Rage 2: How to Unlock the Vortex Ability

You can acquire the Vortex ability early in Rage 2, but it can be hard to find Quake Hill Ark, where it’s hidden. Follow our guide to make getting there easier.

Most of Rage 2’s four main abilities, or “Id-Accessions,” as they’re called, are pretty straightforward. They either let you do damage or block incoming fire. Vortex is a bit more complex. Using this ability will lob a pulsating blob of purple energy at the spot where you’re aiming, which will explode after a slight pause. The explosion will toss any enemies or objects caught in it into the air to land with crushing force, but will also launch you harmlessly into the air if you’re standing in it. You can upgrade the ability to pull in more enemies, suspend them in the air after the initial explosion, or leave them more vulnerable to damage while under its effect.

Quake Hill Ark, where you find Vortex, is extremely close to where you start the game, but it’s also very easy to miss unless you’re specifically looking for it. The best way to find it in the early game is by taking a nice seaside drive. Starting from the Center of the Twisting Canyons region, head all the way to the east, then drive south along the road that overlooks the ocean toward the marker on the map above. You’ll eventually come to a tunnel; head through it, and you’ll reach a small field hidden from the other side by a cliff, with a single large building on it.

Head into the building, and you’ll find a strange sight. Chunks of concrete are floating in mid-air, and small purple rifts keep opening and closing. Keep walking through the building until you find a catwalk, which will break when you try to cross it, plunging you into the basement. Ahead of you, you’ll see an Ark on a ledge far above, with another purple rift continuously opening below it. Step into the rift, and it will propel you up onto the ledge where the Ark is. Enter and receive the Vortex ability.

Once you’ve acquired it, step outside, and a piece of the ceiling will collapse, forming a bridge for you to get back to where you fell from the catwalk. Use your new ability to jump across the broken catwalk and head toward the door. Before you can leave, you’ll be ambushed by a group of mutants with jet packs. They can be pretty intimidating foes, but in this case, they’re conveniently arranged near a load of explosives so you can use your Vortex power or just plain old firearms to blow them up and make off with your prize quickly.