Hints and tips that you may want to learn or hear about before you start the game.
Make sure to spend your first points in movement, since this is by far one of the most important trees on your skill tree. After that, I recommend finishers, mass and transformation over health and other things since they are not that important, especially on easy.
After the opening scene, where you chase after Alex Mercer and become infected, go to your map (by hitting the pause button) and click on collectibles. Let your cursor hover over the map for a few seconds off the area where you are looking and you will suddenly see rings flashing, and this is how you find collectibles faster! It is not just for the Black Boxes - this can be used for all of the collectibles. Just press RB or LB to tab to the rest of the collectibles.
You may not know this but the shield is your best friend and will get you out of a lot of tough situations. It can also be used in the air. Dodging and blocking is important, so be prepared to do both, especially against enemies inside bases.
Be on the lookout for enemies with yellow triangles above their heads and also make sure to absorb these targets. They will give you loads of exp, new skills or new missions.
Running away is sometimes a good idea, especially if you are surrounded by enemies. You are not easy to kill, but being disrupted by rockets or explosions all the time is certainly annoying and can wear your health down easily.
Staying stealthy always pays off, but if that fails, don't be afraid to use a more "direct" approach, especially when you want to absorb targets that are surrounded by enemies, this can come in handy.
Buildings are your best friends and using quick turns can save you from what could have been a hot pursuit.
Learn how to use weapons beforehand before you have to do those missions or you may not enjoy them that much.
Mass and health can be obtained by absorbing people, so make sure to leave some around if things get messy.
We will start the game on easy right away and this is the playthrough we will get the majority of the achievements on. Familiarize yourself with the game and get all the possible upgrades you can so you have a fully powered up character on your hard playthrough. Also make sure to invest your first skills in the movement tree. With that said, let's start this!
1.Story on Easy
It's an Epidemic
Simply follow the instructions and watch the cutscenes and as soon as you are in the laboratory, you will unlock the following:
Resurrection
Another Tutorial-like level, simply follow the on-screen orders and you should be fine. You will unlock the following after the cutscene:
I Want Some MoreCompleted RESURRECTION, Heller Consumed another's memory for the first time.
The Strong SurviveAfter that you get another set of on-screen commands and a helicopter will start attacking you. Target the helicopter with LT, run up a high building with RT and jump-attack the helicopter which will result in a karate kick. This will unlock the following achievement:
Now destroy the helicopter, use the disguise and run up the marked building. Continue through various targets and cutscenes and once you find Father Guerra, you will unlock the following:
Now use the hunter sense to hunt down the next target which is a commander. Escape the alarm zone and you will finish this mission. Now head to the next mission marker.
Operation FlytrapFollow the marker and absorb the target for the following achievement (and the claw power):
Now kill the next attacking brawler and cut off his arms with your new power to unlock the following:
Kill the remaining enemies, escape the alarm and get to the next marker. Reach the next target, use the terminal and look for the target. Enter the next facility, absorb some more people and head for the helicopter. Now simply get the remaining yellow markers on the maps and collectibles. Look for a highly populated area and absorb 5 people in 10 seconds to unlock the following achievement:
Head directly for the next quest marker after doing this.
You should now have at least one //BLACKNET mission done which should unlock the following for you:
Brain Drain
Enter the base in disguise and absorb/kill your way through several markers. Keep looking for collectibles if you didn't get them all after this mission and also be on the lookout for targets with yellow triangles above the heads (I won't point that out any more since you should do these things after each mission). You should unlock the following whilst doing this:
Project Long ShadowAgain, enter the post and absorb/kill whatever you can. Now it's time to stealth absorb some more Blackwatch soldiers. Run up behind them in disguise and use the hunter's sense (target person with LT, then click LS) to check if they are being watched. If not, absorb them and you should soon get the following achievement:
One by OneStealth Consumed 50 Blackwatch troopers.
Now trigger/flee as many alarms as you can until you unlock the following:
Feeding TimeFollow the markers and kill targets until you reach the Juggernaut. Kill him with ranged weapons or thrown objects and upon absorbing him you will unlock a new skill. Now concentrate on deflecting rockets with your shield and you will unlock the following:
Back Atcha!Deflected 5 missiles at enemies using Shield Block.
After this mission, head to the R-Marker.
Lab Rat
Same as always, kill/absorb/follow. After that, head for the G-Marker.
