“Kill everyone.” The only two words describing Warface’s Free For All mode exemplify the goal at the heart of almost every game in the first-person shooter genre. This is a fast-paced kill or be killed rendition of the classic fan-favorite mode. Enemies lurk around every corner and crevice. Cripple the campers, annihilate the aggressors, and quash the competition in the Warface PlayStation Challenger Series!

Sixteen players square off to kill as many enemies as they can within the time limit. Most kills, or points, at the end of the game nets you front and center in the victory screen! Victory is just as big despite smaller maps. Extra enemies spread across the same area means more strategic hit and runs, stealthy maneuvers, and constant carnage!

Players spawn into tight enclosed rooms, around corners, or behind structures. Rushing into the open can be dangerous depending on the map and your location. Learn the layouts prior to joining the Challenger Series so that you’re not at a disadvantage!

Positioning

Positioning is key! Avoid the center or most open section of maps whenever possible. You’ll encounter more enemies at the cost of becoming an easier target. Players will have more opportunities to flank, or sneak up on you, and there’s a good chance your kills will be stolen due to the additional lines of sight. Third parties, or extra players late to an ongoing gunfight, will have no problem picking you off. Be aware of the respawn timer! Every death is more time spent watching others gain points, instead of gaining points yourself.

Familiarize yourself with optimal routes around the map to gain the most points! People tend to fall into habits regarding their routes and positions. Pay attention to the minimap and note any hotspots where people frequently fire. The red dots are enemies pulling the trigger. Take position overlooking multiple spawn points, survey the outskirts of popular junctions, patrol the exterior of the map, and constantly change your location to anticipate enemy movements and stay alive. Practice and play with this in mind to improve your situational awareness.

Situational Awareness and Sound

Situational awareness extends into most tactics. Listen closely to get the jump on enemies before they even know you’re there. The extra noise when running leaves you more susceptible to surprise attacks! Crouch to reduce noise and improve hip-fire accuracy.

Even if you figure out all 15 of your opponents, you still need to mix up your movement throughout the match. Tactics as simple as spending five extra seconds in your spawn because you know someone will run past it can be the kill that makes all the difference in the final minute of a close game. Transitioning between offensive and defensive playstyles can catch opponents off guard, especially if you’re halfway through a match filled mainly with players running and gunning.

Switch your position after every kill or two before anyone returns from the grave, but be careful! Many players are already conscious of potential campsites. Enemies briefly see your loadout, position, and a kill comparison before respawning. Smart players will quickly catch on and check those spots in the future because revenge is a dish best served to the head.

Aiming

Always aim for the head! Aim is crucial to killing multiple enemies because headshots kill faster and require fewer bullets. Land your shots and you’ll spend less time reloading, in turn leaving you less vulnerable. Reloading can be dangerous if mistimed since you’re defenseless. When you inevitably have to reload mid gunfight, consider switching to your secondary weapon to finish the kill. Don’t forget to aim down sights to nail more shots. Firing from the hip is less accurate and really only advised at point-blank range. The training room prior to joining games is an excellent place to practice reaction time and accuracy, although there’s no substitute for real experience on the battlefield.

Sound is significant! Listen closely to get the jump on enemies before they even know you’re there. Try not run unless you’re hunting prey in an isolated location. The extra noise leaves you more susceptible to surprise attacks! Crouch instead to reduce noise and improve hip-fire accuracy.

Movement, Mines, and Mind Games

There’s more to movement than just crouching and firing at foes. Aim down sights whenever you turn corners or anticipate an enemy. The second spent waiting to react to an enemy instead of preparing for one differentiates great players from decent ones. Alternatively, slide around corners to surprise enemies expecting taller targets. Hopping is another method to engage enemies behind objects. Sliding and hopping also work well mid-fight and create mind games to throw off your opponent’s aim throughout the match.

Mind games are the mental war unfolding alongside the actual game. Conditioning opponents into disadvantageous positions can shift momentum in the face of any war. Claymores and mines are versatile weapons. The basic tactic is to leave them around corners to surprise enemies, but you can also use them to distract players prone to shooting traps. Lure people in with traps, then shoot them when you have an opening. You can even bait people into parts of the map by shooting to draw attention. 

Traps act as alerts when enemies approach since you’ll hear the explosion or get a hit marker. Don’t stick too close to your explosives! Few things are worse than losing 200 points after an enemy triggers your claymore and takes you to the grave.

Don’t get disgruntled by mines, claymores, or anything really. Patience and positivity pull through against adversity. No matter how badly you want to rush back to a specific location or hunt down a certain player, maintaining your mentality and sticking to your game plan is always recommended!

Who and When to Shoot

Patience factors into knowing when and who to shoot. It’s not uncommon to find multiple people in your line of sight. Take into account the direction players face and who they are. Early on you won’t know anything about your opponents, but after a few minutes you’ll figure out who is the biggest threat based on score and ability. If you interfere with a gunfight and have the option, shoot the player facing you first, then hit the other player in the back before they can react. 

Another option is to steal the kill by setting your sights on the weaker player, although it can be hard to tell how much health everyone has left. If you have good aim, it doesn’t really matter which one you take out first. Chances are the gunfire will attract more enemies, so stick to a safe vantage point when possible. Running away given the opportunity can be a viable tactic too.

Grenades

Always remember to toss your grenade. If you know an enemy is behind cover, cock the grenade based on their distance in order to detonate it on impact. You can even cock a grenade to slyly eliminate a close-quarters enemy from the afterlife.

Grenades force foes to move and decimate defensive players. Smart, or lucky, players sometimes snag kills with grenades aimed at popular positions. Infinite grenade tossing is an additional benefit of the training room. Practice timing the grenade to explode on specific targets before utilizing your demolitions expertise in the field.

Trade power for presence with smoke grenades. Smoke grenades obscure everyone’s view. Use this to your advantage to cover key routes, then plant claymores and mines, or take a back seat to the action from an advantageous position. Silencers work well in conjunction with smoke grenades because they are quieter and harder to detect. Anyone can use the smoke to their advantage, creating another battle of wits to win!

Class

Understand every class’ strengths and weaknesses regardless of your playstyle! Engineers excel in close quarters and place claymores, although they’re not the best when it comes to long-range. Meanwhile, Snipers have mines and the best range but are at a disadvantage up close. Next, Medics carry shotguns to fight foes at short range, making them less of a threat from afar. Lastly, Rifleman carry balanced weapons suitable for medium range. Maps with long lines of sight and tight corners benefit some guns more than others, however, class mainly comes down to player preference! Winning is possible with any weapon on any map!

When the clock winds down, the harsh reality of inevitable defeat sinks in for some, while others see an elusive victory fast approaching. Keep your game face, or warface, on and take advantage of the ensuing chaos to nab more kills and strive for peak placement!