The ever-expanding list of battle royale shooters is filled to the brim with quality titles, one being the cult classic H1Z1. A true rag to riches story, the game has been supported by its avid fans from 2015 until the present day. Going through a variety of changes and technical fixes, the originally buggy mess of a game has evolved into one of the most competitive entries to the battle royale genre. With its recent release on the PlayStation store, many players are only recently becoming familiar with the realistic shooter. However, H1Z1 is a game that requires firm knowledge on the game’s mechanics and a solid understanding of general battle royale philosophy.
As players begin to dive into the expansive world of H1Z1 there will certainly be some challenges adapting to the pace of the game. There is a long list of differences between a title like H1Z1 and its competitors. While there will certainly be some overlap in knowledge as players from different battle royale shooters transition to the game, there will be a long list of growing pains. This guide will help to ease players into the fiercely competitive landscape of H1Z1 and how to excel at the cult classic battle royale shooter.
Becoming Familiar With Bullet Drop in H1Z1
One of the key aspects of H1Z1’s gameplay is its bullet drop system. Unlike other shooters that operate on a “hit scan” system, a system with little to no change in a bullet’s arc, H1Z1 forces players to become familiar with each gun in its arsenal.
Some players may ask, what exactly is bullet drop? and why should I care? The answer being that bullet drop is a system that forces players to adjust their aim to a more realistic approach. So the further away an enemy is players must account for their bullet’s downward arc by aiming more upwards. This will allow the descending arc of the bullet to still hit an enemy.
Bullet drop is also necessary to account for when “leading” a shot. When an enemy is running to either a player’s left or right side that player will need to aim their sites a little further ahead of their enemy’s path. This will account for the bullet drop of the shot by accounting for the enemy’s running path and their distance.
This system is one that is generally unexplored. And will certainly take some getting used to, however, with enough practice, even the worst players will become familiar with the system and excel at it.
Understanding How Gear Works in H1Z1
Although not exclusive to the title, H1Z1 implements a rather complex and in-depth gear system. Understanding how the individual pieces of gear operate will determine a player’s success or failure when playing the game. The list of wearable gear includes helmets, body armor, backpacks, and boots.
Helmets serve a vital role in protecting players within a match. Wearing a helmet ensures that the player can survive an otherwise lethal headshot. These provide an essential edge in firefights. Being able to survive a headshot may be the deciding factor in an otherwise losing combat encounter.
Body armor as their name implies protects a player’s body from bullets. These provide an additional boost of health and protection during combat encounters. Without a good set of body armor, players will be at a severe disadvantage. The additional health provided to players through this armor provides a significant advantage and should be at the top of any player’s priority list.
Boots provide a more subtle buff to a player’s style. It increases a player’s movement speed and allows for faster traversal through areas and climbing obstacles.
And backpacks simply increase inventory space. The higher the grade of the backpack a player has the more space is provided. Additionally, backpacks provide an added weapon slot for a player. This can increase the number of weapons a player has by one for every increase in backpack grade.
Understanding the Bleed Effect in H1Z1
A system that is not generally included in most battle royale shooters is H1Z1’s bleed mechanic. A system which if not paid close attention to, can cause a player to lose fights and encounters incredibly quickly.
The bleed mechanic, as it sounds, revolves around the concept of bleeding. A player will bleed when shot by an enemy player. Pretty self-explanatory, however, if a player does not address their bleed then they will very rapidly die due to the damage over time.
The only way to stop this bleed is to utilize bandages or a medkit. So be sure to always have at least one bandage or medkit in your inventory at all times. This will serve as a powerful insurance policy if things take a turn for the worst. If necessary you can craft old clothes into bandages for extremely dire situations.
Vehicles Are the Key to Success in H1Z1
One of the unique aspects of H1Z1’s gameplay is the necessity for reliable vehicles. Vehicles are extremely powerful and versatile tools for navigating the arena and provide much needed and coveted cover in intense firefights.
There are 4 different kinds of vehicles in H1Z1, these include an ATV, Jeep, Police Car and Pick-up Truck. ATV’s are one of the fastest vehicles available in the game. It handles decently off-road and is difficult to catch in chases. However, its main flaw is the lack of real cover the vehicle provides and its tendency to take more damage than other vehicles.
Jeeps are arguably the best vehicles for off-roading. Provided its decent speed and handling this vehicle provides superior traction in off-road scenarios. It also provides a large amount of cover during combat encounters.
Pick-up trucks are similar to Jeeps but much slower and with fewer seats. So if there has to be a “worst” vehicle that award would be given to the Pick-up truck. But a vehicle is still a valuable resource to have so do not ignore the utility of these trucks.
Police cars are arguably the best vehicle in the game. With above-average handling and the fastest speed in the game on top of providing a decent amount of cover to hide behind, it is no surprise this vehicle is considered the strongest.
More: What We Know About H1Z1’s Remastered Outbreak Map & Its Future
H1Z1 is available on PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
