Miasma Chronicles Beginner’s Guide: Tips for Getting Started

by Fernando Diaz / Game Guides, Tips & Tricks / 26 Feb 2021

Miasma Chronicles is a game that combines the best elements of popular titles like X-Com and Wasteland 3, presenting a turn-based combat system within a semi-open world RPG adventure framework. It includes a focused narrative with excellent voice acting, alongside rewarding exploration and stealth mechanics.

The game does not overwhelm with mechanics right from the start. The first few hours focus on understanding basic game functions and combat through engaging gameplay rather than through intensive tutorials. It is designed to be accessible, catering to casual gamers without compromising on depth and immersion for more dedicated players.

Combat and Skills

The combat in Miasma Chronicles is turn-based, and understanding the mechanics is key to winning battles. One critical mechanic is the rage system, where you gain rage for every kill. Once your rage bar is filled, your next attack is a guaranteed critical hit, granting you an additional action if you kill an enemy with it.

During combat, movement is key. Reposition often and try to set up crossfires with your team. Overwatch is an extremely powerful skill for this purpose, allowing you to set up traps for moving enemies. The sprint and shoot skill is also beneficial for maneuverability.

Your first magic-like abilities are miasma powers. These are powerful abilities that can be modified with red and blue slots at the skill icon. The red slots add damage effects but increase the kilowatt costs, while the blue slots reduce the costs. Remember, cooldown times for skills are long and even carry over between battles, so it’s crucial to use each skill judiciously.

Stealth and Ambush Mechanics

The stealth mechanic in Miasma Chronicles allows you to thin out enemy squads before you engage in open combat. A character like Jade can sneak around and snipe unaware targets, breaking up enemy formations and making combat engagements significantly easier.

It’s important to scout your surroundings, take out as many targets as you can in stealth, and bring your team into a good position before initiating open combat. Glass bottles can distract enemies, offering you the opportunity to separate and eliminate them individually.

Manage Your Resources Wisely

Resources are scarce in Miasma Chronicles, so manage them wisely. Grenades, health packs, and alternate weapons are all quite expensive. Always ensure that you have enough health packs on hand. Consider using your resources to buy these items if you’re running low.

Also, save up for the ultimate weapon, EDZ-COL: ASSAULT, offered by the NPC Pontius Pychart in Club 14 for 7000 Plastic. This powerful weapon can be a game-changer, so it’s worth saving up your resources to buy it.

Locked Doors and Keypad Clues

You’ll encounter doors locked by a keypad with clues given in text locks close to the locations. For example, the old keypad next to the new one might have blinking hashtag symbols which indicate how often they blink – a hint towards the code. In other instances, you might find codes marked on walls close to the cage.

Save Frequently and Reload When Necessary

Due to some of the quirks in Miasma Chronicles, it’s essential to save frequently and to be prepared to reload a save if things don’t go as planned. In particular, keep in mind that stealth kills are less about making fights easier and more about making them manageable at all. If you accidentally alert an entire enemy squad before you’re ready to take them on, it’s usually best to reload your save and try a different approach.

Explore Every Environment

The creators of Miasma Chronicles have gone to great lengths to create a rich, post-apocalyptic environment that not only looks fantastic but is full of opportunities for strategic gameplay. Each environment is populated with a variety of enemies and potential ambush spots, so make sure you spend time exploring every nook and cranny of the environment.

Explore the skeletal remains of derelict buildings, like the shell of an airport nested in a graveyard of broken planes. The environment design often rewards this kind of exploration. For instance, look out for power cores, alternate weapons, health packs, and other useful items in these locations.

Miscellaneous Tips and Tricks

The game has four difficulty settings, with the first three being changeable anytime during your playthrough. The hardest setting, however, can’t be changed once the game is started.

Explore every corner of the map to find in-game currency, plastic, and occasionally, consumables. Try not to spend your money on guns early on as you’ll find better ones as you progress. Instead, consider purchasing weapon attachments like the energy gain mod, which gives you 5 kilowatts per hit.

As you progress through the main story, two shops will be unlocked in your starting settlement. It’s advised not to spend your currency on consumables unless you really need them, such as Medipots that can revive downed companions.

In Miasma Chronicles, there can be potentially awkward racial dynamics to navigate, particularly in the first act. As your main characters, Elvis and Jade, try to assist a predominantly black community, they may end up being seen as ‘white saviours’ who are needed to solve all problems. Keep this in mind when interacting with NPCs and try to ensure that interactions are mutually beneficial and respectful.

Exploration isn’t limited to what’s immediately visible. For example, you can climb vines to access rooftops when ladders aren’t available. This could lead to strategic vantage points or hidden loot, so always be on the lookout for these vines.

In terms of skills, don’t worry if you haven’t decided what skills to put your points into. The game allows for free refunds on skill points, so feel free to experiment until you find your perfect setup. You’ll also find side quests along the way, but they are often higher level. It’s recommended to focus on the main story early on until you complete the Data Drive retrieval mission.

Fernando Diaz

Fernando is doing what he always did, sharing his honest opinions about games whenever he can. The difference is now he is writing and not talking about it.
View all posts