The Hot Zone is the initial area on the map with incredible loot. Naturally, teams flock to it in the hopes of obtaining high tier armor and weapons. And there's nothing worse than a new player going to it and getting downed in the first thirty seconds while their teammates are on the other side of the map. We understand that dropping there makes for a good learning experience, but if you want to train, play with friends and not with rand

Respawn entertainment has also already clearly outlined its future plans, and Apex Legends is designed to be modular in a way that we can see plenty of interesting events and tweaks coming. Imagine a mode with larger squads, different gear, or changes to the map. It's all possi

It happens in most games - a particularly overzealous player sees some specks in the distance, pings their location to their teammates, and starts shooting at them with an assault rifle. This is probably the worst thing you could possibly do. Sure, if you have a sniper rifle, then go crazy, but otherwise leave them alone. It's not only a huge waste of ammo, but it gives away your position to them and the squads in the nearby vicinity. Try tracking inst

Metro Exodus is a diamond in the rough here in terms of its gameplay and story, with the other releases this week falling agonizingly flat in one area or the other. While Apex Legends is being universally lauded for its impressive blend of frenzy and strategy, as well as for its revolutionary ping system that makes teamplay easier and more integral than in any shooter before it, February has brought little else in the way of gameplay innovation. Crackdown 3 is a fairly mindless power fantasy sandbox, which is great for players seeking that experience, but disappointing to others due to how few additions it brings to the table when compared with the 12-year-old initial entry into the ser

But it's not just about improving what already works from the battle royale genre since Apex Legends adds many all-new features too. Matches are fast and usually completed in less than 20 minutes. At the beginning of a given match there's a dropship players jump from, like any other battle royale, but in this one players jump together as a squad and one player is designated the "Jumpmaster" to keep them together. Players can manually separate from the pack of course, but it's a smart change to enforce the idea that Apex Legends is a truly a squad-based SLG Game Updates. There currently are no solo or duo mo

No Traffic Zones - Competitive fans may be agitated to hear this, but sometimes securing victory is as easy as hiding until the very end. Pay very close attention to the location that each enemy team is dropping. If the frequently loot-heavy areas are all claimed, players should head as far away from everyone else as humanly possible. There will still be loot to find once they land and from that point it's just a matter of waiting out the clock and grinding for

Functionally more of an SMG than a pistol, this compact, fully automatic handgun packs a lot of punch into a neat little package. But is it truly enough punch to justify taking up one of your weapon sl

Played strictly in three-player squads across one map (called "Kings Canyon") that supports 60 players total with characters who each have their own unique abilities, right away Apex Legends differentiates itself from the competition. Its class (character) based gameplay that highlights the unique personalities and gear of each character is best compared to Overwatch , and the game also draws its monetization strategy from Blizzard's shooter as well. When it comes to its first-person gunplay however, Apex Legends plays more like Black Ops 4's Blackout mode but with more diverse gameplay and more layers of mechanics and control, including in the game's animati

Generally speaking, some sort of long-range, sniper rifle equivalent would normally be a must-have piece of kit for a battle royale match. But while they're certainly not the worst things to have, sniper rifles are a little unimpressive when it comes to Apex Lege

This is all thanks to its setting within the Titanfall series, diverse and unique characters/classes, and unique three-member teams. Admittedly, there's a lot to learn here, but gamers eager to master the Apex can take a few tips into battle with t

New players may feel the need to pick up everything - after all, you never know when a Skullpiercer will come in handy! The only thing is that certain items are only applicable with certain weapons, and that Skullpiercer is useless if you're using a Devotion and Peacekeeper. Picking up random items is a good way to needlessly clog your backpack, and worse, you could be inhibiting your teammate who DOES have a gun compatible with the Skullpiercer. Pay attention to what does w

Firstly, you can bash down doors. Since players often use them as cover or as crude "alarm" systems when camping, there are obvious applications here. Next, it's a great way to get past knockdown shields, saving you valuable ammunition. It's also worth noting that you can perform flying kicks while airborne, and uppercuts while sliding. Though being honest, both are pretty impracti