5,000 YEARS IN THE MAKING

The bad news is that the X-Men are about to face a mutant with incredible powers, an army of followers, and a plan that has been coming together for many years. Apocalypse is a major threat. Everything is starting to go wrong at once, all over the world, and many evil mutants are willing (if not eager) to help Apocalypse, just to be on the winning side. The deck is stacked against the good guys, and the clock is ticking.

The good news is that Apocalypse's attempt to kidnap and force Professor Xavier to do his bidding has already failed. As the game begins, Xavier has been saved, and your coalition of X-Men and the Brotherhood is ready to tear things up.

AN INTRODUCTION

There's a brief area before the actual game begins. This military complex in Greenland houses a modest number of Apocalypse's troops (serving as prison guards), and none of them are capable of stopping this team of mutants. By default, Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, and Magneto are on the team, but soon you'll be able to switch members and start training the characters you're most interested in playing. (Unless this is the team you want, of course.)

PRISON OUTPOST

Start to move around and get your bearings. There aren't any enemies left in the area, but it probably won't be long before you encounter resistance, so it's good to be prepared. Search behind Professor X's former cell, and take the Health and Energy Packs back there. Many sections of piping can be destroyed if you feel like it, but it isn't worth too much of your time.

The floating yellow T is an interaction point that gives you a game tip. This tip explains how to change characters, which has already been discussed in this guide. Proceed to the next chamber and pass through. Another game tip explains Normal and Heavy attack moves, also known as Attacks and Smashes. It briefly mentions one of the easier combos as well, the Pop Up (Attack, Attack, Smash).

Don't worry about the side door. This is where your mutants entered this part of the outpost. Move west instead, and open the next door. A third game tip explains that you can destroy crates and barrels for useful items. Indeed, there's a huge difference between things like support beams/walls and lighter materials. Destroy the crates on your right side to score some Techbits.

TIP: BREAKABLE OBJECTS

The difference between easily breakable objects and heavier ones bears some explaining. Crates, boxes, barrels, and other light materials often take only a single hit to destroy. They have a higher percentage of Health/Energy Packs, Techbits, and similar rewards. Thus, they're extremely lucrative targets that you should almost always destroy.

Walls, pipes, support beams, and other tough targets don't usually give you anything. Later in the game, there's a chance to find shards for Xtreme Points, but destroying them isn't done for treasure. Instead, usually it's done to remove barriers (perhaps to a hidden area), or simply as a byproduct of area-of-effect attacks.

The big exceptions, for those hidden areas and rare items, are mentioned in this guide so you don't waste time destroying everything. That is, unless you really want to!

The next room, after passing through a brief corridor, has a brief scene before you're attacked by several Prison Guards. These guys aren't very experienced, but they're armed well enough to hurt your team if you get careless (especially on Normal difficulty). Be aggressive, and rush forward to score some fast Knockouts against these ranged enemies. Don't let them retreat, and try to keep them herded into a small area. When the fight ends, break the crates in this room for extra Packs and Techbits.

A game tip in the hallway beyond explains how to use Health Packs. Conveniently, there's a Health Pack nearby! Use it if your primary character has taken a beating. Across the way is another game tip about Energy Packs and using skills.

The doors into the next room click shut ominously once the team is fully inside. Four ladders drop down into the room, and the sound of guards above makes it clear what's about to happen. Enemies come down the ladders into the room. Your best chance to beat them back is to jump each guard as soon as he drops down, before he can get his bearings. Use your combat skills for faster victories early on, and then let some of your Energy regenerate while switching to more traditional combos.

After the ladder group has been knocked out, the side doors open and a tougher team of Prison Guards enters the chamber. This is your first time seeing a leader with the troops. Leaders can't compare to the big bosses that you'll meet later in the game, but they're common and have some special traits. They can sometimes be immune to damage until certain conditions are met, they do more damage than their troops, and may have some skills of their own. Focus on the leader first, bring him down, and then clear his troops. Leaders also drop random equipment for your characters. You can find more equipment, Packs, and Techbits inside the room's many crates. (That is, if they haven't already been trashed by the fighting, in which case you can just scoop up the goodies.)

