Here's what I think about the new update. Overall, I am a huge fan of the update. Lots of cool new content has been added, which is nice. All the skins and decors are excellent, those are a sweet addition to the game. Most of the guns too are great.
However, there are a few things I feel should be improved, especially regarding weapons. I will go over them in detail below:
I am not going to discuss damage and balance as these things can be tweaked as time goes one more easily.
Falkonian Shotgun/Rifle/Pistol/Sniper Rifle: Good weapon overall, but the blue rounds do not match the gun's colour scheme. Suggest changing to yellow CS-RC style tracers. Sniper rifle seems okay.
7-8/10CP Assault Rifle: This is a weird fish-gun. Not sure why it was voted so highly and added to the game, honestly. The foregrip seems to lack any sense, simply designed to look ergonomic even though the designer seems not to even know the definition of the word. Same with the thumbhole stock.
Overall this gun needs a total overhaul. An entirely new front end would benefit the gun very well.
3/10Gauss Rifle: This thing is very cool. No issues here.
10/10Minigun LMG-01m: First, needs to be renamed as its name suggests it is both a Minigun and a Light Machine Gun. It is also as far from a minigun as can be (besides items such as microwaves) as it has only one barrel. Gun itself has much too long a stock for PB2 as the character can't even touch the trigger. The gun also lacks anything resembling a machine gun's belt feed or large magazine - this thing is simply a combat rifle - or judging by the long length, a DMR/sniper rifle.
Overall, the design/art does not at all fit the function and name given to it.
5/10PHANX-92 Rifle: I approve of this design. Looks appropriate for the time period of PB2, and honestly one of the better guns in this update, could easily pass as something from the original game.
9/10Usurpation Sniper Rifle: Again, needs a rename or rework. The weapon does not fit the Usurpation colour palette at all, besides being rather large and hefty compared to the compact weapons of the base game.
Other than that, it's a neat alien gun.
5/10AV-135: I have a few issues with this one. First, for its harsh, loud sound, and low fire rate, it should do a fair bit of damage - suggesting a beefy round fired. However the magazine is an itty-bitty little stick obviously copied from the AK-47 series of guns. The gas system also obviously copied from AK rifles proves it's a cartridge weapon. The ejection port doesn't line up anywhere near the barrel, a rather shoddy oversight in my opinion.
That said, some very minor changes could make this one of my favourite weapons, very easily. Replace the AK-style magazine with a drum, box, or belt feed, and turn the gun from PB2's AK to PB2's PKM. The EP and half-size upper receiver could easily then be explained as the belt feed cover, and the EP could easily be explained as being on the base of the gun.
I want to like this gun.
6/10 right now, could easily be a 10/10 with some minor art changes.
Needle: There's always that one weird kid with a VSS Vintorez fetish...Seems a little too "tacticool" and modern era for the game. Otherwise, works nicely
7/10.
QCcV-50 Little Bastard: It's hard to ignore the fire rate. This will be a popular gun. The only issue I have with it is the bar connecting the pistol grip to the magazine well - it's entirely unnecessary and looks almost like it could be a folding stock in the stored position, yet the gun already has a stock extended.
Little Bastard, the gun with two stocks.
8/10RPG: Nice simple RPG clone with the usual 'futuristic' lights and flashes.
9/10Alien Laser Rifle Heater: Besides the unique laser fire, the design of the gun is unique yet perfectly fits the rest of the Alien/Usurper kit.
10/10RMK-36: People really seem to like thumbhole stocks for some strange reason. They're not exactly practical.Gun is fine. No strong feelings either way, nothing too exciting.
7/10Crossfire CR-45 Phantom: Little too much going on with this gun in my opinion. Could do with a little simplification as it's a cery crowded design. Other than that, no glaringly painful mechanical problems with the gun. This one works.
Again: Gun is fine. No strong feelings either way.
7/10SMG: Just a random modern """""ergonomic smg/pdw""""" that's somehow got through the voting process to get added to PB2. Literally nothing special about this gun that no other gun has in terms of design - it's just a very boring very standard 2000s/2010s era bullpup SMG.
Bullpups in general don't work well in PB2 as the characters hold guns close to themselves, but even without this it's an uninspiring design that hopefully will be overshadowed in gameplay by the Little Bastard.
3/10Energy Rifle: This is unique, futuristic, and fits the PB2 aesthetic. Not too much I can say honestly, but it does well in my opinion.
9/10CS Autocannon: I am sure this is meant to be a vehicle gun. Pretty neat design, could really do with a vehicle to be attached to, but either way it's a good gun.
8/10---------------
Hopefully I have not ripped on some people's favourite weapons too much.
PS - Everyone who failed to vote "Chemical Bucket" up to top spot is a heretic and shall be burnt at the stake. All hail the Chemical Bucket. (It could make a pretty cool grenade though, right?)