Tactical Turns[]
After starting an ambush, players will no longer be able to move their characters freely, and will have to move each one in turn. If a player decides before using a turn that their characters are not in a good starting position, or for other reasons including forgetting to upgrade first, they can end the encounter early by pressing on the EXIT COMBAT on the lower right corner of the screen.
Each character has two action points available, although certain mutations such as Run 'N' Gun can increase this to three. Some abilities such as sprinting uses two action points. How many action points a character has is visible above their action bar on the left side, represented by large dash marks. Some actions such as SHOOTING, THROWING (grenades) and SPRINTING will end the turn once used.
To move a character, use the WALK ability. A grid will appear on the ground showing where the character can move to. Selecting a location will cause the character to move. While moving, they can still be attacked by enemies who have chosen the OVERWATCH ability in their previous turn. Overwatch allows them to use one action point during the player's turn which can be used to fire a weapon at a player character within range.
White grid areas use one action point, orange areas use two, and red areas are unavailable to move to, often because an object is in the way or it is on an non-accessible level. If there is a high-ground area nearby, utilize it before starting the encounter, using characters who have an increased crit/hit chance from high-ground. Not only will this increase the chance of victory, but the stalker will be harder to hit, and melee characters will have to use extra action points to reach them.
After obtaining a level, remember to upgrade each character's skill trees, if appropriate. Many mutations will require several points to unlock, but don't forget to do it when you can. Players will gain more characters than can be used in a single encounter, but all characters will gain increased points since it is the player that levels, not the characters individually. Remember to assign them when swapping new characters in to the team.
It is best to position stalker into behind covers to gain additional defense bonus. Low cover gives 25% meanwhile high cover gives 75%.
During the enemies turn, each enemy will also have two action points to spend. There are many encounters where the enemy team size is four or more, especially if reinforcements have been alerted. If playing on any difficulty other than normal, this will almost always be the case. Some enemies will have unique abilities. Learning their patrol patterns prior to an encounter is a good practice. Remember which enemies are in Overwatch and are waiting for you to present them an opportunity to use it. Avoid giving them the opportunity if possible.
Controls[]
PC[]
- LMB - turns flashlight on and off. When the flashlight is on, the character can move about freely. Having it off puts the character into a sneak mode, slowing the character's movement and making them harder to detect.
- RMB - used for setting a character into Hide. This only works when next to objects they can hide behind, such as tree, fences, walls, and boulders. Click RMB again to recall the character out of Hide.
Abilities[]
- WALK - allows movement of the character. Far distances will require sprinting and will take 2 action points.
- FIRE WEAPON - Fires the character's primary weapon
- RELOAD - Depending on the weapon's magazine size, characters will need to reload once the ammunition runs out. This will take one action point.
- OVERWATCH - Delays the character's turn and instead allows it to be used during the enemy's turn at a computer-chosen tactical moment. Enemies have this option as well.
- DIG DOWN - Tells the character to hide in their current position. Using the option to Dig Down will increase the character's defense levels while hiding. This option does not stealth the character. High cover is always better.
- HEAL - Uses an available medkit at a targeted location to replenish health. If a character is down, it will allow them to stand back up, but keep in mind that they will only have a few hp, so they could go back down before the fight is over. Using a med-pack on a character while out of combat will heal the character to full. Medpaks are expensive, but worth having as it is the only way in the game to regain lost health points.
Tips and Tricks[]
- Stalker can move around the obstacle to flank the enemies that are hidden by the high covers. Enemies that are flanked immediately loses the defense bonus.
- Use stealth and survey the zone prior to engagements! Many encounters will include enemies who path away from the group and are easily taken out silently if you know where to find and ambush them. If they are not eliminated individually, the player may find their situation overrun with enemies they did not know were in the area, and the fight becomes much harder or even impossible.
- Enemies with a red skull icon are too high a level for the player to take on. Sneak past them and look for loot and scraps. Come back to the over-leveled enemy later.
- Players gain a 25% aim bonus when shooting things in the light. This includes shooting enemies who are on fire.
- Characters can step out of high ground to fire a shot, but not low ground.
- Knocking down an enemy can interrupt a multi-turn action such as a med-bot's heal.
- Med-bots will ignore player characters as long as there is an ally to heal.
- Reserve medkits for out-of-combat heals if possible as they will always heal the character to full regardless of how much hp they are missing. Do this any time a character has less than 50% health after an encounter.
- After finishing a zone, move to the next one before returning to the Ark to unlock it for fast travel.
- Carefully sneak around in higher level zones to find equipment and scraps that can be used to make that zone's encounter easier later.
- Avoid starting an ambush with all three party members close together. One well-aimed grenade from the enemy could end the fight quickly.
- Upgrade often! Use your first artifact to get the vendor price discount.
- Set up characters for specific encounters or gameplay. Different characters may appear better for specific roles due to character specific mutations such as Selma's Tree Hugger, Bormin's Hog Rush, or Magnus' Chain Lightning, but the helmet, armor, and weapon can alter their tactics entirely.
Resources[]
- Scrap is used to buy items in Iridia's Shop. Use the flashlight and search every nook and cranny for it while in The Zone. This is a must!
- Pick up or buy Medkits at every opportunity. These are essential and the only way to heal a character. Use them out of combat if the character has less than 50% health. This will heal them back to full.
- Artifacts are items found in the zone that can be returned to Pripp's Place in exchange for points in a special skill tree.
- Weapon parts are exchanged for weapon upgrades and are essential as upgrades increase stats such as damage and critical hit.
Gallery[]
