Laugh it up, fuzzball
Vindictive, furry little aliens are headed your way. Carbine Studios has just revealed the Mordesh and the Chua, the final two of the eight playable races in upcoming MMO WildStar, and neither is what you'd expect. Both represent the oddball of their respective factions, with the creepy, mutated Mordesh flying against the down-to-earth nature of the Exiles, while the Chua are the antithesis of the pomp and circumstance that the Dominion typically exudes. But we've come to a definitive conclusion: the Chua are awesome, and we've pledged to join their rodent-like ranks in WildStar's planetary conquest.
Now, if you haven't already leapt aboard the Chua bandwagon, allow us to show you the light with these mischievous little varmints, alongside some exclusive screens of the fuzzy menaces. Don't be fooled by their small size--they're one of the Dominion's greatest assets in the fight to conquer the mysterious planet Nexus. Whether you're a diehard fan of all things cute and cuddly, or you just want to troll your Dominion buddies by wreaking havoc as a fiendish, highly intelligent rascal, here's why the Chua are the race to play.
They invent the best weapons in the galaxy
Say what you will about the Chua's diminutive stature, but don't ever call them harebrained. Despite their at-times manic demeanor, Chua are highly intelligent inventors who have a knack for building machines of mass destruction. With the Dominion providing the Chua with a steady supply of resources, they're free to construct some of the most destructive objects in the known universe. That includes a host of high-tech weaponry, as well as Planet Reapers, gigantic mechs that can decimate an entire landscape in no time flat.
Mondo Zax is one hell of a mentor
The scruffy, gizmo-packing critter you see above is Mondo Zax, your first point of contact in the Chua starting zone. His method for showing new players the ropes? Turning them into guinea pigs--or as he calls them, "very durable lab assistants"--for field experiments he fully expects you to die in. Besides sending you on missions to exterminate giant scorpions that could probably pincer you in twain, Mondo also loves to bark hilariously devious phrases at you. These include (but aren't limited to): "Don't make Mondo explode you," "Dissemble; dismantle; destroy!" and "Yessssssweet destruction."
You can make Chua as cute (or as hideous) as you see fit
Contrary to their Dominion allies' imposing appearances, the Chua's fuzzy exterior, small size, big ears, and precious little snouts make them the cutest alien race on Nexus. If you want to play up that cuteness to the extreme, feel free to do so--with the right combination of bat-like ears, light pink/baby blue fur, and a puffy little haircut, you can make a Chua that could easily double as an extra in a Disney movie. That said, you can take character creation in the complete opposite direction, constructing a butt-ugly Chua with buck teeth, warts, beady eyes, and an emo hairstyle. Whatever floats your boat.
Their movement animations are simply the best
While you have full control over the cuteness scale when it comes to a Chua's appearance, nothing you do can make their in-game animations anything less than adorable. When sprinting across Nexus' lush alien landscapes, the Chua have a look of pure delight on their tiny little faces. Jump, and your Chua's body will spring into the air with the buoyancy of a cartoon character. And when you need to dodge out of the way of an incoming attack, you'll always crack a grin at the way your Chua's nimble tuck-and-roll to safety.
Their combat prowess proves size isn't everything
Just because they're little doesn't mean the Chua can't pack a significant punch. Standing at around two-thirds the height of a human (and positively miniscule compared to the Exiles' stony Granok race), the Chua are no less adept at combat than any other race. We blasted Exile soldiers and scientists like nobody's business as a Chua Spellslinger, lining up plasma shots and firing incendiary blasts left and right. Plus, when PvP is inevitably added, you can use your small stature to your advantage, sneaking past enemies or running circles around them.
Chua are the furry rodent version of Mass Effect's Asari
Granted, you probably won't confuse a Chua with everyone's favorite tentacle-headed, blue-skinned race from the Mass Effect series. But just like Liara and her unisex ilk, the Chua are a mono-gender race, meaning there isn't a division between boy and girl. Ever had the experience of playing a female character in an MMO, only to have three misguided shut-ins hitting on you within minutes? That's far less likely to happen when playing a Chua (though we can't speak for the furry community).
Their methods of diplomacy are quite... explosive
One wonders how the other races of the Dominion--the humanoid Cassian, savage Draken, and robotic Mechari--haven't snapped and exterminated the pesky Chua swarming at their feet. As the race reveal trailer so beautifully illustrates, perhaps they're something of a necessary evil for the totalitarian Dominion, even if they have a tendency to replace wine with live explosives. That kind of mischievous streak goes back all the way to when the Chua first sided with the Dominion. During negotiations with Mechari dignitaries, the Chua repaid the provision of advanced technology with a gift of their own: the equivalent of an extraterrestrial stinkbug. The Mechari were none too pleased with the resulting explosion of corrosive ooze; the Chua thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen.
They're constantly ruining their surroundings, just like us
When you've got access to the most advanced technology on the planet, who cares about the environment? The Chua have a nasty habit of letting productivity and property development get a little out of control, letting pollution run rampant while the tinker away in their labs. Eventually, any trace of blue sky over a Chua encampment will soon be engulfed by a toxic smog, and all plant life will be paved to make way for factories. It got to the point where the Chua had to completely abandon their now-uninhabitable home world--and as humans living in the 21st century, we think we can relate.
Born to be wild
PC Gamer's in-depth Mordesh reveal
To learn more about WildStar, you'll want to check out everything we know about it. Now, if we'll excuse us, we'll get back to wishing our household pets were Chua.
