The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, an exciting new multiplayer horror experience Sumo Digital and Gun Interactive has officially launched for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S on August 18, 2023, bringing an adaptation of the terrifying slasher franchise to modern gaming. Whether you’re a grizzled horror veteran seeking out the latest in the long line of asymmetric horror games, or a newcomer to the subgenre, here are some essential tips and tricks to know before you wade into the blood and guts of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Best Starting Tips for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Read ALL of the Tutorials Before You Jump In!
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has some surprisingly deep gameplay mechanics, which makes the menu tutorials required reading before you play your first match. Although an instructional level/practice mode would have been a welcome addition, the developers opted instead to provide brief, informative tutorial videos that thoroughly explain The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. With a variety of nuances, character stats, and concepts, it is paramount that players take the time to learn the ins and outs of the game before descending into the chaos. Simply, unlike many other multiplayer titles, you really can’t just jump into The Texas Chainsaw Massacre without knowing what to do, as the game is very unforgiving to mistake-prone newcomers.
Understand Your Character
There are a total of ten playable characters in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, including five Victims and five of the murderous Family. Every character feels unique, with each possessing special abilities and strengths that aid them in escape attempts, or cold-blooded murder. It is paramount for players to know their role within the game, and understand how their special character skills can lend to surviving The Texas Chainsaw Massacre or bringing it into fruition (depending on which side you are on).
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Communicate/Cooperate
Regardless of whether you are on the Victim or Family side, communication/cooperation can be the difference between success and failure in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Even if you aren’t interested in using the voice chat functionality of the game, you can still cooperate with teammates by sticking together, watching each others’ backs, and (non-verbally) collaborating on how to escape the Family, or hunt down the Victims.
Survival of the Fittest
Although communication and cooperation are tools for success in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, specifically as a victim, the game is a test of survival and sometimes the only path to escape is by working alone. If you have teammates making loud noises, moving when they shouldn’t be, not cooperating with others, etc. then you would be wise to leave the dead weight to their own devices, keeping a wide berth, and using their mistakes to your advantage. The family will be preoccupied with easy prey, which provides a window for you to execute an escape right under their noses. There may not be an “I” in team, but there is in “survive.”
Hide and Seek
When broken down into its rudimentary components, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is basically a twisted game of hide and seek. Victims that move quietly, tactically, and efficiently to complete objectives will be very difficult for even the most skilled killers to track. On the other hand Family members who thoroughly patrol exits, cooperate, and level up grandpa’s scanning abilities will be able to hunt down the slipperiest prey.
Don’t Quit, Spectate
One of the keys to “git gud” in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is to learn from your mistakes. As stated previously, the game can feel a little counterintuitive at first, and you may find yourself dealing with failures early on. Don’t get discouraged if you are killed early in a match and instead of rage quitting, stay in the game and watch your teammates. Make mental notes on why they succeeded where you failed, and add their escape strategies to your repertoire. Even if your fellow Victims are worse players than you, you just might glean a new tactic from observing, or in the worst-case scenario, you could learn something from the killers if they slaughter your whole team.
Think Like Your Enemy
One piece of advice that is more useful while playing as the Family is to think like a Victim. In the back of your mind, you should predetermine where and how someone could escape and then intercept them. Although its difficult to cover all of the exits, I personally noticed improvements as a killer when I put myself in the victims shoes and anticipated where they could be headed instead of waiting for mistakes. In short, you should be proactive, not reactive in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Explore the Roster
Lastly, it might be obvious to some, but I would highly recommend branching out and trying every character in the game’s roster, rather than just sticking with your favorites. I personally discovered that the characters I loved on paper ended up being different from the ones that worked best with my gaming skillset. Through exploring the roster, you can begin to find your “mains,” and become a formidable force of survival or destruction within The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
For more on Sumo Digital and Gun Interactive’s newest horror game, check out Prima’s official review of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
