The Definitive Guide to Singularity Multiplayer

Singularity is finally out in all regions, and I hope all of you are as excited about it as I am. I figured this would be a great opportunity to talk a bit about our multiplayer, share some of my tactics with you, and do a general guide to help players get the most out of their online battles. A lot of this information can be found scattered throughout the game, in the form of loading tips, respawn tips or character selection descriptions, but I figured I’d pull it all together in one place for those of you that are interested.

As most of you know by now, Singularity MP is all about the battle between 2 factions: The Soldiers and the Creatures. Soldiers play in the expected FPS style (FPS POV, weapons, special TMD ability), while creatures play in the style of an action-adventure game (3rd person camera, melee combat and special attacks). This makes the learning curve in Singularity MP a little steeper than most games, but if you give it the time it needs, it is definitely worth the effort. Singularity MP has 2 modes of play, both of which involve Soldiers going up against Creatures.

The main mode is called Extermination, and the story is that the Soldiers are trying to infiltrate the Island of Katorga-12 to exterminate the Creatures that now reside there. To do so, they must activate beacons along the way to eradicate the nearby creatures and open up the next area. The 3rd beacon is in the creature’s hive, and successfully activating it will destroy their hive and win the battle.

The second mode is called Creatures versus Soldiers, or CvS, and is, in essence, Team Deathmatch. Both modes utilize a 2 round system, with teams switching sides between rounds so that players get to play both factions in a given match.

Now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about the different classes, their controller layout, and some helpful tactics.

Creatures

• You can take down a Lurker’s shield with ranged attack (zek barrels, radion lob, puke, possessed soldier), without taking any repel damage. Watch him scramble as he is trying to figure out what happened to his precious shield.
• The ‘Creature Vision’ is a great perk to use with Zek and Tick. The Revert already has it natively (no need for perk), and with the Radion I prefer to get larger splash.
• Keep your ears open for the ‘intrusion’ alarm that goes off when a soldier is near an undefended beacon – the alarm sounds like a high pitch chirp, and hud beacon icon will flash red. Get back to beacon ASAP when you hear it.
• Destroy the Soldier’s Spawner Units whenever possible. It is well worth the effort.
• Communicate!!! This game is very strategic, and teams that talk and strategize together will win every time.

Zeks are the most versatile of creatures. They are adept at ambushing, but still able to stand their ground in open areas.

• Use barrels to weaken enemies, then phase-out and move in for the kill.
• Soldiers take more damage when struck in the back. Use crouch and other methods to hide around and ambush them from behind.
• Find higher areas that are above where soldiers will be passing, then do a well timed ground pound attack (jump+melee) for devastating results.

Phase Ticks may be small, but they possess powerful attributes. Their ability to climb on most surfaces, coupled with the power to possess soldiers, makes the Tick a valuable sneak attacker.

• The length of time it takes to possess a solider is tied to their health, so look for weakened soldiers to get a quick possession. Also, your teammates can help speed up an ongoing possession by attacking the soldier, reducing his health.
• Possessions happen anytime you land on soldier’s head/chest, and there are several ways to do it: The leap attack, of course, but also by doing a regular jump (from nearby or higher ground). Or you can try my favorite: dropping from the ceiling!
• Don’t forget about the tick sack explosion ([RB]/[R1]). It is tricky to do, but very deadly if done well. Also, remember that it can be initiated while leaping.

Reverts are slow but extremely powerful. Their powerful proximity mines along with their unique ability to heal teammates makes the Revert a great defensive creature.

• Revert mines are indispensable to playing defense. Choose areas with tight entryways, and then strategically place your mines.
• Don’t forget to heal your teammates with puke. This can often mean the difference between winning and losing a match.
• Reverts have the most powerful melee, but are very slow moving. To make up for a lack of speed, first use the puke to slow the enemy down, and then move in for the kill.

The Radion is the perfect turf defender. With powerful projectile attacks and a heavily armored body, Radions can be critical in providing support for the team.

• Protect your vulnerable back side by always facing the attacking soldiers.
• Use the lob for longer range, and the shards for close range. I find that weakening an advancing soldier with the lob, then using the shards to finish him off works really well.
• Use the aim button ([LT]/[L2]), to slow down reticule movement. It makes aiming much easier.

Soldiers

• Make sure you regenerate the forward Spawner Units; They are crucial to winning Extermination.
• If you see a lone creature beating on an active beacon, don’t chance going after the creature. Simply regenerate the beacon while they try to tear it down… you will win every time.
• Make good use of the gravity objects around the map. These are the explosive barrel, electrical junction box and freeze tanks. I sometime carry one with me to the beacon area, and use to start my attack with a bang.
• Getting repeatedly blown up by Revert mines? equip the ‘stealthy’ perk and you wont trigger them.
• It is always better to flank a Radion than trying to take it head-on. They are much weaker in the back, and will go down in no time.
• Communicate!!! This game is very strategic, and teams that talk and strategize together will win every time.

