Remnant 2 is finally here, and our comprehensive beginner’s guide will prepare you for this unforgettable adventure. It’s one of our top July 2023 New Games Recommendations.
This third-person shooter ARPG is the sequel to Remnant: From the Ashes. It takes place a few decades after your last encounter with the Root, a pestilence that’s spreading across worlds and consuming reality in its wake.
In Remnant 2, your job is to find out what’s causing the Root and to exterminate it.
Before you head out into this dangerous new world, don’t forget to grab your Steam Wallet Codes from OffGamers.
Choosing the Preferred Archetype
When you first dive into Remnant 2, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is choosing your archetype.
There are four starting archetypes (five if you pre-ordered and unlocked the Gunslinger), each with a unique build.
- Hunter: Long-range specialist that can extend skill duration with sniper shots that hit enemy weak points.
- Challenger: More of a tank archetype with a skill that lets them power through fatal damage. Challengers start with a shotgun.
- Medic: A healer who can recharge the relic after restoring a certain amount of health.
- Handler: Has a dog companion that will fight alongside you and has a series of abilities that relate to their bond.
Make your decision carefully when choosing your archetype. You can switch to a different one later, but it will cost you.
Be Evasive and Be Aware of Your Weight
Like with any other action game, learning how to dodge and roll is crucial to your survival. But in Remnant 2, it’s not just your timing that you have to worry about – it’s your weight, too.
Just like in real life, the heavier the weight, the less agile you’ll be when rolling. In fact, with heavy weight, you’re just going to fall flat on your face.
Dodge rolling makes you briefly invulnerable, and the heavier your weight, the less invulnerable you will be.
Encumbrance is something you can’t ignore in this game. Be mindful of every piece of gear you equip. Check the left side of the character menu to keep an eye on your weight.
- Light blue numbers mean that your dodge will be the safest possible.
- Green means that your dodge will be affected, but still manageable.
- Yellow is pushing the limits.
- Red means that you’ll be flopping around on the ground instead of rolling.
If you prefer bulkier, heavier armour sets, then go with the Challenger archetype. Challengers have the Strong Back trait, which reduces your encumbrance.
Don’t Underestimate Melee Weapons
Remnant 2 is a shooter game, but don’t overlook the power of melee weapons. Unlike in the original Remnant, melee is actually viable in some cases.
It’s not the best choice for enemies covered in a status effect, but melee is a solid and effective way to knock back trash mobs and other monsters that get too close.
Remnant 2 has a nice selection of melee weapons. They’re upgradable, too, so you can do some serious damage with them.
Modify and Upgrade Your Weapons Often
Modifying and upgrading your weapons is a pretty basic tip, right? It seems like an obvious thing to do, but it’s easy to neglect or overlook this part of gameplay.
Whenever you can, make it a point to modify and upgrade your weapons. Why?
- You’ll deal some serious damage after you do.
- Some modifications and upgrades will deal effects on enemies.
So, head back to the Hub in between checkpoints. Along with upgrades, you can also buy some powerful weapons from Brabus.
Don’t forget to visit Ava to pick up modifications. She can take your crafting parts and turn them into new mods.
Mods will also change the look of your weapon, so that’s yet another reason to mod often.
To upgrade your gear, head over to the Rigs and talk to the blacksmith.
Dragon Heart Can Be Good and Bad
In Remnant 2, the Dragon Heart is your big heal. While this relic is certainly useful, it does have its limitations and it’s pretty pricey to upgrade. You can only restock it at the Crystal Checkpoint, and the animation is slow when using it.
In other words, you’ll be leaving yourself vulnerable to attacks when you’re on your last limb. Use Dragon Heart cautiously when you know you’re safe from getting hit.
Also, keep in mind that Dragon Heart isn’t the only option for healing. Bandages are cheap and can be really effective at regenerating your health.
If you’re playing co-op, save Dragon Heart for revives instead of healing. Otherwise, you’ll have no other way to bring your friends back into the fight.
Stock Up All the Time
In Remnant 2, the environment is cruel. Virtually everything is out to get you. Be prepared for whatever you may face by stocking up whenever you get the chance.
Make sure you have a supply of consumables like Balms on hand at all times.
You Can Have Multiple Classes
Once you reach level 10, you’ll unlock the ability to equip a secondary archetype. Make sure that you visit Wally once you hit level 10 and take advantage of this perk.
A secondary archetype will give you the abilities of another class – minus the Prime Perk bonus.
Having the option to mix different abilities can be really advantageous. When choosing your secondary archetype, we recommend going with one that:
- Complements your primary archetype
- Fills your skill gaps
Imagine mixing the healing abilities of a Medic with the Gunslinger. Secondary archetypes give you more flexibility and options for build crafting.
Remnant 2 Has Secret Archetypes
Speaking of build crafting – did you know that Remnant 2 has secret archetypes? They’re more difficult to unlock, but they give you even more options when choosing your secondary archetype.
The secret archetypes include:
Summoners
Summoners are great survivalists, but they’re also great at “being evil,” according to the class description. With this class, you can animate minions that get the attention of enemies and deal some pretty impressive damage in their own right.
