Hunt: Showdown is a highly skill-based first person shooter game, and it takes awhile to get good at the game. To help you speed up the process, here are 25 Tips and Tricks for Beginners in Hunt: Showdown.

1. Communication is key

A team of hunters wade through the murky swamps of the bayou

Hunt: Showdown is a game that will reward you for the planning and execution of actual strategies. You will need to plan your strategies on the fly as you encounter different combat situations in the game. You will need to coordinate with your team through voice chat or text chat to share vital information, and effectively plan and execute your strategies. Make sure that you communicate properly to enhance your whole team’s combat effectiveness.

2. Use audio cues

Use your headphones

One of Hunt: Showdown’s main features is its sound design, including the omnidirectional and high quality audio system. You should take advantage of this feature and pay close attention to the different audio cues to detect enemy movements and anticipate their actions. Learn the different audio cues in Hunt: Showdown to better identify what is happening even without seeing the source of the audio cue.

3. Plan your loadout 

Some Hunt: Showdown weapons on display

Here’s a simple tip you can use for playing solo or with a team. Make sure to plan your loadout depending on your playstyle and your team’s overall strategy. If you’re playing alone, think carefully about how you want to play and use that to plan your loadout. Additionally, take note of the strengths and weaknesses of your loadout and play accordingly.

4. Hunt clues efficiently

A clue guarded by an Armored Zombie

Your patience and planning are almost always a key to winning in Hunt: Showdown, but there are some moments where you need to choose speed over preparation. In the case of hunting clues, you will need to move fast. You will need to move fast and get to the Boss Lair before anyone else, so that you can get the advantage of defending the location instead of trying to breach it.

5. Manage your resources

Stalking another group with a sticky bomb

Your resources in Hunt: Showdown are finite, and there are only so many chances for you to replenish them in a single game. Make sure that you use your resources wisely, including bullets, as they can make or break your combat situations. Do not waste bullets and consumables senselessly.

6. Utilize the Dark Sight

Spotting enemies through the use of dark sight

Do not forget to use your Dark Sight to detect clues, traps, the boss monster, and even other players. Your Dark Sight will help you identify your goals and detect some threats. However, note that your usage of Dark Sight has an audio cue which may be heard by other players around you.

7. Stay vigilant

A flare lights up the eerie darkness

Keep your eyes and ears attentive throughout the game. Do not be complacent, especially after taking down an enemy team. You should watch out for subtle cues like moving foliage, open doors, and unknown footsteps. Those are all signs of life in the area.

8. Hunt bosses strategically

The Assassin boss monster in full view

You should always remember to approach boss lairs carefully. Clear the area to ensure you will not get ambushed by other players while you deal with the boss monster. Alternatively, you could decide to leave a teammate on lookout duty to warn you of any approaching danger while dealing with the boss monster. You can also set traps to secure your area while you all focus on the boss monster.

9. Use melee attacks intelligently

A group of hunters taking down zombies around the barn

Remember that your melee attacks are silent and can dispatch enemies quickly, but be mindful of your surroundings because your character will make a small grunting sound when executing the melee attack. That small audio cue may be enough for another player in the immediate vicinity to detect you.

10. Employ stealth

A clear headshot without being detected

You should maximize the use of the crouch-walk to minimize noise and avoid alerting nearby monsters or players. Use your stealth skills to avoid detection and to maneuver into advantageous locations to get the upperhand in any combat situation. Getting the jump on enemy players can easily spell victory for any combat scenario.

11. Learn the map 

The beautiful night in Hunt: Showdown

Take your time to explore the maps and familiarize yourself with the maps’ layout to better strategize, navigate, and enjoy the game. Hunt: Showdown only has a handful of maps, so familiarizing yourself with the maps will not take up too much time as long as you make it a point to go out exploring first.

12. Track rival hunters

Clearing the rooms on the way

You should pay attention to clues left behind by other players, such as dead monsters, opened doors, and distant gunshots to track their movements. Your ability to track the movements and location of rival hunters will give you a better idea of possible combat situations and whether you will be the first to get to the boss monster. Tracking rival hunters may let you defeat them with ease by setting up ambushes or surprise attacks on them.

13. Utilize consumable items

A hive bomb in action

You should experiment with consumables, such as dynamites, hive bombs, or concertina bombs, to control enemy movements and gain the upper hand, or even outright eliminate your enemies. You should definitely make use of Hunt: Showdown’s vast arsenal of consumables with different effects and uses. Utilize different combinations of these consumables to maximize your combat proficiency.