Salvation
Defend the church and rip off the weapon from the tanks. After the mission, free-roam and rip off weapons from tanks until you unlock the following:
Now try to destroy a striketeam in 15 seconds. As soon as you see the sign on the map, look for the helicopter and shoot it with one of the ripped off weapons. This will unlock the following:
I found a video for this achievement which may help, credit goes to reckless con:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&...Now we look for a strongly populated area and use a blackhole attack to kill 10 targets at once to unlock the following:
Another video for this one, credit goes to reckless con:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&...You should have now enough skills in movement to go for the "The Floor is Lava" achievement. Try to stay airborne, wall-running, jumping or flying for half a mile. You are not allowed to land on a roof in between or touch any ground surface. If successful, you will unlock the following:
Here is a video, credit goes to dice17:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&...
Head for the next marker.
The Mad Scientist
Head for the markers and as soon as you fight the brawlers, kill one and keep the other one alive. Now wait for the A-button prompt and when that shows up, use the shield to deflect the attack. Do this 20 times to unlock:
After unlocking that, kill the next targets and finish the mission.
Orion Phase 2
Same as always, marker/kill/absorb. After that, destroy the lair on the map (the only lair in the yellow zone) and upon doing that, you will unlock the following:
Natural Selection
Again absorb/destroy targets and upon finishing the mission you will unlock the following:
Before you start the next mission, make sure you have collected everything possible in this zone, since the next mission will bring you to the next zone. You are still able to change zones, but backtracking takes time and is not recommended.
The AirbridgeAbsorb target, head for green zone and follow the markers until the mission is done. We are now able to free-roam and we will go to stealth hijack 5 vehicles until we unlock the following:
You will also get the achievement for absorbing 10 enemies that increase your skills in this zone:
Now we should look for every collectible in this zone, but you should start with the 2 hives in Fulton. Here you get attacked by 2 bruisers (in both hives) and this gives us an opportunity for another achievement. First you weaken both bruisers a little bit and as soon as you have weakened both, use the devastator attack to kill them both in one blow. The following will unlock:
While doing the collectibles you will get the following achievement since you have now gained an improvement in each mutation category:
Upon reaching level 9, you will be able to spend points in the finisher category and as soon as you do that you can perform finishers on hijacked ground vehicles. Do this 5 times to unlock the following:
Now we head for the S-Marker!
A Stranger Among Us
This time we will need to follow a squad through an infected section, so stay on your toes and always make sure you have a loaded weapon with you. Simply kill the targets approaching you and after the mission is done, head for the G-Marker.
The White Light
Follow the mission instructions as always and you will unlock a new skill here. As soon as you are done, don't forget to do the new //BLACKNET missions. You will unlock the following while absorbing your targets:
After that, head for the S-Marker.
A Nest of Vipers
During this mission you get a new skill which is the hammerfist. Before you finish the lair however, look for a large concentration of infected. Now simply jump up and use the smash attack to kill 20 targets simultaneously to unlock the following achievement:
Cannonball!20 or more kills with a single Hammerfist dive attack.
Now head for the R-Marker.
Taking the Castle
Get a Blackwatch disguise and hijack a tank. Here is a good spot to destroy 10 enemy vehicles with a hijacked vehicle, so concentrate on that until you get the following:
Road RageDestroyed 10 Blackwatch tanks, APCs or helicopters using a single hijacked tank or APC.
Now find the right tank and absorb Lt. Riley to finish the mission. Do the new //BLACKNET mission and then head for the R-Marker.
A Maze of Blood
Again follow the markers, absorb/kill targets for a new skill and get to the next mission marker.
Alpha Wolf
Keep following the markers and kill/absorb the other evolver to get the pack leader skill. Finish the mission and now use the new skill to destroy helicopters. After 5 you will unlock the following:
Sic 'em!Destroyed 5 helicopters using Pack Leader.
After you've finished destroying helicopters, head to the next G-Marker.
Fall from Grace
Follow the markers until you have to fight the Goliath. At first, attack his head and then cut off his leg. Lure him towards you and destroy the claw that will stick in the floor. Upon dismembering him, he will do a ground pound. Simply jump up at the right time and attack his head. Absorb him and you will unlock the following for clearing the stage:
The Descent
Head for the red zone and follow the mission markers until the mission is done. Free-roam time! Collect all the collectibles possible but save the lairs for last. We will now want to use a bio bomb in any lair to kill 10 or more enemies in one attack. Upon doing that you will unlock the following:
For getting all the collectibles, you will unlock the following:
You should see a pretty high building in the red zone with a huge antenna. You should now have 3 airdashes and every possible movement upgrade, so run all the way to the top to unlock the following:
IcarusReached the highest point in the world.
Jump off of the building and stay in the air as long as you can by utilizing sprints and glides. If you were successful in staying airborne for 25 seconds, you will unlock the following:
Now proceed to the M-Marker.
