How to fill people full of lead - a beginners guide to Shadowgun: DeadZone

Shadowgun: DeadZone is a new free-to-play third-person shooter from Czech Republic-based developer Madfinger Games.

Unlike its predecessor, DeadZone is a multiplayer game that pits you against other iPhone-, iPad-, and Android-toting players from around the world.

Your aim, then, is to shoot lots of people in the face. And we do mean LOTS of people.

Here are some hints and tips that will hopefully keep you alive. For a while, at least.

Experience gained



There are two different forms of currency in Shadowgun: DeadZone. These are Money and Gold.

Money is the universe's most common currency. You can earn fairly large amounts of it at the end of each Deathmatch and Zone Control bout that you successfully complete.

You can spend your savings on upgrades for the weapons that you already own, or splash out on completely new weapons. There are also various items and perks that you can purchase.

Gold, on the other hand, is extremely rare. There are, however, several ways to boosts your stores of it.

To get your mitts on some Gold, you can complete special in-game offers; grab bags of it via in-app purchases; or head over to TapJoy.com and get some for installing and running a number of free apps.

You can spend Gold on exclusive Skins and Hats for your gun-loving warrior, as well as on a premium account (which we'll discuss at greater length later).

Researching violence



You begin Shadowgun: DeadZone with a limited arsenal that's made up of a lowly submachine gun and some basic grenades.

You're not going to get very far with those, of course, so we suggest you go on a little shopping trip as soon as you have a nice amount of Money.

DeadZone's store is arranged in a tree-like structure. Basically, if you want to purchase the game's most powerful assault rifle, you must first pay for all of the weaker rifles.

With this in mind, we recommend you focus on purchasing one or two different weapon types rather than everything in sight.

So, if you're an expert with a shotgun, don't waste your Money on sniper rifles and weaponry you probably aren't going to use much.

Battle it out



There are no sure-fire ways to gain victory in Shadowgun: DeadZone, but you can definitely increase your chances of survival by obeying several rules.

Firstly, don't stand still. If you do, you'll be picked off within seconds. Make sure you constantly strafe and move when firing at your foes, even though that does make aiming a little harder.

Secondly, find some really good cover. Several of this game's maps feature areas that are perfect for 'camping' behind obstacles. Often, your foes will only be able to approach you from one direction, so you can repeatedly take them out with ease.

And last but not least, if you manage to work out where each map's various spawn points are located, you can quickly and easily mow down players as they enter battle.

Sure, it's a bit of a naughty tactic, but all's fair in love and war. So they say, anyway.

Fancy a splash?



If you want to get ahead in Shadowgun: DeadZone, you may want to consider investing in a premium account using some of the Gold you've managed to amass.

You can purchase a premium account for a single day for 150 Gold, or splash out for a three-day, one-week, one-month, or three-month subscription.

Why bother? Well, with a premium account, you earn 50 per cent more Money and XP every time you successfully complete a battle.

You can also use voice chat and take advantage of premium servers.