Players who want to hunt monsters in a post-apocalyptic landscape will enjoy Gunfire Games' Remnant: From The Ashes. In this survival-horror action shooter, they create a character that can wield a wide variety of weapons and items as they slay creatures that roam the night. Unfortunately, creatures get tougher to kill the better players get in the game. However, "tougher" doesn't mean "impossible." Sometimes, players just need some tips to make their time with the game much more enjoyable.
However, what could newbies do to make their monster-slaying much easier in Remnant: From The Ashes? As it turns out, newbies can easily get the hang of the game with a few nifty steps. Moreover, some basic tips may actually carry over throughout the game, transforming them into pros much faster. How would these tips work?
10 Expand From Archetypes
Beginners who play Remnant for the first time will be able to pick one Archetype from a selection of three. Each of these Archetypes offers a standard loadout such as guns, armors, a Weapon Mod, and a Unique Trait. Given this nature, players might think of Archetypes as Classes. However, it's revealed that players can actually acquire the starting loadout of other Archetypes, and even unlock their Weapon Mods later in the game.
As such, players should pick an Archetype that ties in closely to their preferred fighting style. However, they should also anticipate shifting focus later on in the game. The Archetypes include the melee-oriented Scrapper, the support/medium-range Ex-Cultist, and the ranged DPS Hunter.
9 Traits Develop Into Builds
With Traits, players can create unique characters that can outlast the Root in different ways. Similar to other games, Traits grant passive bonuses to characters depending on their characteristics. However, in Remnant, players start with three traits: Vigor, Endurance, and a third random Trait. Thankfully, players can unlock trait points as they level up and make achievements. However, players should also prioritize Endurance and Vigor, as they're vital to survival given they increase Stamina and Health, respectively.
Likewise, players should invest in the right Traits to help them develop ideal builds. For instance, Guardian's Blessing serves as a neat addition to a tank's arsenal, as it increases defense against melee attackers. Moreover, Bark Skin continuously increases player armor as they level up.
8 Weapon Mods Diversify Gameplay
Players can gain the upper hand against the Root thanks to Weapon Mods. Like in other games, these mods add special modifications and abilities to weapons in the game. However, unlike other games where mods add permanent buffs, Remnant's Weapon Mods have to be triggered by activating a mod gauge. As such, players get encouraged to engage in combat in order to make sure they maximize the Weapon Mods they have. However, given the opportunity, players should mind their playstyle when choosing certain Weapon Mods.
For instance, Flicker Cloak becomes a great asset against bosses, as this Mod summons a shield that can absorb 50-percent of the caster's Max Health in damage. However, this 15-second ability does come with a 10-second cooldown. On the other hand, Song of Swords gives all allies within a 25-meter aura to get a 10-percent damage boost for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, players can also get Weapon Mods that enable them to summon allies for a short while such as Rattle Weeds or Root Hollows (via Seed Caller).
7 Understand Status Ailments
Unfortunately, Status Ailments in Remnant can hinder a player's progress, especially if they don't know how to deal with them efficiently. Thankfully, the effects of Status Ailments only trigger if players receive enough of a Status Ailment during battle. Main status ailments include Bleed (general damage-over-time), Fire (burning), Rot (causes interrupt), Radiation (halves overall Stamina), Parasite (halves overall health), Corrosive (armor debuff), and Overloaded (explosion through an electrical attack).
In general, using the Cleansing Jewel or Checkpoints can remove all Status Ailments. However, it still helps to know which items remove certain Status Ailments, especially in sticky situations.
6 Encumbrance Matters
In a game where most hits can kill players easily, armor becomes a top priority. After all, the heavier the armor, the more protection it proves, right? While true, Encumbrance also plays a big role in a character's mobility. In Remnant, high Encumbrance slows dodge speed, which can spell the difference between life and death. Thankfully, Neutral Dodge speed isn't affected by Encumbrance.
As such, players should carefully choose their loadout in battle. If they don't need the heavy armor, they should stash it until they need it. Mobile characters should stick to gear that helps them dodge attacks, while they leave the heavy armor to tanks.
5 Master The Dodge
Given Remnant's similarity to Dark Souls, players know how important dodging becomes in most of the game. After all, getting hit even by weak enemies can pick off that precious health. And unfortunately, even minor bosses can land one-hit kills to characters who can't dodge properly. Thankfully, players who do time their dodges can get away from most attacks. Pressing the dodge key with a directional key makes characters roll in that direction.
Moreover, players also have access to a Neutral Dodge, which means just pressing the dodge key. Thanks to Neutral Dodge, players instead dodge attacks in place and land a counter-attack. When Burning, players can Neutral Dodge to put out the flames.
4 Keep Movement Dynamic
Interestingly, dodging and rolling aren't the only movement mechanics players need to take note of in Remnant. Thanks to the number of environmental elements in the game, players may be able to parkour their way past them - if they know what they're doing. For instance, players can get out of being cornered by enemies with a quick sprint.
Moreover, players can vault over small obstacles by jumping just as they sprint towards the object. In fact, they can also powerslide via the Left-CTRL (B) to avoid obstacles, or even slide towards cover.
3 Trust The Melee
Why use a sword when guns can blast through enemies from afar? As a survival horror action game with guns, players might think that guns rule since there's going to be ammo at some point in the game. However, as a survival title, players should remember that ammo for their favorite weapons will likely be scarce. As such, their melee weapon can be a lifesaver, especially in situations where enemies just want to get too close and personal.
However, instead of relying on melee as a last resort, this weapon type should be a priority for players to train. After all, the better they get in melee, the faster they can kill weaker opponents in the game. Moreover, melee weapons offer three types of attacks: a Normal Attack that builds into a combo, Charged Attacks that require holding the attack button, and a Lunge Attack that happens after a sprint.
2 Identify Weak Points In Enemies
Enemies in Remnant look tough to hit and even tougher to kill — but they're not invincible. With the right aim, hitting enemies in a few weak points can take them out immediately. As such, it's a good habit for players to get used to experimenting with their aim while fighting different opponents. The earlier they get to identify enemy weaknesses, the easier they can be taken out so teams can focus more on objectives.
However, this factor also means that players need to maintain their calm even in hectic situations. It's much more useful for players to time dodges and keep their aim steady in order to spot weaknesses that the party can exploit in the long run.
1 Diversify Loadouts
Thanks to various options in the game, Remnant can keep encounters and areas extremely dynamic for players. However, this also means the notion of a "go-to arsenal" becomes moot. It's important for players to maintain a diverse set of weapons and armor in order to make necessary loadout changes depending on certain enemies.
For instance, tank-oriented players should focus on defensive Traits. However, if they need to take on a Boss with high regeneration, then tanks should try refocusing their loadout and use weapons that deal DOT in order to stop the regeneration process.