Venturing into the perilous world of Icarus requires more than just a sturdy axe and a sense of adventure. Whether you’re a newcomer or an experienced prospector, these survival tips will help you navigate the dangers, maximize efficiency, and make the most of your time on the planet. From fundamental survival strategies to advanced tricks, here’s everything you need to know.

1. Carry a Bedroll and Campfire at All Times

One of the simplest yet most effective survival tactics is ensuring you always have a bedroll and campfire in your inventory. Sleeping through the night is essential, not only for avoiding the dangers of darkness but also for reaping the significant health and stamina buffs that come with it. The setup takes mere seconds and offers substantial benefits, making it a must-have for any mission.

2. The ‘Friendly Fire’ Sleep Trick

While it may sound devious, a useful workaround exists for when you need to sleep but your teammates are still active. If your friend is delaying bedtime, you can simply ‘eliminate’ them (politely, of course), which will count them as ‘sleeping’ in-game. Then, after resting, revive them, and they won’t even notice—aside from a sudden lack of oxygen and food. It’s an amusing, albeit slightly mischievous, way to ensure you can sleep through the night in co-op play.

3. Destroy Old Tools When Upgrading

When progressing through tool tiers, it’s best to dismantle your outdated equipment. While using every last bit of durability is ideal, you can still break down completely worn-out tools to recover some of the resources. This method is particularly useful when upgrading from stone to iron tools or higher. Always reclaim what you can—it’s free materials for your next build.

4. Underwater Breathing: A Lesser-Known Perk

Your space suit allows you to breathe underwater indefinitely, yet many players overlook this. This ability comes in handy when gathering sponges, avoiding predators, or simply navigating submerged environments. If you haven’t taken advantage of this yet, now is the time to incorporate it into your survival toolkit.

5. The ‘Olea Bear’ Dodge Technique

Solo players, take note—bears can be formidable foes, but there’s a way to outmaneuver them. Instead of backing away, move toward the bear while angling to its side. Just as it attacks, dodge past, leaving it vulnerable for counterattacks. Once mastered, this strategy makes bear encounters much more manageable, particularly for those playing without backup.

6. Canceling the Skinning Animation

If you’ve ever been attacked mid-skinning, you know how frustrating it can be to be stuck in an animation. Thankfully, you can cancel it by pressing the same button you used to start the process. This trick can be a lifesaver when danger strikes while you’re collecting resources.

7. The Player Tracker Module Is Currently Broken

A small but important PSA: the Player Tracker Module in the workshop currently does not function. Many players have wasted precious exotics crafting it, only to find it does nothing. The developers may update it in the future, but for now, save your resources and avoid crafting this item.

8. Talent Points Stop at Level 40

Leveling up in Icarus provides blueprints up to level 99, but talent points cap at level 40. This means you need to plan carefully where you allocate your points, as there are no additional ones beyond this threshold. The good news is that developers are working on a way to reset talent points, though no official method has been introduced yet.

9. Cave Worms Move Forward When You Leave

Dealing with cave worms can be tedious, but there’s a trick to managing them efficiently. If you clear out the first set of worms and exit the cave, the remaining worms will shift forward, allowing you to tackle them in stages. Repeating this process systematically will eventually clear out all worms, making cave mining much safer.

10. Locating Caves: A Community Resource

Finding caves can be a daunting task, but there’s a useful external resource that maps out cave locations. While this website is not affiliated with the game developers, many players rely on it to locate hidden cave entrances and determine which caves yield the best resources. Keep in mind that maps and cave locations may change with future updates, so always double-check before relying on them completely.

Final Thoughts

Survival in Icarus is all about preparation, strategy, and knowing how to adapt. Whether it’s managing your resources, mastering enemy encounters, or simply optimizing your gameplay, these tips will give you an edge on your missions.

For more in-depth Icarus content and updates, be sure to stay connected. With new survival game guides coming regularly, there’s always something more to learn. Until next time, happy prospecting!