take your frames into Duviri itself. Isleweaver is here, folks, and it's not playing games.

Finally, Digital Extremes has heard our feedback on the game's new-player experience which, as a relatively fresh-faced Tenno, I can confirm is a bit of a baptism by fire. There are changes to junctions, which now have improved UI and better rewards, as well as updated tasks. You can read more about that here.

The Warframe Islewaver update launches today, Wednesday June 25. Note that you'll have to completed Warframe 1999's storyline, specifically The Hex, in order to play the new content.

In the meantime, however, check out our list of all the active Warframe codes to grab some new glyphs and emotes or, if Duviri has you yearning for more information on Alca, here's everything we know about the Soulframe release date.

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