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As REPO introduces a host of impressive updates to its beta set to eventually be added to the full game, one of the changes that has players the most excited has been the introduction of CART weapons. Rather than be carried by players, these heavy weapons are instead mounted onto CARTs, offering a way to unload some serious firepower into your targets. While these weapons have their limitations, they’re definitely an exciting addition worth experimenting with.
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This guide will help you understand the basics of these new weapons, how to use them, and where to find them.
The Basics of CART Weapons
There are currently two CART weapons in the game. The first is the CART Laser, which shares many similarities with the handheld Photon Blaster. When mounted in a CART, this weapon can be fired with E. This causes it to briefly charge up and then fire a concentrated beam of energy that deals continuous damage for a short time and which can be swept over a target area. It deals about 50 damage per registered hit, with a single shot able to deliver multiple hits. This weapon also knocks enemies back, meaning it can deal extra damage if you angle your shot such that you’re able to smash a target against a wall.
The second CART weapon is the CART Cannon. This weapon delivers a single shot when fired that is capable of dealing a massive 500 damage, enough to kill even the game’s toughest enemies, such asthe Trudge. This shot is explosive, meaning it also delivers splash damage capable of hurting not only enemies near your target, but also allies and valuables. Firing a CART Cannon has some kick, knocking the CART it’s mounted onto backwards, so keep that in mind if near ledges or other hazards.
Both weapons have four charges and can be mounted not only onto standard CARTs but also onto Pocket CARTs (the smaller CART variant that you’re able to store in your inventory that is frequently available for sale in the store).
Using Your CART Weapons Effectively
Even more than the handheld firearms in the game, CART weapons really reverse the standard enemy-player dynamic in REPO. While the charges of these weapons are limited, the CART Laser can kill most small enemies and, when decently charged, is perfectly able to kill or at least severely damage even larger foes. Meanwhile, the CART Cannon is a problem deleter (although it can alsocreateproblems with its knockback and explosion radius), obliterating anything you aim it at.
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Of the two weapons, the CART Laser is arguably easier to handle and a bit more versatile if you’re facing multiple enemies at once. It can be swept and is great if you don’t needallthe damage it deals to hit a single foe. The CART Cannon can be a bit tougher to use, but it’s still an excellent weapon and is the only consistent way to quickly kill enemies like the Trudge or Robe, which otherwise can take multiple hits from all other damage sources. The only other way to instantly kill these enemies is typically to knock them into pits.
CART weapons are relatively big and can be a bit of a nuisance if you’re using them in your main CART. A good strategy to help make space less of an issue is to mount one on a Pocket CART, which is relatively easy to afford and a bit easier to maneuver thanks to their small size.
When using either weapon, keep in mind their low charge count. One mistake newer players can make is assuming killing an enemy isalwaysdesirable, but this isn’t entirely true. Enemies take resources to kill and, in the case of CART weapons, that resource is weapon charges. Recharging a weapon takes energy, which requires crystals to regain. The price of crystals grows with each purchase (although, with a recent update, it eventually plateaus). Because the value of Monster Orbs is fairly static, with smaller enemies tending to drop less valuable orbs, you’re able to lose money when killing monsters.
Even if killing a monster will lose you money in terms of recharge cost versus the profit from their orb, it can still be worth it. Some monsters, likethe Huntsman, can be major threats, easily capable of ruining runs. Moreover, even if a monster doesn’t ruin your run, healing also costs money, so ending a threat before it can deal heavy damage can still sometimes representlessloss than if you saved your weapon charges by trying to run away or kill it with less expensive means.
Obtaining CART Weapons
CART weapons can be purchased at the store, spawning on store shelves and typically costing somewhere around $44k. As far as could be determined in testing, they never spawn inthe secret roomof the store. They’re some of the biggest items that can spawn; assuming you haven’t blasted the shelves with explosives or thrown anything around, you’re almost certain to spot these items if they’re available for sale.
CART weapons seem to be rare, to the point that it was initially thought in testing that they simply couldn’t be obtained until later levels. However, this was eventually proven not to be the case, when a CART Laser was found for sale in the store right after Level 1 and before the testing team had any reasonable way toaffordthe weapon.
While arguably a “cheese” strategy, the store rerolls if you exit the game and then reload that same save. Assuming you also have enough money, this means a team could conceivably keep exiting and reloading until they find a CART weapon for sale. This seems like a strategy that might eventually be patched out, but it works as of the time this article was written.
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