Hi, so I've stopped playing after prices galore (before Sööma) and now I've played a few matches as raider and wanted to let you know how I feel, since quite a lot has changed.
Sööma: I tried her ability in solo mode first. I don't want to let a team down. However it doesn't work there. I'm still experimenting with her, she seems okay-ish, much like Aneska, but maybe a bit more fun. I somehow think she was especially made to keep the old man alive.
Aleph drops: I had to ask that online how it works after I played a match. I'm not that big of a fan, becausing meleeing elites doesn't feel as rewarding. Also it's quite hard to see where/when/how the aleph-deposits get new aleph. However, Ginebra is probably more useful, as are other that can't go into melee as easily.
It really changed the gameplay more to that of a normal shooter, because you don't need to melee all that much.
General Gameplay: I don't know what really changed, but it feels a lot more chaotic and fast. Perhaps there are more ennemies, or the camera angle changed?
Difficulty: White tiers (even tier 1) seem to suck more than before, but that probably means, that beginners have more fun playing and stick to it.
Antags are tough, even when they are low tier. I still have to figure out how they can start a hunt for a raider. I think they have more fun than before, and I am fine with that.
Gameplay change: Kuzman got a shield? Okay, glad that you keep tweaking the game with some nice extras. Don't know if that shield is relevant though, but whatever.
Emotes: Love em! The new emotes are really cool. But since they have to be bought for every raider, I should really focus on 2-3 raiders at most.
Red Sun Event: That new sword does not look great, very similar to the other sword and is very expensive. The weapon skin is not all too great as well and hella expensive. I don't dislike events like these and I hope that it brings more money to you (you deserve it for the whole game!). I hope this pays off but it's not for me.
Recommendations:
Give Elites one aleph back as well as having (fewer) aleph stacks spawn on the map. And/or make the aleph on the map have an aleph outline you can see through walls, just like ennemies. Perhaps make it noticeable a bit before it spawn, so players rush towards the spawnpoint.
I would prefer to give more meaning to melee. You balanced it a bit too much in favour of just shooting things.
All in all: Great to see that the game surprises me and that you experiment with things. I'll keep playing (more casually for personal reasons) and spending money if I think something looks cool and is not overpriced.
