Case 2-1 doesn’t begin until 7:30 PM, so you’ve got some free time on your hands now. Exit the Safe House after saving, then check your Messages to see multiple side missions requiring your attention. Tune your guide arrow to “Welcome to the Family” and head out.
The Palisades Mall is quite a hike, so let’s speed things up. Grab all the coffee and coffee creamers you can carry from The Dark Bean, keeping just one spiked bat with you this time.
Bring your caffeinated beverages to Shots& Awe and use them to mix up some Quick Steps—two or three will do the trick. (You can also use the endless supply of wine bottles at Shots & Awe, but grabbing coffee and creamers at The Dark Bean saves a bit of hassle.)
COMBO CARD: LASER SWORD
Immediately down a Quick Step after blending them, then bolt for the doors to Platinum Strip, which isn’t far from Shots & Awe.
Sprint down the strip and make a quick pit stop into Paradise Platinum Theaters, examining the poster against the far wall to give Chuck the notion for the laser sword combo weapon. We’ll show you where to build one of these soon.
COMBO CARD: HOLY ARMS
Enter Atlantica Casino on your way to Palisades Mall, where the “Welcome to the Family” mission takes place. Make a slight detour and examine the poster on the casino’s south wall to acquire the holy arms combo card.
You can build this mighty combo weapon right now if you like by entering the nearby magic stage area, also located along Atlantica Casino’s south wall—do this only if your spiked bat is wearing out.
To build the holy arms right now, enter the doors to the magic stage area and vault onto the stage.
Grab a box of nails that’s hidden behind the stage equipment and bring it into the nearby maintenance room, where you find a training sword. Merge these two items to form the awesome holy arms.
Pound another Quick Step and streak into Palisades Mall. Scale the first set of escalators and dart into Chris’s Fine Foods. Nab two steaks from The cooler along the store’s southwest wall—these will soon come in handy.
If you’d like to trade your current weapon for a laser sword, now’s the time. Do this only if you have plenty of time left on the “Short Sighted” side mission. Cross Palisades Mall’s second floor, heading for Ned’s Knicknackery.
Grab gems and a flashlight from within the shop; they are found on top of the various displays. Bring the gems and flashlight to the nearby maintenance room and combine them to form a laser sword.
COMBO CARD: SNOWBALL CANNON
Regardless of whether you wish to build a laser sword, examine the poster between Ned’s Knicknackery and the maintenance room to discover the snowball cannon’s combo card.
Cut back across the second floor afterward and save your game at the nearby restroom—you’ll soon be battling a dangerous psycho.
SIDE MISSION: WELCOME TO THE FAMILY
Head down stairs after saving your game and make a dash for Shank’s, where the “Welcome to the Family” side mission takes place. Here you find two arguing men—Kenneth and Jack—who are pinned down by zombies.
Help them beat back the undead, but be careful not to hit them during the struggle. If you’ve still got a spiked bat, use its heavy attack as needed to single out pesky zombies.
Speak to Kenneth when things settle down, then talk to Jack to get both men to join you. Waste no time exiting Shank’s and leading your new found comrades west into Yucatan Casino.