Welcome to The Cycle: Frontier, a PvPvE survival FPS set on the alien world of Fortuna III. Whether you’re flying in solo or teaming up with friends, this guide covers all the fundamentals you need to start looting, crafting, surviving, and progressing through the game’s systems without getting overwhelmed—or struck by lightning.

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Core Gameplay Loop – Risk vs Reward

The gameplay in The Cycle: Frontier borrows heavily from the Escape from Tarkov model:

• Build a loadout
• Drop into the world
• Loot by scavenging, mining, or combat
• Evacuate with what you’ve gathered

But here’s the catch: if you die, you lose everything, except for what’s stored in your safe pockets. These hold only a few items, so make your choices count. The more valuable your gear, the better your survival odds—but also the greater your risk.

To soften the blow, you can insure items before deployment. Depending on the plan, you’ll either get the item back or be compensated with K-Marks if it’s lost.

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Loadout and Deployment Prep

Before dropping, set your gear:

• Weapons and attachments
• Ammo, armor, and healing items
• Tools like the pickaxe or scanner
• Keycards for locked locations

And above all: don’t forget a backpack. A bigger backpack means more carry weight, which translates directly into more loot. That’s the game’s core goal—maximize your haul, then escape alive.

Choose between two maps:

• Bright Sands (normal difficulty – best for beginners)
• Crescent Falls (higher risk and reward)

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In the Field – Survive and Extract

Once deployed, you’ll encounter:

• Other players – hostile or cooperative
• AI mobs – varying in strength and aggression

You can sneak past both by crouching to reduce noise and visibility. Be aware of fall damage too—vertical terrain is deceptive and punishing.

At any time, a storm may roll in. It limits visibility, prevents evac, and even brings down lightning strikes. Seek cover and wait it out.

Loot isn’t truly yours until you extract. If you find something valuable, consider heading to evac early. Just be warned: other players may be camping extraction points.

Calling an evac takes time and draws attention from mobs and players alike. Once the ship arrives, you only need to be inside when the bar reaches 75%—not the full duration.

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Factions and Reputation

Three factions shape your progress:

1. Korolev – Mining and engineering specialists
2. ICA – Law enforcement / security faction
3. Osiris – Scientific researchers

Each faction has:

• A unique shop with exclusive gear
• A line of missions
• Its own XP and level system

You can gain faction XP by:

• Completing missions
• Selling loot to the faction

Each time you sell items, you gain a bit of XP for that faction. So choose whom you support carefully.

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Crafting, Printing, and Repairs

At the gear printer, you can:

• Craft top-tier gear
• Repair damaged equipment

Crafting requires:

• Raw materials (found during raids)
• K-Marks
• Wait time, which you can skip using premium currency

The better the item, the more it costs and the longer it takes. Make sure you’re investing wisely.

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Your Base – Long-Term Progression

Your base isn’t just decorative. It’s where you manage long-term upgrades and resource generation:

• Speed up crafting times
• Expand your safe pocket (so you can retain more on death)
• Increase stash storage
• Upgrade generators to passively earn K-Marks
• Improve daily supply crate quality

You’ll need vouchers (from missions), materials, and currency to upgrade these systems. Over time, this makes your play loop more efficient and rewarding.

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Why It All Works

The Cycle: Frontier hits a sweet spot between intense, high-risk looting and accessible FPS action. It features:

• Fast, satisfying gunplay
• A rewarding and scalable looting system
• A strong progression model that rewards planning
• A beautifully realized alien world that’s just as dangerous as it is stunning

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Final Tips

• Start with Bright Sands and green gear until you’re confident
• Always bring a backpack and plenty of meds
• Insure anything valuable until you’re confident in surviving
• Choose a faction to focus on and commit to it for faster progression
• Sneak, fight, or flee—each playstyle is viable, just pick the one that suits your loadout

If you take the time to prepare, think tactically, and learn from your losses, Fortuna III can be incredibly rewarding.

Good luck, Prospector!