The Soulslike's rise to fame in the action RPG genre isn't surprising. The high difficulty and environmental storytelling that characterize these games gave RPG fans an enticing combination: a game where the player could focus as much or little on the story as they wanted, all while developing the keen reflexes and strategic insight they would need to defeat an army of difficult enemies.

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Steelrising stays true to the roots of this subgenre, keeping its focus on difficult combat and interlocking combat mechanics. With weapon infusions, stacking afflictions, and other battle systems to consider, Steelrising gives action fans plenty to keep them busy. Though the game's similarity to other Soulslikes will make it easy to pick up for beginners, a few tips go a long way toward easing the experience. Here are some tips every beginner to Steelrising should know.

6 Focus On Physical Damage

Steelrising - Castle

The Soulslike is one of the most difficult video game genres. Difficult enemies, deep combat mechanics, and a reliance on skill and memorization rather than luck make many of these titles a challenge to survive. Since the player is only ever one enemy away from the Game Over screen, knowing how to dispatch enemies quickly and completely is an essential skill, no matter how short the game is.

In Steelrising, weapon damage begins with each weapon's Physical Damage value before multipliers and other effects are considered. For this reason, investing points in Power, Agility, or both is a good idea for new players, since both of those stats directly impact the base Physical Damage the player deals.

5 Infuse Weapons

Steelrising - City

Physical Damage may form the bedrock of the player's attacks, but it's far from the only consideration. The player has the ability to infuse their weapons with an element such as Flame or Frost in order to inflict status effects such as Burning upon enemies. These status effects allow the player to better control the flow of battle, either by dealing passive DoT or by restricting enemy movements, keeping the player safe and letting them set up additional attacks.

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It takes some time to save up for weapon infusions, but they're well worth the wait. A number of unique playstyles become possible by adding weapon infusions to the player's arsenal of abilities. The situations in which one infusion is more effective than another isn't always obvious, so beginners should take some time to experiment with each weapon infusion and learn their pros and cons.

4 Use The Avarice Module

Steelrising - Combat

Modules aid the player by granting them a variety of passive effects, helping them on the battlefield while letting the player's focus remain on the enemy in front of them. The Avarice Module increases the amount of Anima Essence that enemies drop. Because Anima is used to acquire upgrades, having more of it is an obvious advantage.

Having additional Anima is a big deal, especially for players new to the game, so as soon as the Avarice Module becomes available, it's good to pick up. Cutting down on the time it takes to gather Anima to spend at the Boutique is important for more than just mechanical reasons. Upping the Anima drop rate simply feels better, so it's a great QoL fix early on while the player is still learning to make the most of the game's various Soulslike systems.

3 Conserve Spirit Essence

Steelrising - Flag

There are three types of Spirit Essence in Steelrising: Essence of a Lesser Spirit, Essence of a Valiant Spirit, and Essence of a Noble Spirit. These contain 250, 500, and 750 Anima, respectively. Using Essences fills the player's pockets with Anima they can spend for useful upgrades at the Boutique. So why would the player not want to simply use Essences as often as possible?

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If the player dies twice before they are able to retrieve the Anima they drop upon death, that Anima is lost for good. Once players are better at the game and more confident in their abilities there's nothing wrong with using Spirit Essences as soon as they're acquired, but for beginners, it's a large and unnecessary risk. It's better to use only as many Essences as the player needs to make their purchases, leaving the left inactive so that too much Anima isn't jeopardized if something goes wrong.

2 Break Everything

Steelrising - Hero

Pots, crates, barrels, and other breakable containers are scattered throughout the game, and it's to the player's advantage to smash all of them. As it is in many other Soulslike games, these breakables often contain loot that will help make the character stronger.

Loot-collecting doesn't end at crates and barrels, however. There are a variety of other containers that the player can smash for loot, and many of these are found in places the player wouldn't necessarily expect. Keeping one's eye out for loot on the ground is good, but it can also be found in sandbags suspended from trees by ropes. By being aware of one's environment and keeping an eye out for any opportunity to grab additional loot, the player will have the gear they need in no time.

1 Stack Afflictions

Steelrising - Water

Being able to set an enemy on fire, freeze them in place, or stun them with electricity has obvious strategic value. These effects are the reason that weapon infusions are so important in Steelrising. The player isn't limited to inflicting an enemy with just one elemental status effect at a time, however. With the right attacks, the player can stack multiple afflictions upon an enemy.

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The strategic possibilities that affliction stacking opens up are numerous. Though it will take a while for the player to master the timing and strategies for them all, it's fine to just jump in and experiment with different combinations. Maybe the player wants to freeze an enemy in place and then set them ablaze for additional DoT. Maybe the player wants to disrupt an enemy's movements with electricity, making it easy to land an ice attack that will bind them more completely. Steelrising has a variety of fun and effective strategies that can arise from this kind of combination, making stacking afflictions one of the most enjoyable parts of combat.

Steelrising is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

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