Killzone 3 – a beginner’s multiplayer survival guide

Speakin’ of which – Marksmen, decloak! I ‘ope I am pointing out the screaming bloody obvious to you, lads, when I say that you will be of most use to the cause when you are standing a long, long way away.

But if you are sniffed out and accosted by the foe, because you ‘aven’t bothered to Scramble their radar maps, or they ‘ave ascertained your position via the deathcam, you will not be obligated to engage ‘em through your scope.

For you will be equipped for close quarters, lads. You will ‘ave the Shotgun Pistol, or you will ‘ave the Silenced Machine Pistol, or if you are using the Extra Primary Weapon perk, you will ‘ave a spare Submachine Gun – and with these implements of death-from-not-very-afar, you will teach your opponent the meaning of pain.

You may even be inclinated to bring the hurt to the enemy, Marksmen, utilising your fancy invisibilating camo to penetrate his lines, but in this regard you will find yourself much inferior to the Infiltrator – ten-shunn – for where you will be unable to hide and move, he will travel freely under cover of the enemy’s own aspect and colours.

Snipe through the pilot window for an instant kill...

Bloody hell! The likeness is disturbifying, boys. I could swear that’s actual hair on your heads, and appropriating callsigns from the ISA’s ranks was a very clever touch. But do not get cocky, Infiltrators. The foe is cunning as a fox. If he sees you stabbing his mate in the balls or leaving proximity mines in the lavvies, he is liable to suspect foul play.

In the event that the forces of Helghan is required to assault some key facility, Infiltrators, I will expect you to lead the charge. For you ‘ave been given a Stamina boost for your sins, and this Stamina boost will convey you over large distances in the blink of an – well, in no more than a dozen blinks of an eye.

Last but not least – I do beg your pardon, ladies, last and least – Engineers. You think you’re pretty bleedin’ smart, don’t you, Engineers, with your nobby college educations and your tech manuals and your portable tool kits. You will spend your time in the fray hidin’ turrets just beside doors and fixin’ up mechs and restorin’ ammo crates so Real Men, like myself and Private Dreg here, can do the fightin’. Get out of my sight.

‘Ave I covered everything? Of course I ‘aven’t covered everything. In light of the fact that staircases are few and far between on dear old planet Helghan, the boffins ‘ave seen fit to endow us with jetpacks. I would like to make one thing very clear about the jetpack, lads: it is for movin’ with, not shootin’ with. If you do attempt to shoot at people while operatin’ the jetpack, you will become conscious of a number of Distressing Truths.

The first Distressing Truth is that it is difficult to aim when you are rising away from, falling towards or otherwise existin’ in variable relation to the ground. The second Distressing Truth is that a fifth of your vision is blocked by metal prongs and handlebars. The third Distressing Truth is that you cannot look down the sights of your gun. And the fourth Distressing Truth is that every bastard within two hundred yards is shooting at you.

You will discover, my lads, that the last of these Distressing Truths also applies should you assume command of the Helghast Exo Mech, like the one next to which I am now presidin’. It is a fine-lookin’ weapon of war, the Helghast Exo Mech, and were I in need of a Mrs Fistbullet, I dare say I would ask for its clamp in marriage.

...or break out a WASP for more spectacular results.

But it is also a very short-lived fine-lookin’ weapon of war, because if there is one thing Johnny ISA does not like, it is 20-feet-tall robots blowing up his spawn points and turret ‘placements, and when Johnny ISA does not like something, he flanks it from both sides, and when the Helghast Exo Mech gets flanked from both sides, you can kiss its delectable metal arse goodbye.

This need not be to our disadvantage though, boys, because while Johnny ISA is preoccufied with flanking the Helghast Exo Mech, he may be less disposed to check his rear for Infiltrators and cloaked Marksmen – and if there is one thing Johnny ISA does not like more than 20-feet-tall robots blowing up his spawn points and turret ‘placements, it is back-pedallin’ into the mouth of a shotgun.

Right! Platoon, stand to! Let’s knock some heads together. What’s the matter, you want to live forever? You do? Well, bugger off and play Assassin’s Creed then.

Killzone 3 is due out in February. Read our last preview here.