What you’ll encounter in Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector‘s Darkside Recon contract is a twisting, turning mission fraught with danger. There are a few elements that will affect your journey through this mission. Not only is danger constantly creeping around the corner, but you can end up losing access to certain crew members early if you complete tasks in the “wrong” order.
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This guide will give you advice on how to approach the contract, outline the consequences of certain choices, and demystify each choice you are presented with. Naturally, we’ll also point you in the direction of the extra rewards that are hidden throughout.
Preparation For The Darkside Recon Contract
The primary thing you’ll want to know before starting this mission is who you should bring with you. Marko is locked, so you can only choose your second. Juni is very obviously the best choice for the mission, as her enhanced interface ability is extremely useful. However, Bliss has unique dialogue with one of the characters who’ll appear during the mission. So, for story purposes, you may want to include them.
Bringing Bliss will also unlock an achievement.
Additionally, you should know that you will lose your supplies at a certain point. So, coming in with five supplies may not be the right choice if you are low on cash. You lose everything once you complete the Docker’s Rest or The Rise’s objectives.
This is why you should avoid trying to tackle The Rise first.
Taking Out The Surveillance System
The first thing you’ll want to tackle is the surveillance system, as your life will be considerably more miserable if you don’t. For every cycle the surveillance system is active, tension will build. Marko is pretty useless here, but if you brought Bliss or Juni then you’ll have a leg up.
|
Location |
Options |
Type/Cost |
Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dock Surveillance |
Cut Connections |
Engineer |
Danger |
|
Hack Surveillance |
Interface |
Danger |
You should be able to clear the “Going Dark” objective in one turn, before it ever gets to the point of being an issue if you are either an Engineer or an Operator. If you are an Extractor, it is probably going to be a little more hairy. But you should be able to do it in two cycles.
The Wash Gate And Beyond
Once you’ve taken out the Surveillance, you’re going to work your way through the Wash Gate and then clear out the Docker’s Rest. This is all to get the Utsubo Cipher, which will unlock the apartment in The Rise.
Marko Disappears after either completing the Utsubo Cipher at the Docker’s Rest or the Utsubo Territory at The Rise. Whichever of the two you complete first. So, ideally, you will want to get both objectives close to completion before you finish either.
|
Location |
Options |
Type/Cost |
Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wash Gate |
Docker Debate |
Engage |
Danger |
|
Eavesdropping |
Interface |
Risky |
|
|
Docker’s Rest Shore Leave |
Steal Passkey |
Intuit |
Danger |
|
Extract Cipher |
Interface |
Risky |
The Rise
You will need to hack into the rise, and then use the Utsubo Cipher to gain entry. As we mentioned in the previous section, if you have already obtained the Utsubo Cipher, then you won’t have Marko anymore. However, if you are dipping between the two locations, you can use Marko all the way until you have mostly completed both objectives.
Once you use the Cipher, events will occur that will rob you of all your supplies. So, make sure to rest and regain all your dice before you complete the Utsubo Entry.
|
Location |
Options |
Type/Cost |
Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Rise |
Track Enforcers |
Intuit |
Danger |
|
Hack Utsubo Comms |
Interface |
Danger |
|
|
Utsubo Entry Utsubo Territory |
Unlock Entrance |
1 Utsubo Cipher |
– |
Surviving After You Have Been Discovered
If you want, you can just pass the two next two cycles, and the contract will conclude. However, you can also steal supplies from Flicker Row (which will prevent you from taking stress damage), and you can rescue Marko. Whatever you want to do, you need to do it within two cycles.
To rescue Marko head back to The Rise. Once you complete the “Finding Marko” objective, you will grab him (after a confrontation), and be able to hunker down in your hideout. While you can choose to leave Marko to rot, it is worth noting that you will be able to take valuable supplies from Marko’s place if you do save him. This includes four engine parts!
|
Location |
Options |
Type/Cost |
Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Flicker Row |
Steal Supplies |
Engage |
Danger |
|
The Rise |
Search The Passages |
Endure |
Danger |
|
Search The Network |
Interface |
Danger |
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