In our Beginner’s Tips for Killzone: Shadow Fall, we covered most of the general basics on how the game works, including its open world structure and weapons tactics. For our Advanced Tips, though, we wanted to focus on one primary tool that will help you throughout the entire game – the O.W.L.
You first pick up this drone in the first level, and it stays with you over the course of the game, serving whatever needs you call upon. If you need shielding against tougher enemies, it’s there. If you need a tactical advantage, it can help you on several fronts.
This guide covers everything the O.W.L. can do, and where it’ll come in handy. Here’s the breakdown.
How does the O.W.L.’s Tactical Echo work in Killzone: Shadow Fall?
The tactical echo basically shows you where enemies are located on a map by firing off a huge sound wave, which can read body structures. This is helpful if you’re in a large facility and want to know what you’re up against without alerting them. To execute it, simply press right on the directional pad.
A word of warning, though. When you activate it, you’ll see a light-up bar at the bottom of the screen. Try to use it only to the point that it stays in the white. If you enter the red, it could let off some audio distortion that’ll distract nearby soldiers – alerting them to your presence. Use it wisely.
How can the O.W.L. perform hacking in Killzone: Shadow Fall?
When it comes to hacking, the O.W.L. is pretty much your best friend. That’s because taking down a terminal can easily avoid alerting reinforcements in your area – which means saving your precious health and ammunition.
Once you see a terminal, make sure you get close enough to it so that your on-screen cursor acknowledges it, then hit the L1 button to send the O.W.L. on its way. It’ll take a few seconds for it to hack the terminal, but once it does, that’ll turn off the alarm, keeping you safe from any roving guards.
There’s a chance the alarm could go off beforehand, so you see a flashing red light, prepare for trouble, because it’s likely coming.
How can the O.W.L. attack soldiers in Killzone: Shadow Fall?
The O.W.L.’s best ability is being able to zoom in on enemies and fill them with lead. It never seems to run out of ammunition, so it’s real handy if you’re running low on bullets. To set it up for these attacks, swipe your thumb upward on the D-pad to activate attack mode, highlight whatever enemies you want to attack with your on-screen cursor, and press L1. It’ll do most of the dirty work for you, though some armored enemies may take a little more ammunition – or a well-placed knife stab – to bring down.
How do you grapple with the O.W.L. in Killzone: Shadow Fall?
There are some long stretches in the level that you won’t be able to reach by jumping – and if you try, you’re likely to fall to your death. So, instead of messing with that, set up the O.W.L. to turn into your own personal grapple line.
Simply swipe right on the Thumbpad on the Dual Shock 4 controller, and it’ll go into grapple mode. From there, point to where you want the grapple line to attach – you may need to move around if it’s a higher point or incompatible with an object – and press L1 to attach. You’ll go sailing right across, without the fear of falling to your death.
A word of warning, though – when you have soldiers on the other side of where you want to get across, you might want to wipe them out first. Grappling leaves you vulnerable for a few seconds, and could very well lead to your demise if you’re not careful. So clear out, then get across.
How do you use the Shield with the O.W.L. in Killzone: Shadow Fall?
The shield ability is your best bet if you want to take things on the defensive, and is especially helpful if you’re surrounded by enemies. Swipe down on the D-pad and press L1, and the O.W.L. will provide you with a few seconds of temporary shielding. This will allow you to run through the Helghans, but don’t get too cocky. The O.W.L. can only protect you for so long before you’re back on your own.
How do you stun enemies wit the O.W.L. in Killzone: Shadow Fall?
Finally, the O.W.L. can also deliver a huge stun blow, which not only provides a non-lethal way to deal with bothersome Helghan soldiers, but can also eliminate a group rather handily.
All you need to do is swipe left on the Thumbpad, and it’ll enter stun mode. Point where you want it to go with your on-screen cursor, press L1, and get ready to drop a huge stun on everyone.
Quick side note: this will take a small amount of time to recharge after you use it, so don’t go crazy whipping stun bombs on the battlefield. Instead, stick with regular firing mode, and the O.W.L. will take out any guards you point your cursor at. It’s much easier, especially if the stun bomb misses your intended targets.
That should do it. So grab your O.W.L. buddy and take the war back to the Helghast!
Killzone: Shadow Fall is available now for Xbox One.
