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Once Human has quickly become my go-to game whenever I have a few minutes of extra time. So many factors about it make it stand out over other MMORPGs, especially considering that I’m not a big fan of the genre. Now, I’ve managed to amass over 150 hours in the game, with only more being added daily. There are many things that I’ve learned in that time that are an accumulation of tips and tricks in Once Human that I’ve seen in Twitch streams and have discovered on my own. Let’s dive into them!
Your Bike Is Your Horse
Remember how in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, your horse could quite literally scale mountains and cliffside? Imagine that same concept, but with the default motorcycle you’re given at the beginning of Once Human. If a location is on the other side of a mountain, don’t be afraid to press G and push that baby over its peak. The vehicles in this game can take on considerable damage before they need to be repaired. So, don’t be afraid to chuck it off the side of a cliff if that means you’ll get to your location a little faster.
The game also doesn’t have crash animations, so you won’t fly out of the vehicle or take any physical damage—yes, even if you’re on the bike. I’ve spent more time gliding through the air in my vehicle than I’d like to admit because I’m too lazy to take the road.
Travel Far and Wide
Although the game doesn’t say it out loud, you can travel as far as you like. There are a few story-related blockages that force you into certain areas, but you can find what level you should be at in each area in Once Human by hovering over it on the map. Regardless, don’t be afraid to venture out and explore, especially since you gain EXP for things like activating Rift Anchors, opening storage crates, and discovering new areas.
It’s also important to know that enemies aren’t just wandering around the map, like in most other online games. They are pretty reserved to specialized locations and towns, making getting through higher-level areas in Once Human easier. While you’re at it, activate every Teleportation Tower you can find to make getting to these areas when you’re actually supposed to easier!
Be Five Levels Above
This goes hand in hand with the above tips and tricks in Once Human, but be five levels above whatever task you tackle. However, if you’re traveling and completing towns by collecting all of their crates and defeating a few enemies, this should be easy. I could go up several areas by merely traveling the entirety of Chalk Peak without having completed the third monolith. Again, doing this and activating all of the Towers you come across is highly beneficial to the rest of your playthrough.
I also noticed that despite the recommended level for the task, the enemies will typically be five levels above that anyway. In the case of the Shadow Hound, the task is listed as Level 35, but the Hound is at Level 40 when you go up against it. Preparing like this has its perks when you go head-first into battle.
Look Over Your Memetics Often
Your Memetics are pretty much the most important part of the game, but not just because they give you new craftables. As you level up, take note of the Specialized Memetics that you choose and cross-reference them to the Memetics that you’ve upgraded. You can remove Memetics if you no longer need them and use those Energy Links on weapon upgrades, traveling, or other Memetics. I first noticed this when I got the Solar Drill.
I had all of the Infrastructure Memetics but technically no longer needed the Advanced Drill Memetics. As a result, I could remove it and redeem 1,400 Energy Links and a few Memetics Points. In researching other Specialized Memetics that you can earn, there are a few similar circumstances that can help you earn back some of your Energy Links and Memetics Points.
Commissions Are Incredibly Important
The last of the tips and tricks for Once Human that I have is to check whether you’ve already taken on the week’s commissions. Inside every major camp, there is someone from whom you can take on commissions. These commissions are provided weekly, giving players who complete them an exorbitant amount of Energy Links and Exp. These can be easily ignored, especially since you aren’t notified of when the new weekly commissions have begun.
In the example above, the Say Cheese commission awards players 9,800 Energy Links and 26,850 Exp. And all you have to do is take five pictures with your camera. I’ve found that all the commissions are incredibly easy, making leveling up and revisiting high-level areas no challenge at all. Then, after five commissions have been completed, you’ll earn even more rewards, adding a cherry to the top of the Energy Link and Exp milkshake.
Once Human can be played on PC and mobile.