Before you dive into the post-apocalyptic wasteland crafted by id Software and Avalanche Studios for Rage 2, check out our handy tips and tricks guide! Rage 2 places players in a Mad Max-inspired setting, a desert landscape dotted with bandit settlements, military outposts, and mutant monsters... And it's the player's job to kill them all.

The wasteland can be an unforgiving place. Pretty much everything in the open world of Rage 2 is trying to kill you, so wary adventurers would be wise to heed our advice on how to survive. While the game offers a bit of direction on what to do after the brief tutorial, it's really up to each player to decide how they want to tackle Rage 2.

Related: Rage 2 Review Roundup: Hit And Miss

Rage 2 doesn't play quite like most open-world games, and a little bit of advice can go a long way in a game like this. For aspiring Rangers just starting out in Rage 2, here are some tips to help tame the violent, post-apocalyptic frontier.

Rage 2 Tips & Tricks For Beginners

Rage 2 QuakeCon 2018 gameplay trailer vehicles

Pick Your Battles: On the default difficulty setting, Rage 2 isn't a particularly difficult game, though some of the high-tier challenges can push back a little, especially the tasks which involve protecting solar panels from endless waves of enemies until they overload and explode. There's a ton of objectives in the open world; if one is presenting a difficult challenge, there's no shame in setting it aside and returning later, after you've scored some upgrades and earned some more powerful weapons and abilities.

Play On Hard: Like we said, Rage 2 isn't tremendously difficult outside of a few trouble spots. If it feels too easy, then crank up the difficulty! There are four difficulty modes, and the default normal mode is only the second setting. There are no PlayStation Trophies or Xbox Achievements attached to difficulty, so feel free to experiment until you find the level of challenge that works best for you!

Meet The Cast: After the linear tutorial mission which sets the tone for the game, the player character, Ranger Walker, is thrown out into the open world and tasked with meeting three allies who can help take down General Cross. Meeting with each of these three friends opens up a new skill tree for Walker. Before you go about careering through the wasteland like a full-tilt "chaotic good," take the time to unlock these skill trees. You'll be able to complete plenty of side content on the way, and you'll have access to more perks and upgrades sooner.

Rage 2 Screenshot

Where To Fast Travel: At first, it may seem like there's no fast travel system in Rage 2. It's not much of an issue in the early game, since points of interest on the map are practically eveywhere, and you can't drive your Phoenix car a quarter-mile without coming across a group of bad guys to shoot. Later on, though, you might want to fast travel from one side of the map to another. You can't just warp anywhere, but towns populated by friendly NPCs (like Gunbarrel and Wellsprings) serve as fast travel destinations, as do Chaz Racing Derby tracks. Another reason to meet up with the three ally characters is that their locations are all fast travel points.

Don't Drive Off-Road: Driving makes up a significant portion of Rage 2's gameplay, but it's mostly a relaxing respite from the fast-paced shooting action. While you may be tempted to venture off the beaten path and look for secrets, there's little to find outside of the main roads; in our experience, we've found it's best to stick to the roads, save for obvious examples like feltrite meteorites, which frequently land in convenient open plains. When it comes to navigating from point A to point B, don't bother going off-road. It's rarely worth the effort, and usually ends up wasting time.

Upgrade Wisely, Upgrade Often: There are a ton of different ways to upgrade Walker in Rage 2. Completing outposts and looting chests rewards cash and feltrite; cash is spent in town to buy items in vendors which can then be used to upgrade Walker with perks, while feltrite is used in the in-game menu to upgrade weapons and Nanotrite Abilities. We recommend putting points into improving the cooldown on useful abilities like Shatter, Slam, and Vortex. With regards to weapons, the Assault Rifle is simple, but arguably the best firearm in the game, so maxing that one first is a no-brainer.

Feltrite Feels Right: In the early game, resources may seem limited, particularly feltrite ore, since it can be spent directly from the menu and fuels upgrades for both Nanotrite Abilities and weaponry. Merely exploring the world and making sure to open every chest in a new area earns a strong amount of feltrite; Doctor Kvasir's skill tree features multiple upgrades which help in this regard, from making it easier to find chests and loose feltrite embedded in walls, to improving the value of said feltrite. The best way to earn that precious ore, however, is to pull it out of fallen meteorites, which crash land periodically over the course of the game.

Rage 2 Advanced Gameplay Tips & Tricks

Rage 2 Cyber Clinic Screenshot

Raid Lost Arks: Without a guide, it's unlikely that the average player will find every weapon and ability in Rage 2. There are a lot of Arks out there, and each of them contains a different goodie. Some are marked on the map, a few pop up in story missions, and many are particularly well hidden. in the game world. Drive around enough and they'll pop up eventually, and it's the only way to get sick weapons and upgrades like the Smart Rocket Launcher and Defibrillator, which are game-changing in their effectiveness.

Mix Up Your Weaponry: It's more than possible to conquer Rage 2 using little more than the starting handgun, rifle, and shotgun (which is obtained early in Marshall's first story mission). However, every gun is effective at turning bad guys into piles of blood and gore; when your primary weapon starts running low, switch it out for something else. There are no wrong answers... Except maybe the Revolver, which is generally more trouble than it's worth to wield in a heated battle.

Use Your Powers: The chaotic potential of Rage 2 really shines through when making use of Nanotrite Abilities like Shatter, an open-palm strike that would make a Jedi blush, and Slam, an Incredible Hulk-styled leaping ground pound. Combat in Rage 2 encourages rapid movement and weaving through the battlefield, shooting enemies and using supercharged abilities to turn bad guys into puddles of goo. Vortex and Slam go really well together, since Vortex lifts you up into the air, and Slam is more powerful when used at greater heights. Shatter can be upgraded so that it may be used twice in a row. Even if a heavily armored enemy manages to withstand the first strike, it won't survive the second.

Rage 2 Review Roundup

Jump Around: The double jump can be upgraded to add height and distance, and even mid-air levitation while aiming down the sights of a gun. Combine the double jump with an upgraded dash, which allows two consecutive mid-air bursts of speed, and you can practically fly around battlefields like a bird. Or a seriously deranged frog. For maximum height and distance, throw a Vortex charge on the ground, then sprint into it; at the leap's apex, use the double jump then the double dash. Using this technique, there's almost nowhere you can't climb.

Up Your Damage, Not Your Health: The doctor in Wellsprings can use expensive components to augment Walker's body, increasing three different parameters: maximum health, Overdrive duration, or damage output. While all three are useful, boosting damage output is the best option. Collecting feltrite from fallen foes restores health, as does activating Overdrive. A skilled player generally has more than enough time in Overdrive to kill every enemy on screen. Upping the base damage of every weapon in the game is useful in every single battle the player will ever fight in Rage 2. While being able endure more punishment can be useful every now and then, a damage booster proves its value every time Walker shoots an enemy. When maxed out, players deal 150% damage with all firearms.

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