Hunt: Showdown Beginner’s Tips: PVP, Weapons, Stealth & More

Hunt: Showdown’s take on the battle royale genre is probably one of the most intense experiences I have ever had in a video game. It can be brutally hard and punish you for seemingly everything you do. Therefore, I put together some Hunt: Showdown beginner’s tips which can help you out in the early hours of the game.

 

Wear headphones

Sound is extremely important in Hunt: Showdown, listening for other player’s activity and nearby monsters are key to survival. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you use headphones while playing this game. As you traverse the swamplands, you need to listen for and recognize, the many traps throughout the land. Dogs growling, crows cawing and monsters shuffling around are all hints to be extra cautious. Most traps in Hunt have a sound associated with them and are used as a way of exposing players to each other.

 

Stay quiet

To this effect, you do best to keep quiet while moving around. Running creates more sound and is more likely to startle wildlife. Crouch down and move slowly to not send birds flying or attract nastier beasties. If you have to kill something, try doing it as quietly and quickly as possible and avoid firing your guns unless necessary. While the nightmarish creatures are bad in their own right, it is the human threat you need to be careful with. Prolonged gunfights are sure to bring others snooping around to loot or ambush.

 

Mind Your Surroundings

There are a tonne of things which will give your position away in Hunt. Chains rattle when you move through them, glass crunches as you walk over it and water splashes a lot as you run through it. They are rather easy to avoid if you keep your eyes peeled and aren’t moving too fast. Worse then, is the wildlife. Spooked birds taking flight is a dead giveaway to other players, as are the barking dogs and screaming monsters. Always keep your eyes peeled and your ears open and you should be able to go around most of it without incident.

 

Live to fight another day

While killing the main targets will net you the largest rewards in Hunt: Showdown, clearing out other creepy crawlies is not without merit. You gain money and XP for each monster slain. Other players also give you a good bonus at the end of around, though they can be a lot harder to deal with. Sometimes just running through an area and heading to one of the exits is a valid way to play. Especially- if you are hurt and don’t want your precious hunter to bite the dust just yet.

 

Let loose and learn the weapons

As with most battle royale games, it is sometimes good to just let go and run right into the middle of fights. This will help you get used to the player on player combat and also become more familiar with the weapons Hunt has to offer. In the 1.0 release, new players are given a grace period up to level 10. During this time, your hunter will not die permanently if he is taken out during a match. This is an excellent time to play a little more carelessly and learn the ropes of the game.

 

Misdirection can be a devastating tactic

Since sound is such a large part of the gameplay in Hunt, it would be crazy not to take advantage of it. When another player is nearby, you can start making noise to throw them off, which can be throwing a stick of dynamite somewhere or setting something on fire. While players are disoriented or checking it out, you lay an ambush; anything that can tip the scale in your favor.

 

Keep an eye out for special weapons

Scattered throughout the level are some special weapons to pick up and use. Most of these are two-handed melee weapons which can be used on some of the tougher enemies. You will usually find one or two of them around larger structures. In the same way, there are oil lamps which you can pick up — throw these at enemies and watch them burn. Some monsters hate fire and will go down very quickly if set alight. Additionally, there are bear traps you can find and set up to hurt and trap players and monsters. Keep your eyes open, there’s usually something useful around.

 

Bring the Right Tools

Before each match, it’s important to make sure your hunter is equipped with some good items and gear. Before going into any match, I make sure my hunter has at least some sort of silent weapon. It can be a knife, an ax or a suppressed pistol. Just something that enables you to take out enemies quietly. Secondly, I take some items to heal and cure poison with. Last but not least, I usually bring some sort of throwable weapon; a Molotov or a stick of dynamite. These are great weapons against larger enemies or to use as distractions.

 

Play in a Group

Much like PUBG and other battle royales, the game dynamic changes a lot depending on if you are playing alone or with friends. Alone, Hunt is a multiplayer horror game that will have you jumping at every shadow. Bringing in a friend will let you take more risks and be more aggressive in the initial phase of the match. This is in large part because teammates can revive each other once they go down. If you are having trouble getting to grips with the mechanics of the game, join a group. The random players I have played with have been quite good for the most part.

 

Scout Out an Exit

Once you have picked up a bounty token, it is time to head for the exit. To make things worse, every other player in the game will be able to see your location, so it is best to act fast. Exits are randomized with each match so it is good to know their location and pick one you will be heading to once things start popping off. To see the exits, pull open your map and they will be marked by arrows pointing away from the edge of it.

From our Hunt: Showdown review:

“Hunt: Showdown is an incredibly intense and sometimes nerve-racking game that will require a lot from you. In return, it delivers an experience and a world you will have a hard time finding anywhere else.”