Its time, offworlder. Your journey through and more importantly, escape from Calitana is about to begin. And while you might have the skills and virtues to succeed, you shouldnt get ahead of yourself. This is no walk in the park. Do not go in unprepared. Do not go in ill-equipped. If youre not going into this with the right mindset, Calitana will chew you up and spit you out. Thankfully, were on hand with some advice. Pay heed:

INFORMATION IS POWER (READ: USE YOUR NOTEPAD)

Information will not be served to you on a silver platter. When someone tells you about something they need or a location you need to get to, TAKE NOTES. You will not be offered a quest journal or waypoint markers or anything that takes away from your sense of agency. The in-game notebook (and the notes you choose to write in it) are your only guide. Use it.

KNOW YOUR BACKGROUND. KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS

Your experiences and histories dictate who you are, and how you interact with the world around you. Before you begin your journey, answer the questionnaire about your birth and occupation(s). Choose your virtues and your studies. And dont rush this. Your choices define your background. Each background has its Privileges and Woes; be mindful of the skills you pursue, as they'll influence how you'll proceed to tackle the hardships of Calitana. Did you put all of your Studies points into Slug Guns? Then use those whenever you can, and skip the Laser Guns. Know your strengths, basically, and play to them.

TAKE THE SIMULATION TRAINING

Nobody is above training. And while no simulation can accurately recreate the hive of scum and villainy youll find in Calitana, its also true that going into the real thing uninitiated would be.unwise. Talk to Medic when you first arrive in Calitana (or choose Tutorial from the Main Menu before your journey formally begins). Run the simulation. Get familiar with what youre capable of. Movement. Your weapons. Hiding. Sneaking. The flow of battle (see below!). Learn how this all comes together, and you should be ready when you hit the streets of Calitana for real.

UNDERSTAND THE RHYTHM OF COMBAT

You move, they move. Thats what you need to learn. Need a moment to think through a scenario in your head? Plan out your actions? Do it. You have time. But as soon as you move or attack again, so too do all of your opponents, simultaneously. Say it again: you move, they move. Internalise this fast-paced turn-based thinking and youll find your groove.

GET ACQUAINTED WITH YOUR MAP

From the dense jungle to the grimy suburbs to the heart of the city, Calitanas open-world can be explored at your leisure. But it can feel overwhelming at times, and nobody is going to hold your hand. While getting your bearings is on you (nothing will familiarise you with the jungle colony better than simply exploring), your map is always on hand for reference. Use it. Set your own waypoints. And, in combination with the Notepad, create your very own system for making it through the world.

THE SHADOWS ARE YOUR FRIEND

Maybe youre a gun-slinger. A risk-taker. Somebody who shoots first and asks questions later. Thats cool. But then again maybe youre not. Maybe youre somebody who prefers to skulk through shadows and get the job done without making a scene. Nice and clean. Keep an eye on your interface, and keep two things in mind: your enemies line of sight, and your own noise-making radius. If both of these are looking safe, stick to the shadows and slink through quietly - just be sure to crouch to minimise any noise. If your enemys attention is worrying you, however, you can always create a distraction

DONT GO IT ALONE

Youre a badass, we get it. But escaping Calitana on your own will be tough. Take advantage of the various denizens of the jungle colony who might be able to lend a hand - if youve invested in your Charm studies, you should be able to easily sway somebody to your cause. Calling them friends might be a stretch, but recruiting a team of travel companions might turn the tide of battle in your favour. If a particular situation is proving too tough, why not go on a hiring spree, and come back with some friendly firepower added to the equation.
Ok, you ready? Great. See you on Calitana, offworlder. And may the dice be ever in your favour. Want more? Check out the Mechajammer Feature Deep Dives into Combat, Stealth and Exploration https://store.steampowered.com/app/485400/Mechajammer/