This one goes out to the multitude of PSVR players who are imminently going to swarm into the airless expanses of New Eden as they begin their new career as an EVE: Valkyrie pilot. No need to be nervous, come right in. The bleak vacuum of space may be a little chilly but the welcome you will receive from the Valkyrie community will be toasty-warm. You’ll find yourselves with a group of experienced pilots who are only too willing to share their experiences and put you through your paces. Sounds good, right? What’s even better is the journey you are about to embark upon, a journey that will take you from the rank of Rookie all the way up through 50 incremental promotions to the lofty heights of Fleet Admiral. We picked the brains of ace Valkyrie pilot Rot about levelling up in the game and armed with this knowledge we have compiled a short, sharp list of five ways in which to quickly find yourself dining at the top table in the officer’s mess.
1. Intensity over longevity
Valkyrie is an ever-evolving experience with new content and gameplay tweaks happening all the time. At one point, pilots would try to play the long game in, for example, Carrier Assault mode, making the game last as long as possible and ‘farming’ the enemy to make sure they had a heavy score before cashing in. The experience has evolved since then. With the introduction of increased match completion bonuses (rising from 300 XP to 800 XP) and a win bonus coming in at 200 XP (rather than the original 100 XP), the big bucks are paid to those who play hard, fast and often. You want to optimize the amount of points you bring in by winning matches as often as possible. That means playing fast, aggressive games where you crush the enemy right out of the gate and keep up the intensity until you and your team have achieved victory.
2. Kills count, but teamwork is top
Gone are the days where the only thing you had to worry about was your kill count. These days, if you want to win often and rank up quickly you need to work closely with your team to guide them to victory. Instead of being ambivalent of anything that isn't right in front of your crosshairs, make sure you're looking after your buddy so they are just as successful as you. Sometimes that means shooting down an enemy on his six while other times that means providing logistical support. Very few people can win a match all by themselves, so your wingmen are the key to victory!
3. The carrier can wait
Carrier Assault mode is, we admit, hugely exhilarating and spectacular to behold, but it is, relatively speaking, a long undertaking. There will be plenty of time to enjoy extensive, epic space battles at your leisure further down the line… this guide is about levelling up as quickly as possible, remember. Concentrate on Team Deathmatch mode and Control matches. In that way you can pack in as many quick sessions as possible and maximize your win bonuses.
4. No resting on your laurels
After you've earned a first win bonus, don’t start high-fiving your cat and running around the room making whooping sounds. You need to make the most of it by getting back out there and playing and completing as many matches as possible before the time expires. Time is money, or more accurately, time is the potential for more XP.
5. Waste not, want not
Don't let skill boosters (or ‘Implants’ as they’re called in the game) go to waste! If you've activated one, make sure that you're making the most of your time in Valkyrie. If you know in advance you're going to be playing Valkyrie a lot at a particular time, you might as well take advantage of that and activate some skill boosters to give you an extra little push along the way.
So there you have it rookies, five rock-solid steps to Valkyrie glory. Follow this advice and you should be able to make the climb to level 50 in no time.