Having the game available today via the Game Preview program with Xbox Game Pass on Day One is beyond thrilling and will allow Systemic Reaction to shape the game together with you as they move towards a full release. But before we throw you to the dinosaurs, here’s a few things that could be good to know.

How did we end up here?

The dinosaurs we all thought to be extinct have been lying nestled in the Earth’s crust for millions of years, resting and waiting for the perfect circumstances to arise. And when they did, they were fast and ruthless. Within hours, everything had changed. In the face of total annihilation, the directors of the Emergency Response Agency (ERA) organized planetary evacuations.

Now, years later, the human resistance has regrouped and is finally ready to fight back. Squads of survivors with relevant experience will be dropping back to Earth from orbiting space stations to gather essential resources, weapons, and information about the dinosaurs. And this is where you, our Extinction Elites, come in.

It’s worth mentioning is that Second Extinction is not a lore-focused game, but you will get clues and winks in the seasonal content on what has gone down and how the dinosaurs ended up becoming the mutated beasts they are. So, if that is something you fancy, keep an eye out.

Squad up!

Why 3-player co-op, you might wonder? Early in development, the Systemic Reaction team played around with different setups and ideas. What worked best was a 3-player squad, and so Second Extinction was designed with that in mind. That doesn’t mean you can’t drop down to Earth with only one friend joining or going in solo but do so at your own risk. It’s quite the challenge that deserves bragging rights if you survive, especially in the higher difficulty settings.

If I can’t talk you into bringing some backup when going planet-side, I recommend starting with Expedition Mode, where you can roam the map freely and can call in a dropship to get you when you’re ready to go back to safety.

Who’s your pick?

There’s currently five heroes who fit into three classes. There’s Troopers, the agile DPS class where we have the dashing Ortega and stealth sniper Jürgen. Next up, the Enforcers, the brutes, or tanks with the big and heavy guns only an exo-suit carrying hero can handle. Here you find Rosy and the newest addition to the lineup Jack. Finally, Second Extincition have the Operators, the gadgety-class where you find the explosion and laser loving Amir.

Besides their different strengths, the classes also determine what guns that character gets to play with. For example, the Enforcers have the Rocket Launcher, and the Operators have the Grenade Launcher. Whoever you’re leaning towards, We recommend trying them all out to see what works best for you and your playstyle.

How does progression work?

Remember the Rocket Launcher? It unlocks at level 15. The more you play and gather research and materials, the higher level you will reach, and on the journey to the current max level of 25, you’ll unlock some rocking gear and weapons.

You can also use the research and materials you gather to upgrade and unlock weapon perks. Make sure you don’t avoid killing any dinosaurs you find challenging. They drop different materials, and the ones you need for the cool perks are, of course, on the rarer side, so be versatile in what types you kill. Or just kill all of them.

Below you can see the Scout Rifle skill tree. There are a set number of tokens that can be used and placed strategically so make sure to try different combinations and experiment to find what perks work best for you.

See you on the battlegrounds