Blitzers can teleport through space in no time. It’s great for evasive maneuvers, but also a powerful weapon in the right hands.

• Explore the levels to find all shortcuts that the teleporter can use. Keep in mind that you can teleport up and down through floors.
• Teleport strafe. The teleporter is the ultimate dodge mechanic, since it teleports you in the direction you are already moving (including sideways).
• Telefrag. Land inside enemies for an instant kill. It takes skill, and comes with some risk, but can be deadly if used correctly. Radions are easiest creature to telefrag, due to their size. Also, here is another clue: walls are a telefraggers best friend.

The Bruiser’s Impulse is the ultimate close range power. Made to deal with melee creatures, it pushes them away while at the same time inflicting significant damage.

• The impulse is very deadly against ticks. If you find yourself in a match full of ticks, switch to the Bruiser and worry no more.
• I like the 1-2 punch of impulse + shotgun. However, I’ve also seen some people use impulse + autocannon with great results.

Lurkers are equipped with the TMD Shield and Cloak power. Shield protects the soldier, and damages anyone trying to attack it with melee. Stand in place to cloak, and become nearly invisible.

• The shield bounces damage back onto any melee attacker, so switch to the Lurker when going up against a lot of Zeks and Reverts.
• Don’t forget to use the cloak. It can be very handy for ‘hiding’ near the Beacon while you wait for teammates to catch up.
• Activate the shield when going through doorways and tight passages that may have been laced with Revert mines.

Healers are valuable resources to their team and can often turn the tide of the battle. They also have the ability to heal themselves, but only when actively healing a teammate.

• Healers are slightly faster than all other soldier classes.
• A soldier who is actively connected to your heal beam will be more resistant to damage, whether he is fully healed or not.

General Tips

To finish it off, here’s the full list of tips you get in the game when playing MP.

• All “Extermination” and “Creatures vs Soldiers” matches are comprised of 2 timed rounds. Teams play a round as soldiers, and a round as creatures.
• An Extermination match is won by the team that activates the most beacons. If both teams manage to activate the same number of beacons, victory goes to the team with the highest “Time Score”.
• In Extermination mode, “Time Score” is the sum of time remaining on all activated beacon timers.
• Soldiers have five minutes to successfully activate a Beacon in Extermination mode.
• Restoring a Beacon in Extermination mode eradicates all of the creatures in the area and opens the path to the next Beacon.
• In Extermination mode, soldiers must use the TMD to fully regenerate a Beacon, then defend it for 20 seconds until it goes online.
• In order to interrupt a Beacon’s uplink countdown in Extermination mode, creatures must damage Beacon until its health meter is below 75 percent.
• In Extermination mode, restoring the 3rd Beacon exterminates the Hive and wins the round.
• Soldier Spawner Units throughout the map are key in establishing battle lines in Extermination mode.
• In Extermination mode, all Soldier Spawner Units start out disabled by default. Soldiers should regenerate them to spawn closer to the action.
• In Extermination mode, creatures can damage active Soldier Spawner Units to disable them.
• In Extermination mode, a red ring around the Spawner Unit’s on-screen icon means that it requires action from your team.
• Radions are heavily armored from the front, but much weaker in the back. Flank them to gain the upper hand.
• The Tick can land on a soldier’s head to possess their body, but are vulnerable to attack during the process.
• The Radion has two types of projectile attacks: a powerful bomb lob, and a medium-range shard attack.
• The Revert can heal teammates by puking on them.
• The Revert can only have 2 Proximity Mines at play at any one time. Spawning a third mine will cause the first to expire.
• Creatures will always see a white outline around possessed soldiers, showing that they are teammates.
• The Blitzer can teleport through walls and passages that would otherwise be unusable.
• The Healer can only heal himself by healing teammates.
• The Lurker’s TMD energy will drain much faster when the shield is taking damage. But beware, it does bounce damage back onto a melee attacker.
• The Lurker’s shield is a great defense against ambushes and Proximity Mines.
• XP points are awarded for enemy kills, assists and healing teammates. Soldiers also gain XP for regenerating Beacons and Spawner Units, while creatures gain XP for disabling them.
• Landing on top of a Phase Tick will kill it immediately.
• Soldiers take more melee damage from behind, so watch out for sneaky creatures!
• In “Creatures vs Soldiers”, the team to finish the match with the highest number of kills wins.
• In public matches, people in your friends list are more likely to get placed in the same team as you.
• Players do not earn XP points in private matches.

