Payday 2 is a cooperative single or multiplayer game where you follow the Payday gang to Washington to enact another series of heists. In this sequel, players get to participate in various heists, and now more than ever, teamwork is needed to succeed.
If you have played Payday 2 before and found it to be very different from many other first-person shooter games, it's time to revisit this classic FPS game and learn how to play the game. In this guide, you'll learn how to play, where you can download the game, and how you and your team can be successful.
Always Have a Plan
Playing Payday 2 is all about making sure that your heist goes to plan. From the way you get into the scene down to your escape route, you will always need a good foolproof plan. A good player knows plans can change at a minute's notice and formulate another one in the heat of battle.
There will always be times during the game that your plan will go haywire. It is up to you as a player to be very adaptable and always have a backup plan in mind. Organize your inventory according to the type of heist you plan to do.
Ensure that you pack a lot of health and ammo if you know your heist is going to be a messy one. Make sure you disseminate your plan to all of your teammates before heading out.
Start With the Easier Heists First
New players tend to jump immediately into action and choose the most challenging heist in the game. However, it is not wise to dive straight into difficult heists when you don't know what you're up against.
Many players, especially seasoned ones, often choose the longer, more difficult heists as they tend to reward more experience and cash. Slow and steady wins the race in Payday 2 and players need to understand that it is okay to start with easier heists first.
Not only do you familiarize yourself with the basics of the game, but you also get experience and build your skills within your team.
Clear the Area First
Once you have fully prepared for your heist and have briefed the entire team, it is time to get into the mission. Your first objective should always be to check all the areas first.
This means knowing and understanding the enemy locations, how they move, checking which areas are left unguarded, what are the escape routes and everything else in between.
This will leave you to improvise your plan as you go along with your mission. Having a clear understanding of what the area is will surely help you move around quickly and get to safety as fast as possible.
Be Prepared to Improvise
Playing Payday 2 means having to understand that there will always be random things that can change the way your heist goes. It won't always be smooth sailing for your team and not everything will go to plan.
And because there are many random factors that can affect how you do the heist, it is always best to prepare to improvise. Armed with the knowledge of the area and the capabilities of your team, you should be able to modify your plans accordingly and be able to follow through with them.
The ultimate goal is to get in, grab the prize, get out safely, and then get paid. The best strategy here is to be versatile and adaptable in each situation and you'll find yourself surviving through the entire heist.
Get Multiple Skills
Not a lot of players know about this little secret: you can have different builds in Payday 2 through the use of multiple skill trees. This should be your key to becoming an adaptable player.
While you can unlock up to five slots in the skills section, you can also mix and match different skills from separate skill trees and choose which ones truly matter to you as a player.
When used wisely, you become a formidable player who can adapt very well in the game and can have different roles in the team. This complex system can be quite complicated at first but try and gain more experience in the game and you'll understand it later on.
Stealth Is the Name of the Game
As in real life, you don't go into the bank with a grenade launcher on your shoulder as you walk through the front door. Yes, it's ballsy of you to do so but it is also very stupid for you to think that you can get away with such an act especially in Payday 2.
Unlike many other games, Payday 2 has rules that you need to follow. Each weapon and armor has its concealment rating. The higher your concealment rating becomes, the lower the chances of you getting detected with the weapon.
One of the key ways to have the best concealment rating is to never use loud weapons. Make good use of a silenced pistol especially in stealth missions and you should be good to go.
Fight When You Need To
While stealth is your best friend in this game, it doesn't always mean that it is the ultimate solution to every problem. There will be times when you'll have to take out the big guns and fight when you need to.
Seeing as this is a first-person shooter game, players should expect to use stealth and concealment as much as possible but whenever the situation calls for it, it is always best to fight back.
This can happen whenever you're cornered or you need a way out as fast as possible. Fighting back does not always mean you're risking your game but it is one of the fundamental aspects of Payday 2 that you should still be prepared for.
Help Your Teammates
Payday 2 is always going to be a co-op first-person shooter game. It is a team-based game that requires constant communication and teamwork to succeed. You'll never find yourself becoming a successful criminal if you are not fond of working with others.
You will need to rely on your teammates and your teammates will need to rely on you as well. Those who plan on becoming a hero usually end up getting killed or could even cost the entire mission.
It only takes one bullet to take you out in the game so make sure that you stay alive so the rest of your team can also work on their tasks. Help each other out and you'll soon discover that to succeed in this game, always remember that there is no I in team.
Prioritize the Mastermind
There are a lot of roles that can be played in Payday 2. Each role has its importance and everyone gets to shine in the team. The mastermind plays a significant role in the game. They are often targeted by opponents due to how special they are within the team.
One might wonder why many players tend to prioritize saving the mastermind over anyone else in the team. It's because the mastermind has a skill called Inspire that can resurrect allies from a distance.
This is a very useful skill especially during battles where you need to take cover while reviving the rest of your team. If you are already down a few members, make sure to keep him alive at all costs so he can continue to revive your allies and continue the fight.
Always Communicate with Your Team
As mentioned before, Payday 2 requires a lot of teamwork to become successful. There are a lot of elements to creating and leading a successful team but none plays a more important role within the team than proper communication.
Having communication is the best way for each player to understand and react accordingly. If you find yourself in the middle of a pickle, a quick word with your team can help you get enemies off your back.
Learning proper communication in the heat of battle is also very important for each member of the team. Make sure to communicate how you want to play the game and voice your concerns so they get clarified by the entire team.
Conclusion
With the FPS genre becoming saturated with the likes of battle royale games and team-based character shooters, there's one game that continues to stand out from the rest of the pack with how unique it has become.
From robbing banks to getting into a gunfight with the police, there's nothing short of fun, action, and excitement when playing Payday 2. Hopefully, the tips above will help you score more victories and be able to get away with being a career criminal. Payday 2 is available for download on PC via Steam, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 and 4.
