Quick Links
Well, we cleared the quarry, and we are entering into the mines below. But you're a Steelrising veteran at this point. How bad could it be, right? Well, if you don't know what you are doing, it can be pretty bad. These tunnels fold in on themselves, swivel around, intertwine, and are capable of getting you pretty hopelessly lost.
Not only are the tunnels themselves an easy source of confusion, but you will be fighting new Automats along the way. Some of which can be pretty brutal. But there is hope! The designers have thrown you a bone. The path forward is marked once you know what you are looking for. And, of course, we're here to give you that extra helping hand.
The Grande-Voie
Start by heading down the tunnel. On your right there will be a Vestal; activate it and push forward. Once you go down the set of stairs you will have an encounter with your first Driller Automat. While these guys look a lot like the Ram-Wielding Automats from the quarry, they are actually pretty distinct. Their drill attack will hit multiple times, and it can be shockingly fast. The key here is to roll through the Driller Automat when they raise their drill arm up. Don't try to dodge through their attacks, or you will likely get hit.
Once you take out your first driller, hop up to the platform on your left, grab the Frost Grenades, and jump down to face off against another. Move across around the rock wall in the center of the room, and you will confront a Shield-Generating Spider Automat and another Driller. Take out the Spider first, of course, then finish off the Driller.
From here, look up: you will see a grapple point way above you. Once you grapple up there, grab the Cast Iron, then perform an air dash to get to the platform in the distance. There is another platform that is hovering right above the quarry; air dash over to it, and you will get the Essence of a Warrior's Spirit. Now, hop back down and continue as you were.
Now hop onto the cart. From the cart, jump to the pile of logs, then air dash to the suspended platform, and finally, air dash over to the level above with the Automat. You will fight a Pick-Axe Automat here. The is another one hiding behind the wood door to your right. Burst through the door, kill the Automat, and open the chest. You will get a Grade 3 Longevity Module and some oil vials.
From here, head around the corner and activate the next Vestal. Nearby is another Spider Automat and another Driller. Once you finish them off, kick the fragile wall on your right down, and kill the Pick-Axe Automat. There is a trinket here that will generate a memory. Go back into the room you were just in, and circle around until you find the Flame Vials and the big hole in the ground. Hop down into the hole.
Once you are down here you are going to fight a new version of the Panther Automat. This one has a fire cannon on its back. You need to take these guys very seriously, as those cannons can deal serious damage.
Keep heading down the path, and you will find a gate with a treasure chest behind it. There is a sign next to it with a square on it. Remember this, as it will be relevant later. You will also fight a pair of those Cannon-Firing Panthers accompanied by a Spider Automat. As you continue down the path, you will see more of those signs. Since you are just about to enter into another area (The High Vein), this is as good a time as any to fill you in on their purpose.
|
How To Use The Signs |
|---|
The first thing you need to know about the signs is that you can trust them. They never lead you astray. If you are simply looking for the main path, follow an arrow sign. On the other hand, if you run into a sign with a cross on it, then one of two things has happened. Either you are heading toward a dead end, or you have gotten turned around, and you are going backward. The square, on the other hand, is something completely different. It indicates a side route. Don't worry, we will point it out to you when you get there.
Now, one thing to keep in mind is that some signs have fallen down. So, if you see a cross sign on the ground, then right next to it will be a path that ends in a dead end. However, while the cross will never lie to you, that doesn't mean that it isn't worth exploring these areas, as they will typically have a few items lying around.
The High Vein
Once you enter into The High Vein you will be in a giant, open cavern. You can travel through the first floor and fight the Lightning Ram and Spider Automat (grabbing the Warrior's Spirit), or use the grapple point above and air dash over to the suspended platform to grab some Fulmination Grenades. However, no matter which path you take, you will need to fight the Statuary Automat and his two Spider Automat buddies.
The Statuary Ram isn't an issue when fought alone, as they are extremely predictable, but they do hit very hard, so clearing out the Spiders can be a pain. One thing to keep in mind is that you can jump back down onto the path you took to get up here, none of this lot will follow you. So, if you ever need to bail, that is an option. Once you clear them out, hop on the boxes to your right, air dash over to the wooden platform, and grab the fulminating grenades.