14. Upgrade your hunters

Hunter customization menu in the early days of Hunt: Showdown

You should invest time and effort into unlocking new traits, weapons, and equipment in Hunt: Showdown. Your gameplay will evolve to the next level from these new unlocks, giving you an edge in combat situations and evolving your playstyle.

15. Use decoys

Ducks are alerted by the presence of the hunter

You should use the objects and environmental triggers to your advantage. Throw objects or trigger environmental traps to divert attention or flush out hidden enemies. Use all sorts of audio cues available in your loadout or the environment to divert attention or lure enemies where you want them to go.

16. Be mindful of extraction points

An extraction caravan in Hunt: Showdown

You should always plan your route to the extraction point carefully because extraction points are a common location for ambushes and surprise attacks. Be mindful of the extraction point and clear the area to prevent yourself from getting cornered at the end of the game. However, there are also many situations where speed is of the essence, so gather your information first to see if all of the players are in the boss area or not. If everyone is in the boss area, you can simply run as fast as you can and watch them fight amongst themselves while you head for extraction.

17. Be patient

Laying traps for possible hunter-victims

Hunt: Showdown rewards patience and planning, so take your time to assess the situation before engaging in combat. Avoid combat situations where you are disadvantaged at the beginning since situational advantage and disadvantage plays a big role in how your combat encounter will play out.

18. Play as a team

A stealth throwing knife kill from behind

Three heads are better than one! Always remember to coordinate and discuss with your team before taking any significant action. Give roles or simply plan a team play style for different situations. You should absolutely not act individually because there is strength in numbers, and fighting with numerical advantage almost always leads to a victory.

19. Avoid unnecessary noise

Silently wading through the swamps with a hand crossbow

You should take care not to trigger audio cues when unnecessary. Triggering audio cues will give information to your enemies by giving them a general direction, or even your specific location, of where to go to find you. You may even expose your loadout to your enemies, so be wary of using your guns and tools randomly.

20. Utilize the high ground

Sniper in hand with a clear view of the area

You should always keep an eye out for high ground when engaging in combat. Use elevated positions to gain advantage by having better visibility and situational awareness than your opponents. You should strive to be like Obi-wan, not Anakin. We don’t want you losing your limbs by fighting from the low ground.

21. Understand ammo types

Long ammo rifle shoots through the wooden walls

Test and experiment with the different ammo types, such as small, medium and large caliber bullets, and shotgun shells, to find which one you like best. These ammo types will significantly affect your playstyle since they have different stats such as penetration, bullet speed, and effective range. Smaller ammo types thrive in shorter distance combat situations while longer ammo types thrive in long distance combat, such as sniping.

You’ll find that many players will develop certain preferences with regards to ammo types, and you will definitely understand why when you start experimenting, so shoot ‘em up!

22. Take advantage of traits

Some of the traits available in Hunt: Showdown

Hunt: Showdown has a wide variety of traits you can improve your hunter with. There are traits like "Greyhound" which can improve your stamina and keep you running for longer, and there are traits like "Salveskin" which can protect you from burn damage and burning altogether. You can combine different traits to create unique hunters fitting your chosen playstyle.

23. Prioritize reviving teammates

Hold F to revive

As I have mentioned earlier, there is strength in numbers. If a teammate is downed, you should prioritize reviving them before engaging enemies to maintain numerical strength. However, plan your rescue operation properly because there is a high chance that the enemies are watching over your teammate’s body. You do not want to be sniped while reviving your teammate.

24. Learn from your mistakes

Post-game mission summary to recap your statistics

Hunt: Showdown takes a lot of time and effort to master. You will undoubtedly make tons of mistakes and lose a significant number of times. Don’t let your mistakes and losses get to you. Set aside time to analyze each game and learn from your successes and failures to improve your skills and strategies.

25. Use the monsters 

An exploding Immolator Zombie

Lastly, remember that the monsters in Hunt: Showdown do not differentiate between hunters. You can use their neutrality to your advantage by triggering audible responses from the monsters to divert the attention of nearby players or even lure the monsters to enemy players for a definitive combat advantage. Once you have successfully used the monsters to your advantage, the chaos and threat that monsters pose to your enemies will easily give you clear opportunities to land the killshot on your enemies.

You may also be interested in:

• Top 10 Hunt: Showdown Gameplay Features That Make It Fun
• Is Hunt: Showdown Good
• Hunt: Showdown Co-op Explained
• Hunt: Showdown Weapons Guide