The Helghast and ISA continue to pummel each other in Killzone Mercenary for PlayStation Vita, a first person shooter with plenty of intense firefights. With multiple soldiers zeroing in on your position, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, and most importantly, die as a result. No worries. We’ll keep you pushing forward with these beginner’s tips.
Want more? Read our Killzone Mercenary Advanced Tips.
Kill With Skill, for Money
In Killzone Mercenary, you can’t pick up weapons off the ground. Instead, you purchase guns and equipment from an arms dealer named Blackjack. Earn Vektan Dollars by performing a variety of tasks on the battlefield. Killing, for starters, but you’ll also score cash by hacking terminals for intel and collecting ammo from fallen enemies.
That said, not all kills are equal. Slaughtering a Helghast soldier with damage to the limbs or body results in 50 Vektan Dollars, while a headshot is 75; go for a quick double kill for 175. Considering things get expensive in a hurry, you’ll want to go for head shots most if not all of the time.
From there, look for an arms dealer crate (blue seal) and activate it to check out the available list of weapons, armor, VAN-Guards (we’ll cover this in a future article) and special deals. Purchases (and money earned) carry over to both single player and multiplayer, and you’re able to re-equip weapons for relatively small fees.
Finally, don’t forget about armor. Sure, the weapons steal the show, but strong armor lets you absorb different levels of damage.
Take Cover
It’s common sense to avoid gunfire whenever possible. That didn’t stop us from absentmindedly wandering into the open or rushing in guns blazing. Most times, and on tougher difficulties, we wound up dead. Don’t let that happen to you. Taking cover won’t guarantee your survival, but it’s always the smart idea. Simply stand behind a wall or object. If you prefer, get close to said object and tap circle, whereupon which you’ll duck. From there, squeeze the right trigger to pop out, then release to go back into hiding.
Melee Whenever Possible
We have four reasons why this is a great idea:
1. Silent kills won’t attract much attention, if any.
2. You’ll gain valuable intel from interrogating commanders, who show up on the mini map.
3. You’ll earn more Vektan Dollars than a standard kill.
4. You’ll witness a cool animation of a Helghast getting his throat slashed or stabbed in the head, among other brutal deaths.
Watch Out for Grenades
Helghast love to throw grenades. You’ll often hear the offending soldier yell something before making the toss, and the game will display a tiny orange grenade symbol whenever one is nearby.
Under normal circumstances, we’d say move, but depending on the type of armor you equipped, Danner will be able to absorb a blast without dying. Just keep in mind he’ll be momentarily weaker as a result.
Pay Close Attention to Enemy Positioning
Each time you get shot, a red splotch of blood will appear on screen that points in that enemy soldier’s direction. Get the heck out of there, or quickly identify the target and take him down.
In addition, pay close attention to enemy locations. Who’s behind cover? Are there snipers? Where did the guy with the flamethrower go? Helghast frequently change positions, but so long as you stay frosty and alert, you should have no trouble figuring out who went where.
Check the Map
The on-screen map in the lower left corner is quite helpful. Locate Arms Dealer crates (yellow smiley faces), allies, enemies and objectives. Always helpful if you lose your bearings.
Don’t Underestimate Flamethrowers
During the game, you’ll encounter the occasional flamethrower-carrying Helghast. He’s tougher to take down than regular grunts, and his weapon has surprising range. Go for the tank on his back for an instant kill. From a safe distance, of course.
Mind That Circle Button
Turns out, the Circle button has a dual function. Stand still and press it to crouch, and press it while moving to sprint.
Always Pick Up Ammo
It’s very easy to run out during a firefight. Thankfully, tapping the touch screen icon or triangle to pick up ammo, with multiple canisters nearby, will usually result in collecting them all at once.
Killzone Mercenary debuts on PlayStation Vita September 10.
