Burning Retribution: The Network

Level Progression and Tips:

The first important note of mention is there are other potential routes that this mission can be accomplished with either just as efficiently or more so, however the route described here was one I found to be manageable considering the angles you approach certain enemies at. Also while this level is straightforward and relatively simple, it is complicated by tight spaces that make things far more deadly.

You start off next to the exit pad at point A and should begin heading to point B along the red path after picking up the shield nearby. Don’t take the other direction through the hallways as that can get you killed right now. Reaching point Bwill have you encountering a Heavy Beam Turret and a pair of Light Plasma Turrets guarding the first red keycard. Take these out, using the concrete obstacles to approach the beam turret against the right side of the hallway. Once these are down, be prepared for a tank ambush when you cross the intersection ahead.

Start making your way to point C while taking note of two particular hazards. Before reaching C, when you encounter the room with four red pillars and coolant flowing freely below the floor, there will be a Heavy Beam Turret to the right as you enter, which can be a surprise if you’re just speeding ahead. Use an angled shot from the corner of the entrance to take it out without exposing yourself to its fire. You’re second significant threat is past this room, right before you hit the bend in the hallway at point Cwhich will spawn a Repair Turret by some most likely, previously destroyed enemies. Take this out quickly to prevent headaches.

Although technically you can disable the fans with a trigger pad at point E, as long as you have a decent amount of health you can stop the blades of the fans on both sides of the keycard at point Dwith taking only slight damage. Taking the alternate path to reach this pad first can be more hazardous however given the angle you will have to approach some of the turrets from along your way. Once this second card is yours, watch out for the two Light Plasma Turrets directly on the other side of the second fan, using your Shockwave right as you leave the pocket of space between the two fans to prevent them from shooting your tank up.

As you turn the next corner, be cautious as there are two ambush squads that pop up along with a Heavy Beam Turret firing at you from the far en of the hallway. The first squad containing 2 Light Tanks and one Lightning tank spawns when moving just past the set of white lights on either side of the hallway. Wave #2 is 3 Medium Tanks that spawn as you touch the square the Heavy Beam Turret was on. Both should be dealt with a quick reverse and trigger of the Shockwave the moment you see them spawning. Dealing with these allows you to make your way to point Ewhere you will find a Rocket Turret backed up by a Repair Turret. Try to predict the Repair Turrets location from its beam and hit it from the hallway, off screen, before fully entering the room to save yourself some hit points.

Your next obstacle after picking up the 3rd keycard will be to take on a group of turrets supported by a Repair Turret which is the main reason I mentioned approaching from the direction drawn out in the map to the right. The first turret at this location, point F, that you will see is the Rocket Turret in the center of this group, which the Repair Turret you need to focus on is to its right when facing both. Quickly run up to the Rocket Turret and trigger your Shockwave right before its rockets hit you so that they fly back into it, using (hopefully you have it) your Beam Cannon to take out the Repair Turret, or just dousing it with whatever rockets you may have, stunning it with the Thunderbolt, etc.. Pick up the final keycard once you’ve wiped out the remaining turrets who won’t be coming back now.

Now with all four keycards it’s time to retrieve the experimental weapon which is the Homing Missiles from point G. You will have to face another trio of turrets (2 beam and 1 rocket) which will be supported by a spawning Repair Turret upon the Rocket Turret’s destruction. Take out the Rocket Turret from far away with regular weapon, then upon the Repair Turret’s spawning and subsequent revival of the Rocket Turret, use the dash and Shockwave method you used previously on the group at point F. There is one final beam turret by the Homing Missile you need to collect which can be destroyed and approached close enough to stun without it firing on you if you are careful about which of the containers blocking the way you take out. You really should have it already, the Shockwave is also next to the Homing Missile, but seriously, good luck making it this far without having retrieved it from the previous missions.

Note:If you find yourself dying a lot and would rather play it safe, leave the Homing Missile here until you finish the primary objective to avoid losing it in death and having to restart the level or fail your secondary objective.

One you have the Homing Missile you can travel along the blue path towards your final objective at point H. Once you reach the upper level you will have to deal with some beam and rocket turrets which you should clear out before hacking the panels here. Watch out for an ambush as when you destroy two of the four beam turrets (specifically one of the top pair and one of the bottom pair) there will be a single Heavy Minigun Tank that spawns next to the southern pair of turrets and close to the one panel away from the other three. Once these hostiles are dealt with you are free to use all four keycards on the four panels here which will complete your primary objective and allow you to leave The Network in Steel Storm via the exit pad at point A.