These tips and tricks will ensure you take the lead in your favorite first-person shooter.
What's your favorite first-person shooter? Whether you're spending a lot of time in games like Call of Duty: Warzone these days or you're looking forward to getting some more Battlefield in soon enough, chances are you could use a little help with sharpening your skills. And that's totally fine. We've put together some ideas for how you can improve your game, from tweaking settings to finding equipment that works for you. Take it all in and you'll be topping the leaderboards in no time. The only worry you'll have soon enough is which professional team to join.
Use better crosshair discipline
When you get behind the mouse, so to speak, you might feel moved to just aim everywhere all the time. Something moves, and you want to take it out. Good instincts, of course. But sometimes you need to be a bit more judicious with your target practice. You'll need to learn how to aim with precision. No matter what game you're playing, from Call of Duty to Rainbow Six Siege, you'll eventually be in a situation where you have an enemy in your crosshair and you need to know where to place it for maximum damage or the kill shot. Practice aiming for headshots as often as you can, and make sure you keep your target centered on where you think the enemy might be coming from. If you're already focused where you think you might need to aim next, you'll be faster and more precise, which will eventually help you bag a kill.
Practice makes perfect
You've no doubt heard this old adage, but let it really wash over you. Spend time in the games of your choice and load up some custom games with bots or with a friend and just go to town. Work on how often you can aim for the vital places you need to take down your enemies with, and eventually it'll become second nature. Plus, a good practice partner you like to spend time with will make you look forward to training and practicing. Keep at it, even if you don't think you're making any real headway. One day, you'll jump into a normal game and you'll see that you've improved without even realizing it. It's the same with most skills, so work to sharpen them, and you'll see a difference.
An even better option is to actually use an aim trainer that was specifically created to cater to players who want to improve. On 3D Aim Trainer, you can even sync your settings from your favorite FPS game and start practicing scenarios as close as possible to that game. Again, being consistent and sticking to your aim training routine over a longer period is a sure way to improve your raw aim skills.
Switch weapons instead of reloading
You don't have to reload your clip to keep shooting. It actually takes a lot more time to do that than it does to swap to a different weapon. Save precious time by subbing to a secondary gun and you'll find that you're the one who wins big when it comes to big, knock-down, drag-out gunfights. Instead of sitting there with an empty weapon and scrambling to do something about it, you'll already have your new, full weapon at the ready and you can start aiming (or spraying and praying, whatever works better in that situation) before your opponent knocks what hit them. And when you're done with that encounter, make sure you go and reload both guns so you don't find yourself in that position again. It's not one that you want to be in.
Tweak your game settings
If you're going to get better at your favorite shooter (or any other game, for that matter) you might want to go in and change up some of your settings. Maybe it feels like you're running around too quickly and your mouse is too sensitive, or things feel as though they're going in slow movement. Check your movement sensitivity for some quick fixes to these problems, and change your graphics quality settings for an advantage you may not have thought of. It could help give you a visual tactical advantage. Don't discount these tips -- several pros swear by them -- and they could help you level up your game without you having to break a sweat.
Use the right gear
Every professional has the perfect tools for the job. Don't get caught using an uncomfortable mouse that can't handle situations that need pinpoint accuracy. SteelSeries mice, like the Prime line, are excellent options for crosshair training and practice, as they offer comfort, ergonomic shape, and the crispy clicks you're looking for when it comes to pulling the trigger and eliminating the enemy. Choose from the wired Prime, wireless Prime, or the new Prime Mini, which is everything you love about the Prime series, but smaller.
Similarly, you'll want to use keyboards that offer the quick response and accuracy you need to pull off some of the more complicated maneuvers required for top-tier play. SteelSeries' Apex Pro TKL Keyboard is an excellent choice, no matter what game you're playing, thanks to its adjustable mechanical switches that offer 8x faster response time, 5x faster actuation, and 2x the durability.
Of course, you can't discount how helpful KontrolFreek products are for finessing your first-person shooter game if you play via controller on PC or console. There's a wide range of KontrolFreek Performance Thumbsticks to fit your controller and the type of game you're looking to become more proficient in, like the FPS Freek or Call of Duty: Warzone sticks -- now with 4-prong grips to stay on your controller longer!
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Looking to chat with other players about improving your FPS game? Join the official SteelSeries Discord!
