Everspace 2 delivers an exhilarating blend of fast-paced combat, deep exploration, and rewarding progression. Whether you’re new to the game or looking to optimize your playstyle, these essential tips and tricks will help you navigate the dangers of space with confidence.

---

Combat Essentials: The Art of Space Warfare

Everspace 2’s combat is fluid, high-speed, and incredibly dynamic. To survive and thrive, you’ll need to make full use of your weapons, devices, and abilities. Always consider equipping a balanced loadout with multiple damage types. Energy weapons excel at depleting enemy shields, while kinetic weapons are best for shredding armor and hulls. Missiles can act as powerful shield-busters, especially when dealing with well-defended foes.

One often-overlooked mechanic is the ability to toggle between multiple missile types by pressing ‘R’ if your loadout allows it. This can provide a tactical edge by allowing quick adaptation to different enemy defenses.

Weapon Energy Management Each weapon in your arsenal has its own energy reserve. If you drain the energy of one weapon, switching to another will allow you to continue firing while the first weapon recharges. Keep an eye on your weapon energy meter, located to the right of your reticle, to maximize your damage output.

---

Missions and Leveling Up

Everspace 2 features a variety of missions, each with a recommended level range. For a smoother experience, aim to be at or just one level below the suggested mission level before engaging. If you’re under-leveled, consider taking on side missions or jobs at quest hubs located in space stations, ships, or planetary locations. Completing these jobs will not only grant you experience but also renown rewards, which can be claimed in your data tab.

Grinding side missions can be a smart strategy if you’re struggling with tougher enemies, ensuring you’re adequately prepared for upcoming challenges.

---

Devices: Your Key to Victory

Devices in Everspace 2 are some of the most powerful tools at your disposal. These gadgets provide unique abilities and can drastically impact your combat effectiveness. As you progress, you’ll unlock a variety of devices—experiment with different ones to find what best suits your playstyle.

Devices can be upgraded over time, making them even more potent. While their specifics will be covered in greater detail in another guide, remember to actively utilize them in combat rather than relying solely on weapons.

---

Exploration: Discovering the Wonders of Space

The universe of Everspace 2 is stunning, filled with breathtaking planets, star systems, asteroid fields, and cosmic landscapes. However, exploration isn’t just for aesthetics—it also rewards players with valuable materials and hidden treasures.

Your ship’s sensors have limited range, meaning that thoroughly flying around each area can reveal ores, supply caches, and other hidden loot. These resources are crucial for both crafting and upgrading your skills, so make sure to scan and search carefully as you explore new regions.

---

Cargo and Inventory Management

Managing your inventory effectively is vital. One essential tool is the cover unit, which allows you to break down items and expand your inventory space. You won’t get one right away, but as soon as you do, prioritize breaking down weapons and ship components instead of selling them. This will ensure you have the necessary materials for future upgrades.

---

Crafting: What’s Worth It and What’s Not?

Early on, crafting isn’t a major focus and isn’t particularly valuable for common items. However, once you start obtaining uncommon gear (green rarity), crafting becomes more useful. It’s best used to supplement your gear if you have items that are at least two levels below your current level.

To learn blueprints, you must break down three identical items of the same quality. For example, breaking down three common Blaster Lasers will unlock the ability to craft more of them. This system allows you to gradually expand your crafting options without relying entirely on loot drops.

---

Trading: Buying Low, Selling High

Trading can be a lucrative side activity, particularly if you travel between different sectors. Pay attention to the color-coded borders around commodities:

• Green-bordered items indicate low demand in the current sector—this is when you should buy.
• When selling, look for green-bordered items again, as they indicate high demand in that region.

Hovering over a commodity will confirm whether it is in low or high demand, helping you maximize your profits through smart trading.

---

Mainframe Expansions & Ship Types

Mainframe Expansions are valuable items obtained through missions. Once you acquire three, combine them in your inventory to create a Mainframe Expansion, which can then be used to enhance your ship’s attributes.

A key advantage of mainframe upgrades is that they carry over between ships. This means that any enhancements you make will stay with you even if you purchase a better ship later on.

Choosing the Right Ship Everspace 2 features nine different ship types, ranging from nimble fighters to heavy gunships and drone carriers. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, allowing for a variety of playstyles. Experimenting with different ship types will help you find the one that best matches your preferred approach to combat and exploration.

---

Final Thoughts

Everspace 2 offers an incredible mix of combat, exploration, and progression. By managing your resources, optimizing your loadout, and taking advantage of missions and side activities, you’ll steadily grow stronger and more capable of handling the game’s toughest challenges. Whether you prefer to dive into fast-paced dogfights, explore the vastness of space, or engage in tactical trading, there’s something for every kind of pilot in this thrilling adventure.

Let us know if you have any questions or if there are specific topics you’d like covered in future Everspace 2 guides. Fly safe, and good luck out there!