Knowing how to shoot is a fundamental skill for a treasure hunter. Here’s how you can hone your technique and become the fastest gun on X-Isle.
1. Familiarize Yourself with the Arsenal
You’ll find all manner of unique weapons on X-Isle. Many of them are the traditional bang-bang rifles, pistols, and shotguns, but there are also plenty of laser guns and other wild spins on the weapons you know and love.
When you pick up a weapon and don’t know how it works, you won’t use it to its fullest potential. This is especially true when it comes to controlling recoil and spread. Without understanding what each weapon excels at and how to fire it accurately, you may as well be shooting finger guns and shouting “pew-pew”.
Do yourself a favor and visit the Shooting Range on the Riftwake. It has all the weapons in GRAIL’s arsenal which you can pick up and fire to your heart’s content (but don’t even think about stashing any of it when you leave).
Get familiar with every weapon and their unique firing patterns, recoil, and spread so that you know all of them like the back of your hoverboard.
2. Use the Environment
It’s important to remember that Renegades are not the only violent lot out there. The island is full of bloodthirsty lizard monsters and very, very angry VEKTR agents just yearning to fight, well, anything.
If you’ve engaged an enemy that’s particularly close to a group of Disciples or VEKTR cronies, try to aggro them to fight your enemy. Even a single shot will do. Rival Renegades will be distracted with Disciples or VEKTR agents while you close in to deliver the finishing blow.
Besides enemy mobs, there are also tons of deadly traps you can set off, like spinning blades, spikes, and flowers that can set your enemies ablaze. And who could forget exploding barrels? X-Isle is a very dangerous place, so make sure your enemies remember that.
3. Don’t Rush
Even if you’ve broken your opponent’s shield and lowered their health significantly, it’s never a good idea to rush in blindly to finish them off. Just because they’re low on health doesn’t mean they can’t still take you down. Also, their teammates could be hiding nearby and will attack the second you approach them.
Don’t hastily rush into situations just because you think the firefight is in your favor. Take a second to assess the situation and only then move in to finish off your enemy. This way you’ll keep unpleasant surprises few and far in between.
Pro Tip: If you have the Recon Raptor Gear equipped, use it to scout the area ahead of you before closing in on your target, but remember that its range is limited and it may not spot enemies hidden farther away.
4. Don’t Forget Your Gear
In the heat of the moment, as adrenaline rushes through your brain and your finger is clamped tightly on the trigger, it’s easy to forget that you have Gear equipped. Exo and Ward Gear can significantly tip the scales in your favor during firefights when used correctly and at the right time.
Whether it’s supporting you with health restoration, or dealing some extra damage to your opponents, Exo and Ward Gear should not be ignored. Initiate firefights with the Infernat Lantern Exo Gear to stagger enemies with some fire damage before engaging with your guns. Or use the Familiar’s Boon Ward Gear for some added protection for you and your teammates.
Plan out what Gear to equip with your teammates and you should be ready for any firefight that you come across during your treasure-hunting escapades.
5. Avoid Tunnel Vision
Focus is very important during gunfights, as you don’t want to be distracted when engaging other Renegades. There is such a thing as “too much focus”, however, which can lead to “tunnel vision” or a lack of awareness of your surroundings.
Tunnel vision can easily cost you the game. While you engage one enemy, their pal will flank you from a different angle and take you down before you even notice them. This is why it’s always important to be aware of your surroundings even while you’re shooting or being shot at.
Pro Tip: When taking cover to reload your weapon, make it a habit to spin the camera around and scan your surroundings, as this could help you catch a flanking maneuver before it’s executed.
Your teammates will be especially important in this case. While you engage an enemy, you can ask them to cover your flanks so that no one can sneak up from other angles. Never let your guard down and always be aware of everything that goes on around you.
6. Effective Weapon Combinations
There’s an old saying that goes: “One shotgun is great, but two is one too many.” We don’t know who said it, but they made a very good point. When equipping guns, you should consider how they complement the other weapons in your arsenal.
A shotgun is great at close range and in buildings, but not in open terrain. A sniper rifle, on the other hand, is deadly from afar, but almost useless up close.
Since these two weapons fill two polar opposite roles, they make for a very effective combination. The sniper will pick off targets from afar, whereas the shotgun will take care of any bad guys that get too close. Now imagine carrying two snipers. Sure, you’re probably a beast from afar, but once someone gets too close, you’re defenseless. Meanwhile, if you’re carrying two shotguns, you have no choice but to always run towards your target, since you have no way of dealing damage at long distances.
Don’t just pick up any weapon you find. Think about how it complements the other weapons you have equipped and what missing roles it can fill in your arsenal.
7. Time Your Reloads
Impulsive reloading is something that happens to many Renegades. The urge to keep your weapon fully loaded is a good habit. Unfortunately, reloading at the wrong time could leave you vulnerable and defenseless, costing you the gunfight.
When the magazine is empty or close to running out, switch to your next weapon if you’re still engaging the enemy. Ideally, you should find some solid cover to reload behind. This keeps you safe from enemy fire while the reload animation plays out. It’s good to have full magazines, but not at the cost of taking damage while reloading.
Bonus Tip: Always Try Something New
As mentioned above, the arsenal in HAWKED is packed with tons of unique weapons, and trying them all out is a blast. Don’t be afraid of using unfamiliar guns since you may end up finding something completely new that suits your playstyle.
Experiment with new guns to find the ones that play to your strengths. You’ll be wiping the floor with rival Renegades in no time.
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