Gray Zone Warfare, much like the other extraction shooters that came before it, can be played on your own or with a group of friends. Most players, however, will be spending a lot of their time running around the world on their own, and in this guide, we’ll be giving you a few tips on how you can have a somewhat successful career as a solo operator.
How to Play Solo Guide
First up, if you are very new to the game, consider checking out our complete beginner’s guide for Gray Zone Warfare to get yourself acquainted with the basics of this shooter. There’s a lot of things to keep in mind if you haven’t played anything like it before, so you should definitely read up on the mechanics.
The first major thing to keep in mind is that the game is more of a “milsim” rather than an arcade shooter like Call of Duty or Battlefield. This means that you have to take things slowly and methodically.
Don’t rush to your objectives, as even a stray bullet can instantly end your life. Check your surroundings and avoid sprinting too much. Not only will that render you vulnerable and drain your stamina, nearby enemies will hear you as you are giving away your position.
This is especially true when you are in locations that are very open. If there is a distinct lack of cover, you have to be extra careful as both hostile players and AI enemies will see you coming from a mile away.
Dealing With Other Players
On that note, when you find yourself in a PVP encounter, it is not advisable to simply rush your opponent and loot them (if you win). There is no way for you to know if a hostile player is solo, in a group, or has faction mates nearby.
Learn the concept of “trigger discipline”, which is when you refrain from firing at a target until you are sure that you can take them out and/or that there aren’t any others nearby.
For example, if you hear several footsteps but only see one person, it is highly likely that you’ll get backstabbed if you try to take out that player. Maybe just let them pass instead of engaging.
If you do choose to engage, do not stay in the same spot after confirming a kill. To maximize your chances of survival, reposition after each kill, as smart players will be able to figure out where you are in no time.
Don’t immediately loot corpses as well, especially if they weren’t caused by you. In games like this, people tend to use dead bodies as a trap to kill unsuspecting looters. Ensure that your surroundings are completely safe before you check any bodies on the ground.
Accept That Death Is Inevitable
Unlike Escape From Tarkov, you can’t just hop in as a scav with a completely disposable loadout. Because of this, you have to learn to get used to dying and losing your gear. Death is inevitable in this game, and sooner or later, you will be losing some of your stuff.
Once you get over the fear of dying, you will mentally be able to stop yourself from constantly taking “welfare gear” with you as you head out and do missions or search for loot.
It’s better to run with at least some of your best equipment and increase your chances of survival rather than hoarding them in your storage for a “later occasion” that ends up never actually happening.
This is especially true for a solo player, because you only have yourself to rely on. There’s nobody around to help carry you as you restock on supplies and weapons, so you may as well bring your best loadout to get even more stuff.
Playing Alone… Together?
Occasionally, you are going to run into friendly players from the same faction as you. If you aren’t afraid of using VoIP, feel free to chat them up and potentially tag along as you do tasks or search for loot.
Even if you don’t necessarily stick together throughout an entire expedition, a temporary ally can be incredibly helpful especially in hotspots with a lot of enemies roaming around.
Playing solo doesn’t always mean that you can’t tag along with random people every now and then. Factions in this game are more than just a cosmetic choice, after all, and you can just go your separate ways after a few minutes whenever you meet a random person.
And those are just some of the tips that solo players may find helpful as they learn the ropes of this brutal extraction shooter. While you’re here, go and check out our guide on all of the tasks in Gray Zone Warfare, which will help you get some more easy loot and cash.
