Rage 2 is out this week, and it’s a rollicking ride through the wasteland with lots to see, do, and shoot. If you’ve pre-ordered the game you’ll have even more stuff to look forward to, with an extra weapon, a full and challenging new mission, a bizarre skin for the monster truck, and perhaps most excitingly, the Rage 2 Nicholas Raine armor.
This armor set belonged to Nicholas Raine, the hero and player character of the first Rage, and it arrives as part of the pre-order bonuses, which for the most part all focus around Raine and the first game in the series. But how do you get these pre-order bonuses in-game? Where can you find the Nicholas Raine armor, Settler Pistol, and Cult of the Death God mission within Rage 2? Let’s have a look.
What are the Rage 2 pre-order bonuses?
As we’ve previously detailed, there are four pre-order bonuses for anyone who has already purchased Rage 2. They range in usefulness, but you’ll want to get all of them. They are as follows:
- Cult of the Death God special mission: This pre-order exclusive mission is where you’ll get most of the following bonuses.
- Settler Pistol: The ninth weapon in the game is exclusively a pre-order bonus. It uses pistol ammo, and while it’s only single-shot, it does a lot more damage than the regular pistol. It looks cool, too.
- Nicholas Raine Armor
- Mutant Monster Truck Skin: a fun extra skin for the Monster Truck vehicle. You’ll have to get the Monster Truck first, of course.
How do you know the pre-order bonuses are activated?
A key thing you need to know about the Rage 2 pre-order bonuses is that they’re not just gifted in your inventory immediately; you have to go into the world and find them. While the game does a good job at steering you towards them, it’s not immediately obvious where they all will be. The Cult of the Death God mission is where you get most of the bonuses, but even that you won’t get until a certain point in the story. However, you’ll at least know that the pre-order stuff has been unlocked, as the moment you leave the game’s starting area of Vineland you should get the pop-up above. If you didn’t get it, you should restart the game and sign in to your Bethesda account.
What is the Rage 2 Nicholas Raine Armor?
The pre-order bonus outfit is the Nicholas Raine armor. He was the hero and the main player character of the original Rage, and this armor is the equipment he was wearing throughout the first game. In Rage 2 he’s been deified a little, and no one knows quite what happened to him. Maybe you’ll get some clue once you put on the armor…
Where can I find the Rage 2 Nicholas Raine Armor?
To get the Nicholas Raine armor, you’ll first need to complete the Rage 2 Cult of the Death God mission. To get this mission, you’ll first have to have met John Marshall in the town of Gunbarrel and completed his first mission, which is called Blackout. He’ll get to work on Project Dagger, but as you’re leaving Gunbarrel he’ll contact you over the radio and tell you about an old friend of his in the swamp area to the west of the Rage 2 map. Head there, speak to this old friend in the run-down shack, and he’ll send you to the very western part of the map to smash the Death God mutant cult. This is a tough mission, so make sure you’re prepared.
How to complete Cult of the Death God and get the Nicholas Raine armor
Cult of the Death God is located at the westernmost part of the swamp, and it’s essentially a hole in the ground you can head into. We’re not sure if it’s there in the regular game if you don’t have the pre-order bonuses activated, but if it is it certainly doesn’t have the armor or accessories at the end. Head into the pit, keeping a close eye out for any storage bins for Feltrite or cash, which are scattered around, or datapads, which tell the tale of the cult.
Eventually you’ll start getting attacked by mutants. If you’ve come straight to the mission straight after meeting John Marshall at Gunbarrel then you’re probably still a little underpowered, and this is a far tougher mission than any of the other quests you’ve faced so far. Still, at least you have the shotgun now definitely, and that works best on the mutants.
Keep on fighting downwards, and eventually you’ll enter a big open area in the sewers, with a lot of meat bits on the floor and a giant circular grate in the wall. Clear out the mutants, and you’ll notice that right in the center of the room is a structure, which Walker refers to as “strangely familiar”. Under the structure is a scarecrow-like effigy holding a set of armor and a pistol. These are the two pre-order bonuses you’re after: the Settler Pistol from Rage 1, and Nicholas Raine’s armor.
Equip both by using them, and a giant mutant wielding a traffic light pole will appear in front of the circular grate. The mutant actually speaks, and will reveal an important fact about Nicholas Raine, and his connection to these mutants. It will then attack you. Don’t do anything too fancy, just avoid the creature’s attacks and keep shooting, preferably at long range. Other mutants will drop in too, which you can kill to get health. Once it’s defeated, head out and back to the old friend of Marshall’s… who has disappeared. Was that Nicholas Raine, perhaps?
