Rage 2 is a first-person post-apocalyptic shooter developed by id Software and Avalanche Studios and published by Bethesda as a sequel to popular 2011 game Rage. With its over-the-top combat and gory graphics, this wasteland will get you succinctly immersed in finding the next enemy hideout, clearing it out, getting upgrades and moving to the next den.
Rage 2 throws players into the fray right from the opening sequence. You start by choosing a female or male soldier named Walker, as a battle with The Authority rages at your base. Soon, you obtain a powerful suit of Ranger Armour from the fresh corpse of a Ranger, and that's only the beginning of this insane adventure. The armour is infused with 'nanotrite' technology, allowing you to obtain 'superhuman' abilities.
You may find yourself in a bit of a pickle at the beginning as you will not have access to the potential that the Ranger Armour holds. Fret not, for this guide will help you get through the journey to conquering the wasteland.
You can ignore the campaign
In the beginning, you may want to experience the life of a Ranger in the wasteland. Sure, you will be recognised everywhere you go. You will also be able to access a network of three legendary allies, and aiding them to take down the Authority will be your goal. Meeting them will also unlock fast travel points at their towns, so you won't have to wander for kilometres across the (rather bleak) desert landscape. The campaign is pretty short, and you will reach the final mission after completing the set of quests for each ally at Level 5. You will need to do the initial set of campaign missions to unlock the projects, after which you're good to go.
Upgrade frequently
You can find parts to upgrade all eight of the weapons and choose a perk for each of the five levels of upgrades. You will need a lot of Feltrite (in-game currency) for this, so take it easy and clear out the lower-tiered enemy hideouts before moving on to the big guns. By the time you are done with the second set of quests for each of the three allies, you will have enough experience and money to do what you want. You'll need those upgrades when you're defending a pylon from hordes of 'Shrouded' or when you're down in the sewers hunting gargantuan Mutants.
Back out if things are too hot
The locations for enemy settlements range difficulty from tiers 1 through 10, so you can decide if a challenge is too much for you. You can always turn back and upgrade your skills if things get too hot to handle. Maybe get the double jump to avoid enemy fire, or the gravity pulse to smash into a group of said enemies. Rage 2 is all about quick movement and using skills to their full potential. Upgrade your way through the various projects, especially the cooldown on abilities, and you'll find yourself turning up the difficulty because the level of challenge isn't enough.
Prioritise finding the Arks
Arks are protected domes that conceal 'nanotrite' technology – abilities and guns can be found in Arks scattered across the wasteland – but they will usually have an enemy settlement built around them. These settlements also have components for upgrading weapons. After tearing through goons and such, you will be able to unlock the Arks and obtain the technology. The game throws in a quick tutorial and then sends out enemies on your way out for you to test your new powers. You can find Ark locations by interacting with NPCs or you can purchase maps for Ark locations from vendors at the trade towns.
Go into Overdrive
Rage 2's Overdrive makes you an unstoppable killing machine as you regenerate health and deal increased damage. Each weapon gets a significant boost in Overdrive mode. The standard Assault Rifle you get in the beginning may end up being the one you use most, but consider using other weapons too. For example, the Combat Shotgun is pretty powerful against mutants that try to get close, as just one accurate shot is enough to knock a few heads. The Firestarter pistol can also prove useful at the beginning of a fight – tag multiple enemies and light them on fire. In Overdrive, all these weapons discharge massive firepower, capable of taking down giant mutants in seconds.
Explore
Rage 2 offers a vast world with a lot of activities – racing with a crazy cast of speedsters at ChazCar Derby, gladiatorial fighting through mutant hordes at Mutant Bash TV, take down automated sentry towers and solving puzzles to find logs from lost Rangers, among other things. You can drive around in the Phoenix and fly across the desert in Icarus after you've unlocked it. You will find a lot of merchants in Wellspring who will aid you with components and ammo. The Cyber Doc can augment your character to give you a boost to damage, overdrive or health. On your journey, you will meet a slew of weirdly named characters from Dognbone von Carrotcake and Watson Whoopinkoff to Moulder Pus and Just Tony. Talking to the NPCs around towns will give you special side-quests. These won't be tracked so you'll have to refer to the log to remember who to talk to.
Rage 2 offers an escape from the clutches of mundanity with its fast-paced action and slapstick humour. It makes you feel overpowered in a fashion similar to Saints Row, but without the glamour. You can grab this game on Steam starting at Rs. 3,999. It is also available for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