Before using the door that the guards' leader opened, read the game tip near the smaller room to the west. A force field prevents you from entering that room. The game tip implies that certain characters' skills are useful for puzzle aspects of the game. In this case, there's a computer system that needs to be manipulated to bring down the force field. Switch to Magneto, make him approach the force field, and then use his Levitation skill to shut down the field. Walk inside the room and collect the Health and Energy Packs.

Exit the small chamber and move north. A set of laser mines has been deployed ahead of your team, but they won't stand in your way for long. The safe way to destroy a mine is to have someone like Cyclops come up to a modest distance and face the wall where the mine is deployed. Use his Optic Beam (or whichever ranged attack that character has) to destroy the mine from safety. Notice that when you target enemies and puzzle-type targets with skills, there's the same circle on the target. Destroy the second mine, and then continue into the next room.

The room after the mines has many objects you can destroy. Go after the barrels and crates in the center of the room, but be hesitant about the racks on the periphery. Get everything that you want, and use the door to exit the chamber.

TIP: LOOK OUT, LOGAN!

Some objects can be destroyed, but at a price: They explode! If Wolverine is the one breaking everything, keep a close eye on the objects he's hitting. Missile racks like the ones in this room, hazardous chemical containers, and other such objects may be quite dangerous to destroy. If you want to break things anyway, have a character with ranged abilities do the dirty work, and do it before one of your melee characters tries to help. Setting your melee characters to a less aggressive AI setting prevents that problem, but it also makes them more hesitant. That may not be what you want in the long run.

The hallways have been pretty safe so far, but the guards in this section of the base realize just how precarious their position is. The next hallway is being watched closely, and the guards have brought in several crates to serve as a crude barricade. Four of the troops are ready to stop you; an initial pair, and some fast reinforcements. Instead of trying to leap over the barricade, slash through it with Wolverine, and continue on the combo directly into the guards. Start with a basic Attack, and then combo with Smashes to pull down at least one of the guards.

There are more Prison Guards and a leader in the main area. Walk through the door when your group is fully prepared (using Health Packs as needed), and attack this main group.

A very useful game tip warns you away from the corridor south of the leader's room. There are three laser guns in that passage, and they'll cut the team to ribbons if you try to rush through with brute force. Instead, the tip explains that certain walls are breakable and lead to hidden sections of a map (which may or may not be revealed on the mini-map). In this case, the “hidden section” is fully exposed on the map. Look back at the leader's room. There's a side room that's butting directly against the west wall. Return there and make Wolverine cut through the flimsy wall.

TIP: EQUIPPING ITEMS

By now, your team should have a few pieces of equipment. They aren't going to be the latest and greatest items from the scientific community, but they're better than nothing. Go into your character screen by selecting Team Management, and flip to the Gear tab for one of your characters. Put everything on ,and try to customize your characters as soon as you start finding items with special abilities. (For example, Damage items for Wolverine, Elemental stuff for Storm, etc.)

The small room on the other side has a few guards, who are probably quite alarmed at the moment. Hack them to pieces, and then use a Health Pack if you're injured. Walk into the next and final chamber of the Prison Outpost. There are more guards here, and a leader advances to fight you as well. Immediately unleash a Feral Slash, or pile on the ranged skills if you're using Storm/Cyclops/Magneto. It doesn't take long to knock out the Prison Guard's leader, but you don't want him to get off many attacks of his own.

Search for any crates and other light objects to destroy for treasure, and be sure to pick up everything that fell during the fight with the leader. It's certain that you have another item or two for the team now, and everyone will have reached their second level. Switch back to the character screen and equip everyone. Then, spend your attribute and skill points before leaving the area. The X-Jet is ready to take your team to Genosha now.

For more hints, secrets, maps, and strategy, check out the BradyGames X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse Official Strategy Guide!

Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education. Reprinted with permission from BradyGames.