Summoners also have the Regrowth Trait, which increases your health regeneration.
Explorers
The Explorer class substantially increases your loot, including:
- Better relics
- More scrap
- Rarer items
You won’t get much in the way of a combat boost, though. Explorers do have another perk: they can dash through areas more easily.
Alchemists
The Alchemist is a utility class that offers support and buffs to allies. With this class, you can also have more active concoctions to create a variety of effects.
If you play co-op, an Alchemist is definitely someone you want on your team.
Engineers
The Engineer class is fun. It’s all about dealing serious damage. Summon turrets that you can fire at enemies, or let them fire autonomously while you finish everyone off.
Engineers also get Fortify, which boosts your armour effectiveness by 5-50%.
Invaders
The Invader is a subtle warrior that specializes in evasion and shadow decoys. They can teleport around the battlefield and evade damage. This class can make some boss fights much easier because you’re guaranteed a perfect dodge in some situations.
Archons
If you’re a fan of modding weapons, you’ll love the Archon class. They’re specialists in mod power and generation.
It’s important to note that these secret archetypes can be really difficult to unlock. The items you need are exceedingly rare, so don’t get frustrated if it takes time to unlock them.
The Archon, for example, is the most challenging to unlock. It requires you to take a path that you wouldn’t have discovered organically, and you’ll need some really rare items. But don’t let this deter you from trying to get all of the secret archetypes.
Crystals Are Your Best Friends
Crystals are, essentially, checkpoints where you can rest, restock your ammo and refill your Dragon Heart. Make sure that you’re always on the lookout for them and take the chance to rest whenever you see one – even if your character is healthy.
Crystal checkpoints will repopulate the area, but that’s a small price to pay for restocking and preparing for what’s ahead.
Share the Experience with Friends
In Remnant 2, you can play solo, or you can bring up to three friends along for the journey in co-op. While it’s not necessary to play with friends, it makes the experience more fun and exciting.
Plus, when you play co-op, friends can revive you with a Dragon Heart. That will save you from having to start all over again from the last crystal checkpoint.
Having more players on your team also means that you can cover more ground more quickly. But keep in mind that enemy difficulty will scale based on the strongest member of your party.
Starting Zones are Different for Everyone
One thing that takes many new Remnant players by surprise is the fact that everyone starts somewhere different. When you start a new game and unlock the Hub, you’ll find yourself in a completely random location. Where you start your journey is completely up to chance.
Know How to Spot Boss Fights
If you have experience with Remnant, you probably know how to spot a boss fight. But new players may find themselves walking blindly into a fight they’re not prepared for if they don’t know how to spot these encounters.
If you see these two things, you know you’re walking into a boss fight:
- A small crystal checkpoint
- A glowing doorway
Boss fights are typically away from enemy spawns, so you don’t have to worry about being ambushed before you get back into the fight.
Break Stuff to Boost Your Cash
Money isn’t easy to come by in Remnant 2, but you’ll need it for virtually everything, from upgrades to armour and weapon purchases.
To get as much scrap as you possibly can, break things. Break everything you can find in the environment.
You won’t get rich by smashing tables and shelves, but every little bit you collect will add up over time.
Another way to get more cash is to sell excess items for scrap. If you have consumables and other items that are just collecting dust in your inventory, sell them for scrap.
Inspect Your Inventory to Discover Secrets
Whenever you collect a new inventory item, make sure that you inspect it. You never know what you will discover.
Some weapons, puzzles and other secrets are hidden in the items you collect. These items may also hold important clues, so always take a moment to look each item over.
Red Damage Numbers Indicate a Weak Spot
In Remnant 2, finding an enemy’s weak spot isn’t always easy or obvious. When you do hit the right spot, the damage text will appear in red.
Some enemies will have armour plating that you can knock off and expose explosive canisters.
Zombies may have their guts hanging out, and you can target these for extra crit damage.
Experiment with different strategies when fighting enemies to uncover their weak spots.
Complete Objectives and Defeat Bosses to Get More Traits
Traits are bonuses to your character’s stats, and you can collect them by:
- Completing objectives
- Defeating bosses
- Taking on new archetypes
- Finding Tomes of Knowledge
Sometimes, traits are collected when you complete objectives in certain ways.
Keep Your Ears Open
In Remnant 2, keep your ears open during combat. Audio cues will give you an idea of what you’re about to face.
Larger enemies get a special sound, so you’ll know that you’ll be facing a more powerful foe. Hearing that special sound will give you a moment to prepare.
One last tip: if you find that you’re up against an enemy that is just too much for you to handle, don’t be afraid to run away. It’s better to run and prepare yourself for the fight ahead than to blindly walk into the battle.
Remnant 2 is a challenging game with fun combat, an engaging story and an unforgettable experience. But if you’re still struggling to improve your skills, remember to watch gameplays and streamers on Twitch or YouTube.
And once you’re done with this title, check out one of these 7 Horror Games for Non-Horror Fans.
