Catalyst Black is a great multiplayer shooter, but there are things that you should know before jumping in blind.
Strategies for the battlefield
Most of your time will be spent on the field – battling enemies and bots. It is beyond tempting to rush onto the battlefield and try to decimate everyone in your path. That may serve you well for your first few games, as it did mine, but when you start to encounter real players, they will shut you down completely.
To avoid an embarrassing Kill/Death ratio, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Do not overexert yourself – if you tumble too far into enemy territory, they will not hesitate before throwing all of their bullets into you.
- Make sure to keep in close contact with your allies. If in danger, you can just dash back, and hopefully they will help deter any aggressors.
- Keep an eye on your ammo. It is easy to forget how much is in the chamber when you are dominating the vibrant battlefield, but as soon as you run out of ammo, it’s curtains.
- Make sure to gain adequate use out of your abilities. It is easy to forget they’re even there, so make a conscious effort to use them.
- It’s a shooting game, so keep your distance! Try not to run up on your opponents, keep them far enough to be able to shoot them down.
As long as you acknowledge these pointers, you’ll survive much longer than your allies, and hopefully have a respectable Kill/Death ratio.
Managing your loadout
Your loadout in Catalyst Black will directly determine how well you perform, so craft it with care! It is tempting to use the most powerful weapon and abilities and leave it at that. But, refreshingly, just because a weapon is more powerful, doesn’t mean it will be practical. There is an element of experimentation needed to truly get to grips with the weapons and abilities, but their descriptions provide plenty of insight into what kind of weapon you’re dealing with.
For example, the flamethrower is a fantastic weapon, but its practicality is temperamental. I only used it due to the one I had being the most powerful in my inventory of weapons. In the Hydra game mode, it was incredible, staving off enemies and protecting the central point from enemies by unleashing a wall of incinerating napalm to prevent enemy access. In the Slayer game mode (team deathmatch), however, my need to hunt people down was the flamethrower’s downfall. My enemies, with superior range, absolutely dominated me. In short, pick your weapons accordingly to the game mode you want to play, your strongest weapon won’t always be the best weapon!
Your abilities will also need careful selection. Are you planning a defensive approach on your next game? Then use abilities that will heal you and slow down the enemy, to increase your lifespan. If you want to be aggressive, then stock yourself up with powerful abilities that will help you lay waste to your opponents.
As long as you carefully curate your loadout, you’ll be fine.
Follow the quests
A smaller, but vital, point, do not ignore your quests. It may seem like a hassle, but if you take a few extra seconds to follow the quests, and Catalyst Black will reward you generously, which will help improve your loadout. They are simple enough, and reward great, so what’s the fuss?
Remember to claim your rewards!
Off the back of the last point, make sure to take a few extra seconds hunting down your rewards. You will receive free daily and weekly rewards from the shop, rewards from completed quests, and from ascension milestones.
Ascension milestones will provide with huge rewards, and will unlock new features throughout the game. You receive points towards your ascension level primarily through playing games. So, get out there!
Interested in multiplayer shooters? You can read my beginner’s guide to Bullet Echo.
You can install Catalyst Black through the App Store and Google Play.
