Phase 1 of Warframe’s melee overhaul has arrived

Being a space ninja just got cooler than it already was: Warframe has rolled out the first phase of its much-anticipated melee combat overhaul along with Operation: Buried Debts.

Buried Debts is Warframe’s first community event of the year, and it’s introducing the new chonky Hildryn warframe. She’s an interesting frame, using her shield pool rather than energy to perform her abilities while hefting a huge archwing firearm.

As much fun as she’ll be, perhaps the biggest addition coming with Operation: Buried Debts is the first phase of Warframe’s melee combat rework. Now you’ll be able to switch from ranged to melee instantly, and your melee combos will resume where you left off if you decide to momentarily switch to a gun. But simply being able to instantly switch between modes means melee combat is about to get a lot more attractive, since you won’t have to “lock in” to start slashing and clubbing. 

There are other nice changes to melee, including the ability to aim your ground slams, and the fact that blocking is now automatic. The ‘F’ key is now used for switching between primary and secondary weapons, and the mouse is dedicated to firearms by default—although there’s a handy toggle if you prefer using the mouse for your up-close-and-personal fighting.

More information on Warframe’s melee overhaul is available on the game’s official forums, and you can get the rundown of everything else that’s new with Operation: Buried Debts on the Steam page.