Rest 2 Beginner's Guide: 9 things to know before you start

remainder 2the follow-up to 2019’s Sleeper hit Remnant: From the Ashesis a unique blend of third-person shooting and Dark Souls-Similar elements, all wrapped in a story about a cross-dimensional evil called “Root”.

If you’re a newcomer to the series like me, you might come into play with a lot of preconceived notions about how it combines gunfights and dodges. Here are a few tips that will prepare you to salvage reality with as few hurdles as possible.

Choose the right starting archetype

The first big decision you will make remainder 2 (unless you’re really concerned with customizing your main character’s appearance) it’s all about deciding on an archetype. After completing the tutorial, you’ll have your choice of four unique builds (five if you pre-ordered to unlock the Gunslinger from the jump), each with different abilities and starting gear.

challenger is a badass tanker who starts out with a shotgun and an ability that lets him deal deadly damage.
handlers They’re never alone, thanks to a dog that follows them to the ends of the earth and a range of skills that contribute to that bond.
Hunter is the in-game ranged specialist who can increase ability duration through well-placed sniper shots at enemy weak spots.
medicineNot surprisingly, it’s about healing. Its main benefit is the ability to recharge the relic (something like that). rest‘s answer to Dark Souls Estus Flask) after restoring a certain amount of health.

You can exchange archetypes (but it will cost you)

It happens to the best of us: you make a big decision and you regret it. Thank God, remainder 2 doesn’t force you to stick with the same archetype throughout the game. If you don’t like your entry-level tier, or you just want to experiment with different playstyles, it’s easy to change up. Provided, of course, that you have the money to spend on the necessary materials.

dr Norah sells the Medic Pin in a shop menu in Remnant 2.

Some Notable Residents of remainder 2 The Ward 13 hub area sells special items that can be converted into engrams, a fancy word for the tool you put in the archetypes menu to determine your class. Reggie carries the ancient metal tool that unlocks the challenger, Mudtooth holds the handler’s ancient whistle, Brabus presents the hunter with the rusty medal, and Dr. Of course, Norah has the Medic pin with her.

After spending 1,500 scrap (remainder 2If you wish to acquire any of these items, you must take them to Wallace, the frustratingly vague pseudo-psychic who lives in the crane above Ward 13’s dockyard. He turns them into engrams for 10 Lumenite Crystals (which can be dropped from Elite enemies or found in chests) and an additional 1,000 Scrap per piece of useless Scrap. From there, to change class, all you have to do is swap out the engrams at any time in the Archetypes menu.

Master the dodge roll

Although certainly not as vital as in Dark Soulsthe dodge-roll mechanic found in remainder 2 will often be your strongest defensive tool against both the game’s main enemies and larger-than-life bosses. Dodging makes you invulnerable, but only for a handful of frames. So it’s in your interest to get a feel for how you survive attacks unscathed. Finding time alone with a single enemy can be difficult, but if you ever find yourself in a one-on-one encounter, I recommend creating your own tutorial by taking some time to simply dodge attacks for a few minutes. You will thank yourself as you advance in the game and the fights become more and more deadly.

Four Remnant 2 characters of different weight loads perform dodge rolls in Remnant 2.

Pay attention to the weight of your armor

Another important aspect to consider when dodging is your load. Every piece of armor inside remainder 2 has a weight value and the total load of all your gear can impede your movement and reduce invulnerability frames on your dodge roll when things get too heavy.

A quick look at the left side of the character menu tells you everything you need to know about your gear’s weight: a light blue number means your dodging is as safe as possible, green is slightly worse but still manageable, yellow is arguably the upper limit of effectiveness, and red means you’re falling awkwardly to the ground instead of rolling.

Armor weight can be reduced slightly when playing as a challenger. The archetype comes with a trait called Strong Back that reduces the strain the more points you invest in it. If you plan on wearing some of the bulkier armor sets in the game, don’t discount Strong Back. At max level it can save up to 10 Encumbrances.

