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5 Tips To Maximise Your Survival Chances In The Back 4 Blood Open Beta

With Back 4 Blood now available to the ravenous masses in Open Beta, that reliable formula of pitting friends and teammates against an overwhelming force is well, in full force. Turtle Rock Studios is trying to recapture the magic of Left 4 Dead, and by and large, it is a job well done so far. Based on our time spent, there are certainly some tips and tricks that will help you do better in Back 4 Blood.

Back 4 Blood Open Beta Timings

Tips For Surviving Back 4 Blood

1. Communications Is Key

Need we say more? In a team game like Back 4 Blood, it is oftentimes not the Ridden that could cause players the biggest headache. It is the lack of communication that will spell the end of your team.

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You are looking to upgrade weapons, collect supplies, and push back against the monsters swarming you. The last thing you need is to start blaming each other for hoarding ammo, alerting the hordes, and a myriad of small squabbles that will threaten to blow up. Those coins that you pick up, be sure to spend them wisely and point them out to teammates.

Keep talking, keep working together, and survival becomes that much easier.

Tips For Surviving Back 4 Blood - Communicate

2. Overconfidence Kills

Like most games, the starting sections of Back 4 Blood will ease you into the action. In fact, some might find it a tad too easy. You will live to regret those words soon enough, as the AI Director is always looking at you and your performance. The best tip for surviving Back 4 Blood is to be conservative.

This applies to your ammo, supplies, and your movement and actions around the world. You will never know what lies around the corner, mutations can wreck your plans or a couple of Exploders can spell the end. Remember, the game is always out to screw you over, and you should always be prepared.

3. Balance Your Squad

With five different cleaners (eight in the full game) to choose from, and more importantly, no classes, it is entirely up to you to decide how best to move forward.

Each character gets their own ability, bonus, and a team effect. Matching the right folks will certainly enhance your chances of survival in Back 4 Blood. Holly is a great addition to help keep your stamina up, and can be an excellent tank with her increased damage resistance. If you are going down too often, going with Mom will add an extra life for the team, while she also has the ability to revive an ally once per level.

Tips For Surviving Back 4 Blood - Balance Your Squad

The deck-building system is a big part of the balancing as well. Ideally, you want to play your cards right and either become better at what you are good at, or spread things out to keep everyone more or less balanced. For aggressive players, making a Jack of all trades might work out in your favour, but for others, knowing your role and being awesome at it makes you a valuable team member.

4. Prioritise Targets

When it comes to the Ridden in Back 4 Blood, the wise tip is to take down the big boys before anything else. Sure, the sheer numbers of the weaker enemies can be dangerous, but they are made even worse with the likes of special variants.

Whether it be the Tallboys, Stingers, Reeker, or other monstrosities, they can mess you up at any given moment, but more terrifyingly, leave your team shorthanded. Teams that stick together need to call out these bad boys and whack them, but if you find yourself alone, that strategy remains the same. Being trapped by a Hocker’s spit is never a good time.

Tips For Surviving Back 4 Blood - Prioritise Targets

When it comes to the Tallboys, the effective way to deal with them is to stay far away. Stingers need to be dealt with quickly, and their low health is a blessing, and the same goes for Snitchers. As for the Retch, stay out of range of their melee attack, vomit, and explosion, and you should be fine

5. Try Out The Swarm PvP Mode

Sun Tzu always preached about knowing thy enemy, and there is no better way to do that in Back 4 Blood open beta than the Swarm PvP mode. Pitting teams of four Cleaners against four Ridden, you can have a better understanding of the horrors that these mutated beasts can do.

By picking up the traits and tricks of the Ridden, you will undoubtedly stand a better chance against them in the PvE mode. Sure, they may not move as unpredictably as a human player, but you get the general gist of what they can do and how best to not be their latest victim. Information is key!


Although this is obviously not the full experience, the open beta sets up the stage perfectly for Back 4 Blood to smash it come October. Players will enjoy the nostalgia of the past but enhanced by modern features, and armed with our tips, you will find Back 4 Blood to be even more satisfying even at this early stage.

With the Ridden swarming all over, you are going to need all the help you can get. Thank goodness we are here for you.

Want some more Back 4 Blood open beta codes for PS4/PS5? Follow us on Telegram, we’ll be dropping random codes anytime from now till 12 August.