If you’ve ever played a first-person shooter online, chances are you know what it feels like to be wrecked. Be it missing shots or getting hit too easily, FPS games are a playground to be completely destroyed by other players.
But don’t worry, there are plenty of ways you can up your game to become the MVP. Here are eight of the most important tips to improve your aim and overall experience in any FPS.
The best ways to improve at FPS games
1. Identify Your Weaknesses
Before you try to improve, identify what’s holding you back. That means taking a moment to think and really think about how you play.
The easiest way to do this is to watch a replay of a recent game. Most modern games make this easy for you by having match replays baked into their systems.
As you watch every moment of gameplay footage, ask yourself three questions: (A) “What am I doing here?”; (B) “What am I doing wrong here?”; and (C) “Why did that just happen?”. And remember, this applies to both good and bad. So you want to analyze your link wins as much as your pathetic insta losses.
Then, once you’ve identified your main weaknesses, you can start training those areas of the game.
2. Target Training
FPS games are about shooting, so good aiming is required to win. And to be a good shooter you have to be accurate – no ifs or buts.
Reaching the perfect goal takes time, dedication and a lot of adjustments to the settings. While you’ll need a whole article to figure out how to perfect your target, you can start by (A) finding the right sensitivity and DPI, (B) learning how to aim your reticle at a target, and ( C) spending time on the practice track or in target training games such as “Aim Lab”.
Every FPS game has in-game training and maximizing it can do wonders for your ability to shoot in different conditions and ranges. Apart from target training games, you can also do AI battles to simulate what it feels like to play the real game.
3. Movement training
While getting your shots is important, your movement can be even more important, as a good move keeps you out of the way and puts you in a better position to deal damage yourself.
In general, you need to master how to use cover, how to shoot unpredictably, how to use the high ground to your advantage, how to maximize accuracy while moving and how to know when to stop completely with moving to do all that – important shot.
4. Rate your gameplay
Okay, you get the idea, technically we’ve already said this, because that’s the best way to identify your weaknesses, but assessing your gameplay is much more important than assessing your initial weaknesses. If you’re serious about improving, you should consider overhauling much of your gameplay – everything from 1-in-10 games to every single game. Not only does this give you information about specific improvements, which can be map, matchup or weapon specific; it also lets you know the ways in which your gameplay improves.
So, while you wait for your next match, make it a habit to watch a previous match and take some notes about your gameplay. It can greatly charge your progress.
5. Learn Cards
“How did they get up there?” “What, where do they come from?” “What the hell was that?!”
We’ve all said things in this regard, and for the most part they come from players pulling off interesting card-specific tricks.
While learning maps may seem simple at first, learning the layout and all possible movement options goes much deeper. Take for example a hero shooter like Overwatch. In Overwatch, each part of each map provides a unique utility for each player. Maybe there’s a particularly good line of sight for Widowmaker, lots of walls for Lucio to drive through, or a few tight turns for Reaper to exploit. Learning all this can help you gain the upper hand over players, while also avoiding unfavorable matchups in certain areas of the map.
Moreover, in order to get to the smallest details, many players also choose to learn specific methods for game-changing play. For example, learning an exact way to throw a grenade so that it lands in the center of the target.
All this learning takes practice, so jump into a custom game and get creative.
6. Stick to a role
While FPS games aren’t often thought of in terms of “role,” they certainly have it. While you definitely want to have enough skills to play with any weapon or playstyle, the best way to improve your game is to focus on one (or at least one at a time).
That means if you’re a fan of being a sniper, you could double down on learning how to get the most out of that playstyle.
7. Consider synergies and counters – all of them!
Most FPS games are team games, and team games involve teamwork, synergies, and counters. Learning how to create a solid team composition and strategy while being aware of your plan’s weaknesses is a big part of gaining the upper hand in competitive gaming.
For example, your shotgun could be rendered useless on a map with long sightlines unless you form a teammate to provide a distraction while following the long alternate route behind the enemy team!
8. Upgraded Hardware
While 99% of gameplay improvements come from your skills as a player, hardware does play a part in giving you an edge and finding the skill ceiling.
Especially for a PC player, you’ll want to use a responsive, comfortable mouse that matches your gripping style on a mouse pad that’s large enough to accommodate all types of mouse movement. You’ll also want to play on a monitor with a relatively high refresh rate, 120Hz is ideal, to make sure your framerate doesn’t interfere with your chances of winning!
Shooters are tough, but it’s for that very reason that they can be so incredibly rewarding to improve at. If this list has strengthened anything, it’s that you need to actively think about your gameplay if you want to improve – sharply look for your weaknesses to iron them out. With enough dedication, you will rise up the ranks in no time.
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