Everspace 2 has finally left Early Access, bringing an exhilarating looter-shooter experience to space-faring pilots. If you’re new to the game, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with 10 essential beginner tips to help you navigate the cosmos and survive the chaos. Whether you’re focusing on combat, exploration, or trading, these insights will set you up for success.

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1. Managing Weapon Energy and Loadout Efficiency

In Everspace 2, energy management is key to sustained combat. Your weapon energy bar, displayed on the right side of your HUD, depletes as you fire. Instead of waiting for it to recharge, swap to a secondary weapon to keep your offense going while the first one regenerates.

Additionally, always carry at least one long-range weapon like the Flak Cannon or Coil Gun. This allows you to engage enemies from a distance before they close in. Your secondary weapons (such as missiles) can complement your loadout, covering weaknesses. For instance, using EMP missiles to disable shields before blasting enemies with a Scatter Blaster(shotgun-style weapon) is a great combo.

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2. Mastering Ship Abilities and Devices

Your starting ship comes equipped with an EMP device and a boost, but you’ll unlock more as you progress. The EMP ability stuns nearby enemies, giving you time to clear out weaker foes before focusing on stronger threats. Always use it when swarmed.

Devices fall into two categories:

• Targeted Devices (Radar icon): Require enemy targets.
• Instant-use Devices (Green Arc icon): Can be activated anytime.

Your Ultimate Ability is also an important tool, capable of turning the tide of battle. These powerful skills vary depending on your ship and should be used strategically when overwhelmed.

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3. Understanding Weapon Types and Tiers

There are 10 weapon types in the game, each with distinct advantages. Experiment with different setups to find what works best for your playstyle. A Flak Cannon, for example, deals splash damage, making it great for crowd control or even damaging larger ships indirectly by targeting external turrets.

Weapons come in four tiers:

• Common (White)
• Uncommon (Green)
• Rare (Blue)
• Superior (Red)

Each higher-tier weapon has additional perks, with Superior weapons gaining three unique perks. You’ll also find Legendary variants later in the game, which offer even greater bonuses. Keep an eye out for set bonuses from specific weapons or gear that enhance your ship’s abilities.

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4. Exploration Rewards the Bold

Exploration is incredibly rewarding in Everspace 2. Your HUD only displays objects within sensor range, so you’ll need to fly around actively to reveal hidden loot, resources, and valuable upgrades.

Keep an eye out for:

• Asteroids with hidden caves
• Supply caches behind energy shields
• Secret stashes inside rock formations

A great rule of thumb: if something looks like it can explode, shoot it! Containers, fuel tanks, and gas canisters often contain materials used for crafting and upgrades.

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5. Prioritize Getting a Cargo Unit

Cargo space is limited early on, so obtaining a Cargo Unit as soon as possible is essential. A Cargo Unit allows you to dismantle excess gear, which in turn provides crafting materials and unlocks blueprints for crafting new items.

Even if you have to purchase one, the long-term benefits make it worthwhile. The sooner you get a Cargo Unit, the easier inventory management becomes.

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6. Crafting and Upgrading Gear

As you collect blueprints and materials, you can craft or upgrade your weapons and equipment. However, in the early game, upgrading isn’t essential, since you’ll frequently find better gear.

Best practices for crafting:

• Don’t upgrade too soon—leveling up naturally provides new weapons.
• Upgrade sparingly—focus on key components like your Energy Core.
• Save resources for later tiers—Superior and Legendary items are worth upgrading when you reach the endgame.

Also, invest in companion perks early on, as they last the entire game and provide significant benefits.

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7. Trading for Profit

Throughout your journey, you’ll encounter Commodities, which can be sold for credits. The recent update introduces a helpful commodity value indicator:

• Red = Not worth selling.
• Orange = Average price.
• Green = High profit.

Selling common commodities as you acquire them is a good strategy early on, while higher-tier items can be stored for bigger payouts later.

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8. Using Mainframe Expansions Wisely

Mainframe Expansions are obtained from missions and puzzles. When you collect three, they combine into one Mainframe Expansion, which can then be used to upgrade a ship attribute.

Since ship stats carry over when purchasing a new vessel, use them as soon as you obtain them to improve your ship’s performance consistently. You can also reallocate points later if needed.

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9. Choosing the Right Ship Type

There are three ship categories:

• Light Ships: High speed, low armor.
• Medium Ships: Balanced speed and durability.
• Heavy Ships: Slow but tanky with strong firepower.

Ships also come in different tiers, unlocked as you progress. If you want to buy a new ship, save up credits and check shipyards in stations.

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10. Bonus Tips: Leveling and Advanced Flight Mechanics

• Leveling Heals You Completely: Upon leveling up, your health and shields fully restore. If you’re close to a level-up in the middle of a tough battle, consider delaying healing items and focus on earning enough XP to trigger a full restore.
• Use Inertia Dampeners for Precision Flying: By turning off inertia dampeners (bindable in settings), your ship will continue moving in the last input direction. This allows for more controlled drifting, making combat and certain puzzles easier. You can always turn them back on for tight corridor navigation.

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Final Thoughts

Everspace 2 is an exhilarating experience filled with high-speed combat, deep customization, and rewarding exploration. By mastering weapon energy management, utilizing your ship’s abilities effectively, and optimizing trading and crafting, you’ll find yourself dominating the cosmos in no time.

We hope these beginner tips set you up for success in your space-faring adventures. Let us know what tips helped you the most, and feel free to share your own discoveries. Fly safe, pilot!