In a game like Uncharted 3, kill/death ratio is often a very overrated statistic. Sure, great players have many more kills than deaths, but sometimes in a match you need to make personal sacrifices to cement the win for your team. Nevertheless, players want to know how achieve a higher ranking and become the big man on campus.
If you ask how to improve your K/D ratio on the internet you’ll usually get one of the following sarcastic responses:
- Play with a large party, so you can gang up on the less organized players!
- Rage quit any time you’re having a bad game, so the stats won’t count!
- Equip the KAL 7 w/ Blindfire Accuracy and forget your L1 button exists!
- Camp constantly and kill steal from your teammates!
- Learn to exploit overpowered kickbacks like Quickboom!
- Make sure you’re lagging so you’ll appear invincible to the other team!
Honestly, since Naughty Dog is still ironing out the bugs in the game there is a lot of truth to these comments. To combat all the trolling, however, I thought I’d suggest seven legitimate ways to help improve your K/D ratio.
1
Watch videos of the top Uncharted 3 players.Sure, top players often only posts matches that go perfect for them, but you can still get a sense of how they move and what they’re looking for. In addition to this, find top level players that have a style similar to your own. If you tend to have the most success at close-range to mid-range don’t watch a player go crazy with the T-Bolt from a distance and think you can do the same. Think about what you can incorporate into your current play style and slowly try to add those things to your repertoire. Which leads me to my next point.
2
Know your own strengths and weaknesses.Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. Learning what you do best and what you don’t do well is the key to becoming a good player. Give yourself the edge by fighting where you are comfortable. It’s equally important though to not pigeon-hole yourself by thinking you can only do this or that. Usually, it’s just comes down to the fact that you are better at certain things than others. As you progress you’ll end up with more strengths and less weaknesses.
3
Know your enemy's strengths and weaknesses. Observe, Observe, Observe!Pay attention to the players on the other team! How are they getting their kills? Where are they grouping? What type of weapons are they using? Once you figure out what they are doing, think about what you can do to counter it. Often it is easier to exploit their weaknesses, rather than going head to head. One of the main things to look out for is KAL 7 users. Unless you are a KAL 7 user yourself you’ll need to watch these players so you can avoid taking them straight on at close range.
4
Use the multiplayer maps to your advantage.Learn what tactics work best on each map and the usual ranges that fights take place on the maps. For example, in general fights in Desert Village and Chateau take place at close range. When playing these maps you can change your Loadout to accommodate this style of fighting, or simply avoid the areas where the majority of these close-range fights take place. Maps like Museum favor long-range fighting, so if you’re a close-range specialist make sure to stay under cover and stick to the tight corridors on the outside edges of the map. (Be sure to check back later for our Uncharted 3 Maps post detailing the advantages and disadvantages of each multiplayer map.)
5
Use power weapons to your advantage.Face it, they’re called power weapons for a reason. Getting your hands on one of these weapons can not only change the tide of a battle but also skyrocket your kill/death ratio in a few minutes. Learn the location of these weapons on the map and patrol the area so you can get your hands on them early and often. Key weapons to look out for are the T-Bolt rifle and the M32-Hammer grenade launcher. Both of these weapons are extremely powerful and top level players know how to use them effectively.
6
Pick your spots.Make sure you engage the enemy first. Surprise attacks are the best, most efficient way to get a clean kill every time. If you get attacked unexpectedly sprint, climb, roll, drop a grenade or do whatever you can to escape. Once you evade, reengage the enemy and get your kill then. Turning and firing after already being shot will only result in a death for you and a kill for the enemy.
7
And last but not least… Play, Play, Play!Experience is always a major factor of success, both in gaming and in life. Playing often is the best way to improve your skill in all areas of the game. Getting in consistent matches will help your game stay fresh and evolve in a dynamic way. Sure, everyone has off days, but the best players play the game all the time. So, keep giving it your all and your hard work will eventually pay off. You may not become the best in the world but you’ll be a hell of a lot better than when you started.
Well, that’s all for now. Check back soon for more Uncharted 3 tips from Movie Mavericks.