If you’re not playing Let It Die, you should be. Not only does this PlayStation 4 RPG offer plenty of addictive action in a uniquely weird world, you can also play it for the reasonable price of zero dollars. But even with these selling points on its side, Let It Die can easily alienate and frustrate new players with its punishing nature. If you’re new to Let It Die, or just bewildered by its Tower of Barbs, read on for a collection of tips that’ll make you more likely to win and less likely to open your wallet for some much-needed life support.
Log In Every Day
Woody Allen once said “Showing up is 80 percent of life,” and that’s just as true in the world of Let It Die. Simply logging in every day will net you some useful rewards, and a free item from your pal Uncle Death (found in a special cardboard box right by the main hub’s central set of elevators). Just be sure to check the rewards box in the waiting room to access your bonuses, since they’re not automatically added to your inventory.
Don’t Stick With One Character
Given that levelling up your character brings plenty of benefits, it may be tempting to stick with a single one as you climb the Tower of Barbs. That said, Let It Die is meant to be played with several characters, since dying means losing access to the one in question until you either pay to resurrect them, or kill them in their “Haterfied” form at the spot where they previously died. Plus, leveled-up characters can be sent to infiltrate other worlds, and act as defenders when enemy players attack your base, so it really pays to have your own little army.
Rely on Your Fists
Every weapon in Let It Die eventually breaks, except one: your fists. While they may seem somewhat weak at first, relying on punches early on can help you level up this form of attack into something much effective. If you’re finding your weapons breaking more often than not, rely on your fists for weaker or easier-to-predict enemies, and save your more fragile means of offense for tougher foes. Following this approach will help your fists reach their max level quickly, making them a more reliable weapon to fall back on—especially when levelling up new characters.
Know When to Retreat
In Let It Die, there’s no shame in running away. Considering the fact that regaining a lost character can be costly, retreating to the nearest escalator or elevator often makes for a much better strategy than risking it all. Clicking the left analog stick while moving can help you speed past most enemies, but remember to keep an eye on the heart icon glowing through your character. Running for too long can deplete your stamina completely, causing your character to stop briefly and catch their breath. And that’s when you usually get murdered.
Pick Up Plenty of Quests
Don’t forget to occasionally visit the Arcade in Let It Die’s “real world” by stepping on the central platform in your waiting room and pressing X. Moving the finger cursor over the girl sitting behind the counter and pressing X will let you talk to Detox, who has plenty of quests for you to undertake. Seeing as the majority of her quests task you with performing tasks you’d do naturally in the Tower of Barbs, it can’t hurt to sign up for a few. Just be sure to check back in with Detox once you finish a quest, and pick up your reward from the rewards box in your waiting room.
Cook Your Food
The live critters found in the Tower of Barbs provide a nice health boost when you eat them raw, but they give you an even bigger boost when cooked. To fry your collection of edibles, head to the fire in front of the Mushroom Magistrate’s station in your lobby. After you select the item you want to cook by swiping your thumb across the touchpad, press the left side of the touchpad to put your character into “throwing mode.” If you’re close enough to the fire, the standard icon will change to one that signifies cooking. Pressing X while this prompt is on the screen will cook whatever you’re holding.
If you’d like to cook on the go, the Fireworks Launcher can instantly cook anything you shoot it with. Even if it’s fairly worthless against other enemies, you should keep one in your inventory so you can instantly make healing items more powerful.
Know the Benefits of the Express Pass
The Express Pass stands as one of Let It Die’s more useful items you can buy with real money, and thankfully, the game lets you test out its effects by giving you a One-Day Pass every now and then. In case it’s not clear, this Pass gives you an extra 10 items slots in your inventory, one rare decal a day, free access to the Royal Elevator—which allows you to jump between explored floors without paying—and the ability to flee instantly when invading another player’s waiting room. This collection of bonuses definitely makes the world of Let It Die much more friendly, so if you plan on sticking with the game, $14.99 for 30 days of convenience makes for a fairly good deal.
Save Your Death Medals
Death Medals stand as Let It Die’s premium currency. You can use them to expand your storage unit, instantly finish building items and upgrades with timers attached, and, most importantly, continue instantly with full health and a brief period of invulnerability after you die. Since this resource holds a lot of value in the world of Let It Die, you’ll want to be especially choosy about how you use it. If a character would cost a negligible amount of Kill Coins to resurrect, or if you’re simply grinding or collecting resources without making real progress, you may want to forego using Death Medals. But if you’re stuck on an especially tough boss, Death Medals might just be what you need to power through a fight.
You can buy 10 of them for $4.99—about 50 cents a pop—and new players can buy a set of thirty once for that same price. You can also receive Death Medals via login bonuses and quest rewards, so you may want to explore your options before turning to the PSN marketplace.