Now, hop across the broken bridge. There will be a Spider and Pickaxe Automat waiting for you. Kill them both. This is a dead end, but the valuable Essence of a Revolutionary Spirit is here, so it is worth it. From here, you can hop back over to a suspended platform, and get back to where you fought the Statuary Ram. This time, grapple across the cavern. Open the treasure chest and get the Lavoisier Sublimator.
From here, grapple to the platform above, grab the Module Key, then grapple to the next level, hop across to the nearby platform holding rocks on your right, and grab the Essence of a Revolutionary Spirit. Now continue on the main path. You will find an Endurance Vial on the ground near a corpse. Now, you will come across another sign with a square on it; kick the gate down beside that sign, and you will be able to open that gate from earlier. You will also get another Module Key from that treasure chest. From here, head back down the main path and prepare to fight your next Unstable Automat.
The Unstable Scout
Oh, Unstable Automats... what happened to you? That's right, it is just the Driller Automat, guys. This "boss" battle is just the same enemy you have fought multiple times already. It does appear to have a new move, though. When it brings its arms above its head, it will slam them down causing a shockwave. However, it doesn't really do a ton of damage, so it isn't something you should be particularly worried about. Just don't let your health fall too low, and you should be more than fine.
Once you kill the Unstable Scout, loot its corpse to get the Grade 2 Respite Module, Module Key, and two Bismuth Blocks. Now, scour the arena collecting the items on the ground. You should find Petrification Grenades, Flame Resistance Vials, a Bronze Ingot, and two Cast Iron Bars. Then, find the ramp made of debris and hop over into the next area. Once you are here, activate the Vestal, and kick down the fragile wall. You will now be in the Refuge.
The Refuge
There are no Automats here to be worried about. So, wander around at your leisure. Make sure you open the chest and get the Smuggler's Hat and Mandarin Doublet. Also, make sure to get collect the next moment to trigger the next cutscene, and get the Bloody Dolman Jacket. Now, enter the other room and talk to Marat (if you haven't already). Leave The Refuge and interact with the engine in front of the other gaping hole. You will repair it and unlock the elevator. Now you can return to the surface, or travel further downward. Once you go down, you will enter The Low Galleries.
The Low Galleries
Kick the door down. You will fight the Ice-Variant of the Snake Bodied Automat once you step into the pons. Grab the Frost Resistance vial from the pond once you kill it. Soon after you will encounter a Ram-Wielding Automat. Now, hook around, and you will find another body of water. This time the Snake-Bodied Automat will be accompanied by a Spider Automat. Pick up the Petrification Grenade. Follow the path until you are in a flooded cavern.
Now, you will fight a Ram-Wielding Automat, a Ball-And-Chain Automat, and a Spider Automat. Thing is, if you fight them all at once, they will end up hitting each other quite a bit. Those Ball-And-Chain Automat's swing wide, and the Ram-Wielder is a big boy who is absolutely going to get tagged. Make sure to get the treasure chest in the right corner of this room. The chest holds a pair of Mandrin Culottes and Buskins.
Circle around this cavern until you find the final momento on the ground. After you see the cutscene play out, go to your left and grab the Essence of a Warrior's Spirit. Now, air dash across the gap, get the Flame Resistance Vial, and kick the gate down. You will enter into The Depths.
The Depths
If you are getting worn down, worry not. There isn't much to The Depths. Activate the Vestal, and follow the path. There is a Spider and Driller Automat in here. Once you kill them, open the nearby chest: it contains the Charleville Bayonet. Grapple up to the platform above to get an Endurance Vial. Climb the nearby rocky outcrop on the main path, and on your left, you will see an item. Hop over to it, and you will get the Essence of a Revolutionary Spirit. Now, if you head back to the main path, you will find yourself in the Cavern. Jump down here, and you will be fighting this stage's Titan: The Centaur.