Rimworld Odyssey's unique new weapons give the colony sim the muscle it needs

Rimworld Odyssey is about to launch one of the most iconic and intricate colony sims into orbit as the new expansion lands this week. Ahead of its arrival, developer Ludeon Studios gives us a tantalizing final peek at what's in store, unveiling the new quests, a terrifying mech hive, and deadly drones. It's a scary world out there, but don't fear; along with Odyssey comes a new series of rare, unique weapons that are about to transform your colonists' capabilities in never-before seen ways.

With a multitude of fresh biomes to explore, more than 40 new animals that can be trained, harvested, or battled, and the ability to take your very own gravship into space, Rimworld Odyssey is an exciting upgrade for what's long been one of our best management games. With legendary creatures joining the fray, and interstellar threats lurking out beyond the atmosphere, you'll want to gear up as much as possible, and that's where the new unique weapons come in.

These new Rimworld unique weapons are "rare, one-of-a-kind variants of guns" that come with custom names, randomized traits, visual mods, and performance-altering abilities. "You might find a chain shotgun named Thunderous Gutspewer, with incendiary pellets and a short-range AI targeting system that tightens its spread," Ludeon teases. "Or a heavy SMG that fires toxic rounds, accented with a jade inlay that looks sick, but isn't very accurate.

"Some even come with underbarrel attachments, like a grenade launcher, smoke canister, or EMP cannon." To get your hands on these elusive, powerful tools, you'll need to delve into ruins, or raid orbital stashes out in space. Alternatively, there's a "secret method" you can use, or they can also pop up as quest rewards. In one such example, you hear a rumor from a visiting trader about ancient mercenaries awoken from cryosleep; find where they're holed out, take down their warlord, and you can claim his signature weapon.

You'll also discover old maps that point to forgotten zones such as abandoned settlements and hidden, derelict launch sites, which can prove valuable sources of rare materials. Some quests will even lead you off the planet, where you might find yourself tackling the ancient security systems that defend an empty space station, or fighting off salvagers that have already claimed such a prize for themselves. Perhaps you'll even be tasked with rescuing a fugitive hiding in a wreck among the stars.

The most terrifying of all, however, is the mech hive. This nexus of mechanoid production is driving the machines, and in order to stop it you'll need to pinpoint its location and build a signal jammer capable of disrupting its automated defenses. Manage to get inside and you'll be faced with incredible resistance, from heavy turrets to mech guardians. At the very center lies the Cerebrex Core, the superbrain commanding all mechanoids across the planet. You won't even be able to approach until you've disabled the stabilizers hidden across the facility.

Destroy these, manage to overcome the fortress's most ardent protectors, and make it to the core, and you're presented with a choice. You can destroy it, eliminating the mechanoid threat to your world and bringing an end to the conflict, or you could harvest the technology for your own use, earning you "a mechanoid weapon of untold power." Sometimes the temptation for chaos might just be too great…

Among the defenses you'll encounter in Odyssey, there are some terrifying drones and traps to watch for. Hunter drones rush their target and explode, but learn to build your own and you'll have a potent offensive tool. Wasp drones come in swarms, and inject paralytic venom into their victims, while sentry drones are endlessly patrolling, heavy-duty bots carrying vicious scatterguns.

Rimworld Odyssey launches Friday July 11. You can take a look through the latest developer blog courtesy of Ludeon for some extra glimpses of the smaller additions, such as statues, outfit stands, and heavy bridges capable of supporting a full colony out on the water.

If you're looking for more adventures among the stars, we've picked out the best space games on PC right now. For something more management-focused, here are the best city builders in 2025.

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