Keep an open mind during combat

It can be tricky in the fog of battle, but keep an eye out for some telltale sound effects as you mow down the root, as they hold the key to understanding how the battle plays out and what to expect next from your enemies.

Have you attacked a monster or two that you thought were just around the corner with half a dozen of their friends waiting to strike? Well, you should have looked out for something like a low-pitched warhorn, indicating you’re being ambushed left 4 Dead

Style through a number of the area’s basic enemies.

Likewise, a high ringtone means you are facing an elite mob, stronger enemies with much more health and special powers. These idiots can appear almost anywhere. So when you hear the sound effect (it’s hard to describe, but the longer you play you’ll become more familiar with the dangers), scan the area and finish it off as quickly as possible.

Use the right weapon at the right distance

Anyone who has played first-person or third-person shooters knows that specific weapons have specific uses. For example, snipers are there to take out targets at long range, while shotguns perform better when they’re close to the enemy. remainder 2 takes this concept a step further by giving every weapon in the game what is called an “effective range”.

In addition to information such as damage, clip size, and ammo capacity, your weapon’s stats include their “ideal range” and “drop range” to give you an idea of how best to use them. The former obviously indicates the weapon’s sweet spot, while the latter indicates the point at which you start to feel your damage. You won’t be severely penalized for being a meter or two outside of a weapon’s launch range, but don’t try to take down enemies from the center of the map with a pistol, for example, or effectiveness will drop drastically.

Estimating distance can be difficult, especially during intense battles. So you can quickly and easily find out whether your weapon is within the ideal range by looking at the crosshairs. A small dot in the center of your crosshairs means you’re good to go.

Upgrade your weapons

Okay, yes, this is probably pretty obvious to most of you, but don’t forget to upgrade your favorite weapons. Even though the material and money requirements increase at higher levels, it’s in your best interest to keep your weapons in tip-top shape over time remainder 2

‘s campaign. Basic enemies, elite mobs, and even most bosses are a breeze if you take the time to visit the blacksmith every time you return to Ward 13. So similar Dark SoulsSuccess depends a lot more on the status of your weapons than the work you’ve put into your character’s stats.

Cure that cough

After completion remainder 2After completing the 10th Century tutorial and becoming familiar with Ward 13, you will eventually visit a lush forest called Yaesha. (Where your adventure begins is randomized, so you won’t necessarily travel there immediately.) But don’t be fooled by Yaesha’s beauty: many of its denizens inflict an annoying status effect known as root rot. In fact, it’s so annoying that you want to make sure you have the required cure on hand to treat the disease before you actually get it.

Root rot doesn’t do you any direct damage, but periodically causes your character to cough up fits. And while a sore throat may sound negligible when battling an evil, dimension-hopping hive, that cough interrupts almost everything you’re doing, leaving you vulnerable for several seconds. Dodging can partially negate the duration of the effect, but you may not always have stamina left, especially in some more hectic combat encounters.

A vendor is selling Oilskin Balm in a shop menu for Remnant 2.

Fortunately, a healing item called Oilskin Balm is plentiful in Ward 13, as well as in Yaesha itself. Before leaving the former, visit Dr. Norah to stock up on medicine, and if you’ve already traveled to the latter, a horned figure named Bedel – hard to miss as he’s literally waiting for you at the start of the area – can lure you in. Both retailers have the item in stock for 100 pieces each.

Bedel also sells a Rotward ring for 500 scrap that completely prevents root rot. This can also be an option if you’re having trouble avoiding the effects.

Take a screenshot of everything

The ability of modern consoles and PCs to take video game screenshots with a single button makes solving puzzles easier than ever remainder 2 has some great stuff.

If you come across a book or a unique setting, I strongly encourage you to take a screenshot and keep it in your digital back pocket. You’ll be surprised what constitutes a clue remainder 2, and without a compendium or quest log to scroll through, you want as much information at your fingertips as possible so you don’t have to back down. I’ve found some interesting loot simply by taking in the key details of a backstory or a set of icons and pulling up the necessary screenshot to refresh on something I read half an hour ago.