Apex Legends: The guide to mastering Fortnite's newest rival.

EA's Apex Legends comes to compete with Call of Duty, Fortnite and PUBG. We tell you about the characters, weapons and everything you need to know to join the conversation topic.

Apex Legends: Availability and pricing

Apex Legends is a free game from Electronic Arts (EA) for PS4, Xbox One and PC. You can download the game for free, although as it is an online game you must have a subscription to the service of your preferred console (either Xbox Live, PlayStation Plus or Origin) which are paid.

Characters or legends

In Apex Legends there are eight different personas (or what EA calls Legends) and each one has its advantages; users can choose the legend they want depending on their game mode and the functions of each of the following characters:

Bloodhound: a technological scarecrow with the ability to track tracks left by enemies; reveal enemies, traps and clues. His special power is to detect traces and move quickly.
Gibraltar: deploys a shield to block projectiles in your direction, creates a shield that blocks for 15 seconds and its special attack is to request a concentrated attack on a location to be marked with smoke.
Lifeline: a medical girl who revives friends, has a healing drone for allies and her special attack is the request for a defensive capsule that protects your entire team.

Pathfinder: a humanoid that scans the environment to unveil the location of artifacts, he also has a grappling hook to quickly reach distant places and his special attack is a rope that the whole team can use.
Wraith: a girl who imposes fear with functions such as hearing a voice when danger approaches, can relocate to avoid damage and her special attack is to connect two locations with portals for 60 seconds.

Bangalore: this character is able to move quickly when shot, he also throws a grenade to create a smoke screen. His special attack is an artillery attack that advances across the battlefield.
Caustic: this character has a visor that detects enemies in some areas, he can also place up to six canisters that release gas when shot. Caustic's special attack is a toxic grenade that covers a large area of the game.

Mirage: this character deploys decoys and camouflage for five seconds; his second attack is that of a holographic decoy to confuse and his special attack is that of disappearing leaving several decoys in his wake.
The Caustic and Mirage characters have an in-game virtual coin cost, which can be purchased with real money (using your credit card) or obtained in-game by completing objectives.

Now that you know the benefits of these characters, choose the one you want (although you can change it later) depending on the type of combat you perform, and also keep in mind that your character can be of great help to your entire combat team (if you are Lifeline, for example, you can be in charge of healing the rest).

Each of these characters has different aspects (such as armor or appearance), flags, phrases and executions (or celebrations) that you can modify as you like during the game. As you progress, you will unlock items to make your character more unique (you can buy these items, but like anything else in Apex, you will have to pay real money for them). You can read more about payment methods and in-game currencies at this link.

Game mode: Always as a team

Unlike Blackout or Activision's Fortnite of Epic Games, in Apex Legends you must always play in a team of three people ? there are no individual games here.

Apex does not allow neither individual games nor groups of more than three people. In case you play alone, Apex will unite you with other people who are looking for other players. The best thing to do if you are going to play alone is to turn on the microphone and communicate with your team, as this will be key to your success.

According to some rumors, it is possible that a future version of Apex The game can be played individually and also in pairs, although the company has not made any announcement in this regard.

And now that you know that you must play as a team, put it into practice. It is very likely (I say this from experience) that the other two members of your team know each other and leave you out of the conversation and also out of the strategy to succeed. Try to start a conversation and come up with a plan that involves all three of you; otherwise you are competing separately against your rivals who may be acting as a team. Remember: to go fast, go alone; to go far, go together.

Nobody likes it, but practice in the tutorial.

Before you venture into your first game in Apex LegendsIn Apex, you have the option to complete a tutorial in which you will learn how to control your character in basic actions such as walking, running, jumping and crouching; but you will also learn how to pick up a weapon or ammunition and even how to shoot in Apex.

I know, I know? nobody likes tutorials and instructions, but it is very useful in this survival game. The Apex tutorial will also show you the special abilities of each of the characters, so you can better decide which one to use based on their functions or how you like to play.

Celebrate your victories

Victory moves have become a trend in video games in the last two or three years, although they have been around for a long time. Dances or gestures of celebration are also present in Apex and when you kill an opponent, you can make a unique celebration for each character.

This move does not offer you anything useful in the game, but you will be able to celebrate that you beat an opponent with this unique dance and that your opponent will see on his screen to not only know that he is out of the game, but humiliated by someone else.

Keep in mind that there is also a certain danger in celebrating. When you defeat an opponent, there are still others who are looking for the same goal ? to be the last survivor. By celebrating with a gesture or dance, you are exposed to someone else coming to hit you or shooting at you from a distance.

Celebrate wisely and choose the right moment.

Knows the map and the places to obtain objects

If you have already played any other battle royaleYou know that at the beginning of each game you start empty-handed and as soon as you touch the ground you will have to search for weapons and medicines.

In Apex the story is similar, so try to use your first few games - in which you may not win - to get to know the map and the best places to land and start looking for items that will help you.

Apex Legends will show you the places that have the best items with a light that is impossible to miss since you are falling. The problem with this kind of zones - known as Hot Zone - is that most players head there, and whoever gets there first will get the best stuff and will also have the advantage over the rest of the players who arrive later. You can see this interactive map created by players who reveal the best places to fall and find valuable objects.

My advice here is to look for a not so crowded area (you know this by seeing where players fall) where you will undoubtedly find basic weapons and medical items. Then, if you survive the first few minutes, you'll be walking around and finding more items. The point is to find something you can defend yourself with right away and gradually improve.

Survival tips and tricks

My first suggestion in Apex I already told you: avoid crowded places.

The second is to pay attention to the game. Really, a lot of attention. Do not play music in the background and do not talk to anyone who is not in the game, because it can distract you from hearing the movement of an opponent near your position that could have saved your life, or hear that there is a shooting near your area of the map.

My third suggestion for Apex (and basically for any other battle royale) is to familiarize yourself with the map, the use of the compass and how to communicate based on that. You can, for example, point out that you saw movement at E117 (referring to location 117 to the east) and your teammates will know what you mean ? as opposed to saying something like "I saw someone running near those rocks", which won't help at all.

Use the launch towers to improve your location. All over the map there are red towers that will launch you into the air and you will be able to reach another area on the map faster - and safer - than if you were walking.

Also, always keep in mind that the circle is closing. The circle that closes its diameter as the game progresses can take you out of the game if you are out of the game for too long. Always try to run towards its center and don't lose sight of it, because as it closes, you are more likely to encounter enemies.

Uses long-range weapons, such as those of sharpshooter or sniper. This way you can have a view to distant fields with the use of the telescopic sight on your weapon, plus you can shoot from a distance without risking being shot or a melee attack.

Also remember that medical accessories - such as bandages or bulletproof vests - are just as important as weapons. Keep in mind that a bulletproof vest can help you improve your resistance to gunfire, and bandages can be useful after an encounter with an enemy.

What's next

Apex Legends has not even been available for a month, so players will be discovering new cheats and more features will arrive as well. Due to the success of temporary packs or season passes, it is very likely that EA will release one -or more- for Apex Legends, although it is not yet known when or how many. We will be improving this guide with more information as we learn and discover as we continue to play.

In the meantime, go, play and try to come out with the win.