Games
The reason to buy an Xbox One has landed. Time to learn how not to die. Repeatedly.
Titanfall is out this week, and, around the world, thousands – even millions – of gamers will be firing up their Xbox Ones to check out the new multiplayer mayhem from the creators of Modern Warfare. Here, we round up some of the tricks to try out on unsuspecting newbies tonight.
Don't just jump in your Titan as soon as it lands
Your big shiny giant robot has landed and, quite naturally, you want to jump inside as quickly as humanly (or pilot-ly) possible. But that’s not always the smartest move. Your Titan can be commanded to follow you, or to guard a specific area, both of which are infinitely useful diversionary tactics in different modes – more so than tearing in and being pulled to bits by pilots.
Wrack up kills with the Smart Pistol
New to the game? Don’t worry: Titanfall is one of the most unimposing shooters for newbies ever made thanks mostly to the Smart Pistol, which does the aiming for you. While you cut your teeth, give the Smart Pistol your trust and focus on grinding AI kills. Each computer-controlled bot will get you two points when felled, and they take far fewer shots than human players to take down. Which brings us onto the next point...
Grunts are worth your time
As well as the juicy points for your team, each AI kill lowers your Titan’s timer, which means you can get back in the saddle quicker. You’re always going to want to be a hero and pull Titans down single handedly, but it can be just as rewarding (and fun) to collect kills on the ground, in heated battles with the computer-controlled foot soldiers.
Use those Burn Cards
Burn Cards are little bonuses that give you extra power-ups for the duration of one life after each death. But you’ve got to actually use them. See, the temptation in all shooters is to hammer the buttons and rush straight back into the action, but in doing that it’s easy to skip the step where you equip your cards. The lesson? Patience is a virtue. Take a step back and think about which card in your deck will benefit you the most right now - and which you should save for a last-minute upset.
Drop your Titan on other Titans
Titans, as you can probably imagine, are quite heavy. So each time you summon yours from the heavens is an opportunity to inflict damage at the same time. It’s tricky not to get squashed yourself, but if you hang around the feet or on the back of a rival Titan and call on yours, it’ll land on your foe and destroy it in one blow.
The sky's the limit
Titanfall is a vertical game. The unique abilities of the Titans and the pilots with their mounted jetpacks and freerunning skills means it’s a frantic playground that’s yours to conquer. The game wants you to go from ground level up to the highest heights and back. A lot. Use every inch of every building to find vantage points and cover, and remember to always look up, lest a giant robot land on your face.
Other Titans aren’t your only concern
If you’re driving a Titan, you’ll obviously want to go and punch other Titans right in the kisser. But don’t ignore the threat from the little humans nibbling at your toes. They’re more agile, much faster, and can easily land on your Titan and wreak havoc. The thing to remember is that humans are more than just pests – they’re a real threat, and aren’t to be ignored. Just because there’s six inches of steel between you and them, doesn’t mean you’re invincible.
Look at the map
This is a vital tip for all first person shooters, really, but it applies doubly to Titanfall because it’s a battle landscape that changes wildly from second to second. Keep an eye on the mini-map at all times, and learn to make doing so second nature. Do that and the game’s many, frequent changes of pace won’t come as nasty surprises.
Hold still a minute
Use that left trigger trick by all means, but use it sparingly. Titanfall is a kinetic, blazingly fast game, and it rewards players who never stop moving. Smash through windows, jump off walls, run around and weave through every alleyway and you’re guaranteed to have much more fun – and garner more points – than those who sit and camp. It’s just not that kind of game.
