It’s no secret that PUBG can have hours of entertainment for everyone who plays and that it’s not just luck that sees people emerge victoriously. Skill plays a huge part, but if you’re one of the players who is dreaming big but finds themselves dead more than surviving to the bitter end, we’re here to help. It can be frustrating to put hours into a game and not make the progress you’d like so stick with us as we take you through some key tips and tricks to help you master PUBG.
Change Your Thinking
First and foremost, while there are some similarities between PUBG and other battle royale games on the market right now, the aim is not to kill as many people as possible. In fact, the aim is to survive, and this is key if you want to emerge victorious.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t learn how to make the most of combat opportunities, but you need to play smart rather than becoming Rambo. You’ll find lots of quick tips and ideas out there, but no one thing is going to suddenly make you better. Instead, you need to take a cautious and smart approach in order to outwit your opponents. Becoming alert, moving carefully and quietly and ensuring that if you do get into combat you can handle yourself will all help.
How to get better at PUBG mechanics?
It seems horribly obvious we know, but nothing will kill a player faster than leaping from the plane and then running about like a headless chicken. You need to think about where you want to land and plan accordingly. Are you better at sneaking right now? Better to land away from all of the action. Are there particular types of weapons you’re better with? It doesn’t matter if you haven’t mastered them yet, but while you figure the rest out try to select the weapons you find easier over just grabbing anything and everything.
Landing and gearing up is only part of the game though, ensuring you’re heading in the right direction from the word go can make all the difference. Aiming for the white circle is key, but so is planning a good route. Again, trying to sneak? Aim for lots of cover. More confident? Maybe you can risk running over more open areas as you hone in on the final showdowns.
Know Your Controls
As important as knowing what mechanics there are, comes knowing your controls. You don’t want to be spamming buttons trying to work out how to sprint, or how to take cover effectively. If you’re not sure on a keybinding, check the layouts before you go into a match.
Not happy with a particular button or find it awkward to reach? Change it. The default setup doesn’t work for everyone, and knowing what keys will get you the desired result without having to think about it, is essential. So, don’t be afraid to change up your controls and layouts until you have a setup you’re happy with. While you’re at it, spend time memorizing what movement and combat options there even are. It’s no good finding out after seven matches getting shot in the head, that you can actually lay down prone. Go through the options and learn what your character can do in-game to give yourself the best chance.
Very few people will leap into PUBG and immediately be good at the game. Yes, some people may make it to the final 10-15 players fairly quickly but that doesn’t mean they’ll come out on top. Combat in PUBG has some unique mechanics and in order to improve, it’s essential to practice with most if not all of the weapons and aiming methods until you find a combat style that works for you.
The three main aiming methods in the game all have pros and cons, and each is applicable for different scenarios. What works best in close quarters, may not for more ranged combat, so ensure you’re trying the right approach. It’s no good trying to fire from your hip, at a target way off in the distance. Switching to ADS (Aiming Down Sights) is a much better option. Get into firefights, accept that you’re not going to instantly win anything and use matches to practice and get familiar with the mechanics before getting your heart set on winning it all. You’ll thank us later.
How to use the terrain to your advantage
So you find yourself in the middle of a match, making your way over the map and suddenly you’re shot from ‘somewhere’. Rather than flail and potentially even try to return fire, first, you need to get yourself somewhere safer. If you’re really stuck out in the open, you may have to try and fight back but ensure you’ve worked out where they’re coming from.
Given the opportunity though, you should head for cover and use the environment to your advantage. Do not, run in a straight line, or stop in the middle of nowhere. It’s one of the quickest ways to end up dead. As you’re making your getaway, look around for things that could help you get out of line-of-sight. Hills, ditches, bridges and if you’re really lucky a building, all can be used to help break free of a pursuer. Trees can be weaved between, jumping can make you harder to hit, but all the while, look around and see if there are things that you can put between you and the shooter. If you can get to good terrain, you can even turn the tables. Running around and then scaling hills can turn a losing scenario into a winning one. So, keep cool and look for opportunities to turn the tables on your attackers.
At the end of the day, there is no magic bullet that will turn you into a PUBG winner. The best bet is to get familiar with the game, learn the environments and maps and aim to survive, not to slaughter. If you can keep these things in mind, you’ll not only enjoy your time spent playing more, but you’re far more likely to begin racking up the close finishes and even come out on top of future matches of PUBG.