 

Creatures – General

• Hold [LT]/[L2] to go into strafe mode.
• Melee soldiers from behind to take advantage of their weaker backside.
• The Beacon proximity alarm (high pitch beeping) will sound if a soldier is in the vicinity of an undefended Beacon.
• Creatures’ health slowly regenerate over time.
• When encountering a Lurker, remember that his shield’s energy will drain much faster when it takes damage. A word of caution: Use non-melee attacks to avoid the Shield’s reflected damage.
• Use non-melee attacks to quickly drain the Lurker’s shield.
• Damage a regenerated Beacon down to 75% health to interrupt countdown, at which point Beacon will stop functioning, and lights will go off.
• There are 2 buttons to perform the melee attack. You can use either [LB][L1], or [X][square].

Creatures – Zek

• The Zek’s Phantom Phase ability, [RB]/[R1], makes you impervious to all but one attack: The Bruiser’s Impulse.
• Press [LB]/[L1] while airborne to perform the Zek’s Ground Stomp.The higher you are when executing this attack, the more devastating it will be.
• Zek Barrels will explode in your hands when shot, so beware of holding one for too long.
• Sneak around! [B]/[circle] to toggle crouch.

Creatures – Radion

• Hold [LT]/[L2] to go into aim mode, which slows down the reticule and makes aiming easier.
• Watch your back! The Radion’s weak spot is its backside, where there is no armor.
• The Radion’s Shard Attack, [RB]/[R1], has the ability to bounce off one surface, making it ideal for hitting enemies around corners.

Creatures – Phase Tick

• Press [B]/[circle] to toggle the Tick’s wall climbing mode, allowing you to crawl up most surfaces. Press it again to drop off the surface.
• Leap onto an enemy’s head to possess their body. This can be achieved by using the Leap ability, a regular jump, or simply by falling onto their head from the ceiling.
• Possessing a soldier gives you control of his body and loadout. Press [Dpad down] if you wish to exit the body.
• The speed at which the Tick possesses a body, is dependant on the soldier’s health. The less health the soldier has, the quicker the possession will be.
• Holding [RB]/[R1] for a few seconds will burst the Tick’s Sac, devastating nearby enemies. However, this incapacitates the Tick for several seconds, leaving it vulnerable.
• Holding [LT]/[L2] activates the Tick’s leap trajectory indicator.
• The Tick’s melee attack, [LB]/[L1] or [X]/[square], is weaker in comparison to other creatures, but still useful under certain situations.

 

Creatures – Revert

• Only 2 Proximity Mines are allowed at any one time. Spawning a third mine will cause the first to expire.
• The Revert Puke, [RT]/[R2], damages and slows enemies down. Puking on teammates heals them.
• Attack soldiers from behind to take advantage of their weaker backside.
• Creatures’ health slowly regenerate over time.
• Sneak around! [B]/[circle] to toggle crouch.
• Creature Vision is only native to the Revert. All other creatures must use a perk to gain the ability.
• While Reverts are much slower than Zeks, they can take more damage and have a more powerful melee.

Soldiers – General

• Click [RS]/[R3] to gravity grab explosive barrels, nitro tanks and junction boxes throughout the environment. Press [RT]/[R2] to launch it.
• In Extermination mode, regenerate broken Spawner Units to revive closer to the action.

Soldiers – Blitzer

• The Teleport TMD power allows you to pass through solid matter.
• A skillful Blitzer can use the teleporter as a weapon. Land inside an enemy’s body to instantly kill them.

Soldiers – Bruiser

• The Impulse TMD power can knock Zeks out of Phantom Phase.
• The Impulse TMD power is a great weapon against pesky Ticks.

Soldiers – Lurker

• The Shield TMD power is able to absorb incoming damage. If the damage is inflicted by melee, it is immediately bounced back onto the attacker.
• Absorbing damage by using Shield will drain TMD energy at a much faster rate.
• While using Shield, stand in place and refrain from shooting to activate its cloak ability.
• The Shield TMD power uses significantly less energy in cloak mode.
• While shielded, stand in place and refrain from shooting to activate the Lurker’s cloak ability.

Soldiers – Healer

• Use the Healer TMD power to restore a nearby teammate’s health.
• Heal a teammate to heal yourself.
• Healers move slightly faster than other classes

 

That is it for now. It is a lot of information to digest, but hopefully you all find it useful. Hope you enjoy the game, and see you online!

Gustavo Rasche
Multiplayer Design Lead
Raven Software