Despite sharing a similar name, Warzone 2 is a fundamentally different beast than what players experienced in the previous iteration of the free-to-play battle royale. It can be very overwhelming trying to figure out how to get the upper hand on the competition. With that in mind, if you’re struggling to find a method that works for you, here are 10 tips to help you conquer Warzone 2, and a few extra tips to help dominate Al Mazrah and Ashika Island.
Adjust Your Settings
Any and all gamers should know the first course of action when starting a game is to mess around with your settings. Call of Duty has increasingly improved its settings by offering a bevy of customization options, no matter what platform you’re on. A few settings I recommend taking a look at are:
- Field of View (FOV): This one is a massive benefit for consoles players after years of not having it. Changing your FOV allows you to see more objects on screen, as the standard FOV might be too narrow for your liking.
- Change your ping colors: Another big feature, changing your Ping color scheme helps, as you familiarize yourself with the variety of communication options in-game.
- Audio settings: Audio is king in battle royales, and Warzone 2 is no different.
Above are just three of the major areas I recommend you look at immediately to get a better edge on the opposition while making yourself comfortable in Warzone 2.
Build a Loadout for Champions
Every battle royale has a unique gimmick or feature that makes it stand tall, with Warzone letting players bring in their custom loadouts. Like the first iteration, players can bring in their favorite weapons and Perk Packages, which translates to “expect your lobbies to be full of what’s meta.”
We’ve put together quite a few guides on what’s meta to help you fight back against these meta lobbies so make sure you stay up to date with them. Although the TAQ-V and RPK have been steamrolling the opposition, there are other viable options such as the Vel 46 and the Lachmann Sub. The meta has been evolving, and as new weapons like the ISO Hemlock are introduced, expect to see new monstrosities dominate your lobbies.
Fight Back Against the AI
One of the notable changes between Warzone 2 and the first entry is the introduction of AI combatants on the battlefield, as they hold down various points of interest looking to smoke any unsuspecting players. While it may be a challenge, reaching and capturing a Stronghold, specially marked locations where enemy AI runs rampant, is an important tool of the trade if you want to get ahead.
I’d argue this strategy is a bit more important in Al Mazrah, as the pace of play is much slower, meaning power moves such as this are crucial. Overall, dealing with the pesky AI may seem like a nuisance, but the rewards you get for clearing them out are vital, as capturing the first Stronghold in the lobby rewards loadouts and access to the pivotal Black Site.
Information Gathering is the Name of the Game
Although Warzone 2 is noticeably slower than its predecessor, one thing that hasn’t changed is the focus on information gathering. It can’t be stressed how important it is to be on top of information gathering, whether it be through using UAVs to get enemy information, or by completing Secure Intel contracts to know where the circle is headed.
A new feature introduced is the Interrogation system, and as the picture above shows, downing a foe allows you to interrogate them, revealing their teammates’ positions for a brief period. You need to know what’s going on at all times, and effectively communicate with your teammates if you want a shot at the coveted helicopter ride out of the battlefield.
Play DMZ
One tip that has helped my multiplayer experience is going into a private match and learning the maps themselves to get a feel for how a map flows. If you want to get better at Warzone 2, head to the DMZ to learn about Al Mazrah and Ashika Island.
To be fair, the new extraction-based mode isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, as it plays infinitely slower than the octane pace of play you’ll encounter in the normal Warzone modes. However, both Warzone maps are playable options in the DMZ, and while the objectives aren’t the same, running through them will help you get that map awareness as you learn about the ins and outs, as there’s no difference in the maps between Warzone and DMZ.
Another benefit is successful DMZ runs grant a boatload of XP, which is great for new players who don’t have access to better weapons. It also dishes out a ton of weapon XP so you can craft your nasty loadout. Give it a try; it can’t hurt.
Always Close the Door, It’s the Right Thing to Do
2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare introduced CoD gamers to the next major innovation: doors. Also known as Modern Doorfare, doors have been a point of contention as they make the game feel way clunkier than it should.
As much as I don’t like them, they do serve a benefit in Warzone, being that it’s your ticket to slowing down your opposition. If you’re holding a position, close the door, thus making your opponent have to open it themselves, which will audibly reveal their position if they come running through. It’s a habit that’ll take time to pick up, and if you forget to close the door to stop your foes, remember to close it because it’s the right thing to do.
Contracts Are Your Friend (Al Mazrah)
The first iteration of Warzone introduced the Contract system, a quick way of earning cash upon completion of an objective or a set of objectives. As you can imagine, cash is king in Warzone, as it’ll help you purchase your loadout and various equipment such as gas masks and armor or ammo boxes.
While this system has carried over, the rate at which you earn cash in Al Mazrah is significantly slower than it’s ever been, with this leading to an overall change in the way you must approach the game. However, dropping into Al Mazrah will provide you with plenty of contracts to take on, although they aren’t as simple as they used to be. There are five in total (Bounty, Safecracker, Most Wanted, Secure Intel, Tactical Nuke), and as soon as you hit the ground, your immediate goal should be to grab one.
The easiest of Contracts will be the Secure Intel and Safecracker, and if possible, you should make a beeline for a Safecracker contract. You’ll need to open three different safes, with each safe granting an increasingly better loot pile. Once you complete the Contract, you’ll be swimming in the dough and be in a better position than the remaining opposition in the lobby.
Play to Win aka Play Slower (Al Mazrah)
As mentioned in the previous tip, the economy has seen major adjustments, and with it being a process when it comes to earning cash, you need to match your playstyle to that grind. It takes some time to adjust, but it’ll save you the headache and countless rage if you go into Al Mazrah knowing you’re playing the long game.
Heading into Al Mazrah, the standard battle royale map, you’ll need to be prepared to play the long game. Everyone will have this mindset, and with over 100 other players playing slow, you’ll need to match their speed. Don’t play recklessly, take on contracts to build up cash, and whatever you do, don’t get caught out in the open without a smoke grenade. This mindset should also play a factor in how you assemble your loadout, as long-range weapons such as the TAQ-V and RPK dominate the meta.
Be Ready for the Ashik-alypse (Ashika Island)
Ashika Island is currently only playable in the fan-favorite returning Resurgence Mode and the DMZ mode. Resurgence is a fantastic time, as there’s only a slight lull in the moment-to-moment gameplay while you’re respawning after a respawned foe comes in and beats you down.
That said, Ashika Island is a madhouse of nonstop action, and if you’re heading into it thinking expecting anything less than that, you’re in for a rude awakening. Drop with your teammates, customize your loadout to reflect the high-speed action, and prepare for the hectic endgames in Resurgence Mode.
Regarding your loadout, the meta weapons, like the TAQ-V and RPK, in Al Mazrah will shred on Ashika Island. You’ll want to change some of your Perks to match the increase in pace, and make sure you have a trusty secondary to clean up the mess.
Drop Gas Station (Ashika Island)
There are only a few gas stations on Ashika Island, and the recommendation here isn’t to drop at them to refuel your vehicles. It’s because the gas stations hold a secret slot machine that may drop you some good equipment.
All over Ashika Island are recharging blue chests that hold Sea Tokens. Find a few tokens, and then bring them to the machine in the back of the gas station to earn a chance at a variety of equipment, such as ammo and lethal weaponry. The algorithm for the machine is still to be determined, but you may earn yourself a Killsteak or a Field Upgrade. It may not seem like much, but hot dropping at a gas station and earning a Killstreak can make all the difference in those early engagements.
That concludes our primer on 10 tips to help you conquer Warzone 2. For more Warzone and Call of Duty content, scroll on to our related section so you can stay up-to-date.