I found a video to help with the last 2 achievements, credit goes to RoosterTeeth
Buried from MemoryBasically destroy all the marked canisters by throwing them into the furnace. You should get your achievement for 30 skill upgrades through Consumes here. If not, now is the time to free-roam until you unlock:
Last Resort
In this mission you will get the last possible skill. Now hold down the B button while aiming at a helicopter to board it. This will unlock the following:
After that mission you are able to finish your last Blackwatch missions, rewarding you with the following achievement:
Now head for the S-Marker.
Fly in the Ointment
Hunt for your target, get to the chopper and escort Commander Ellis. Absorb him afterwards to complete the mission, then head to the S marker.
Operation Firehawk
Head to the marker and hijack a helicopter. Move out and destroy the remaining helicopters and meet Galloway. Finish the mission and head to the R marker.
Divine Intervention
Hunt down agent Griffin and follow the marker. Run after the evolvers, kill them all and absorb the agent to finish the mission. Now head to the M marker.
Lost in the System
Head to the markers, enter the base and absorb Dr. Carson. Head outside the base, eliminate the goliath and board the helicopter. Now kill and absorb the evolvers that attacked you and head for the next M marker.
A Labor of Love
Head to the HQ, use your hammerfist against the door and command the behemoths to destroy the doors. Defend them as well as you can and after the cutscene, you will unlock the following:
What a BitchCompleted LABOR OF LOVE, Galloway kidnapped Maya.
It's time for the last mission, so head for the next marker.
Murder your Maker
This is basically a multi-stage battle where you have to dodge his attacks and attack in-between. This is MUCH harder than it sounds, but I found a rather easy way to dispose of him. Simply use the whipfist on him all the time and when he uses his whipfist, use the hammerfist. Each time you reduce his health to zero, you will get a checkpoint and refill all your health. With this tactic, it should be a piece of cake to kill him. After the final cutscene you will unlock the following:
Now it´s time for the mop up on hard!
2. Story on Hard
Choose New Game+ and play on hard this time. You should be strong enough to breeze through this playthrough and most certainly finish it with ease. Simply ignore collectibles you don't stumble across on your own and if you are still missing some things, now is your chance to do them since hard isn't hard at all. Upon finishing it, you will finally get your last achievements and finish the game with a full 1000G.
Also found a video walkthrough, credit goes to gametube
There actually is no need for a list on the collectibles since you can track them easily on the map yourself. However, I will provide a detailed list here for every section, with the collectible locations since some can be hard to spot.
Yellow Zone
++++++++++
Blackboxes
Fairview:
145, 1110
188, 1040
353, 1055
351, 998
Oakhurst:
464, 1145
312, 1191
224, 1274
234, 1346
122, 1229
Linden Park:
74, 1460
158, 1464
490, 1399
420, 1286
Lairs
Fairview:
None
Oakhurst:
None
Linden Park:
406, 1339
Field Ops
Fairview:
266, 962
399, 983
291, 1086
125, 1052
Oakhurst:
None
Linden Park:
41, 1540
385, 1511
425, 1408
Green Zone
++++++++++
Blackboxes
Salt Yard Plains:
695, 1495
750, 1541
690, 1572
672, 1639
Fulton:
760,1417
652,1358
725,1261
666,1220
739,1142
Lincoln Meadows:
876, 1156
845, 1203
870, 1326
966, 1414
910 ,1464
Lairs
Salt Yard Plains:
None
Fulton:
720, 1331
702, 1278
Lincoln Meadows:
834, 1181
842, 1485
Field Ops
Salt Yard Plains:
None
Fulton:
728, 1426
612, 1312
705, 1305
744, 1163
Lincoln Meadows:
846, 1159
932, 1273
821, 1522
883, 1526
Red Zone
++++++++
Blackboxes
----------
Chinatown:
417, 437
457, 536
634, 510
730, 534
724, 460
Midtown:
748, 216
687, 325
601, 230
563, 268
456, 328
448, 197
Times Square:
417,91
469,93
534,84
557,123
628,130
679,103
719,67
Downtown:
None
Lairs
Downtown:
None
Chinatown:
None
Midtown:
644, 255
374, 217
Times Square:
661, 110
568, 130
Field Ops
Downtown:
764, 666
587, 663
533, 771
637, 819
538, 914
Chinatown:
459, 426
573, 559
618, 438
750, 425
Midtown:
752, 268
609, 259
409, 233
287, 254
Times Square:
None
Here is a video guide, credit goes to dice17
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&...