Demo Guide – SOCOM: Special Forces

Find out how to be the best in the free Multiplayer Beta Trial of the blockbuster tactical shooter on PS3.

Think you're one of the elite? Time to prove it in SOCOM: Special Forces on PlayStation 3. PlayStation Plus subscribers gained exclusive access to the free online beta from 23 March 2011, while everyone else on PlayStation Network gets to join the fun from 6 April 2011. Use these top tips to make sure victory is yours when the game launches on 22 April 2011.

Cover shot
SOCOM: Special Forces is about tactics first, even in multiplayer. So make good use of cover and don't expect to last long if you go in with all guns blazing. At the same time, there's no point hiding behind something if part of your body is still exposed. So be sure to either have a wall blocking any blind spots or a teammate nearby to watch your back.

Good vibrations
Feel those vibrations in the wireless controller? That's the shock of an explosion near your character. When that happens, take it as a stern warning that the enemy is very close, and has possibly zeroed in on your position. If you think you're being flushed out with grenades, don't panic. Swiftly check around you and then head for a safe cover spot, laying down as much suppression fire as you can to prevent yourself from being an easy target.

The need for speed
It's tempting to pick a safe spot and wait for your opponents to come to you. However, the modes in SOCOM: Special Forces are designed to keep you moving, and Uplink and Last Defence are especially frantic. Both require you to get to designated locations quickly, and if you're going to stay alive you need to make sure you're not reckless. Move swiftly and stealthily, and only fire when you're sure of hitting your target so as to not waste bullets and alert lurking baddies.

Dream team
If you want to survive the deadly environments of SOCOM: Special Forces, you have to think as a team member. Work with your colleagues as best you can, especially in Bomb Squad where you protect your bomb technician while he defuses explosives. Watch his blind spots as he makes his way to the bombs, and keep moving. If you're the bomb technician, let your teammates take the lead to lay down cover fire while you work.

As a general tip, always flank any enemies engaged with a fellow squad member rather than attack from the same angle. Assists are logged in SOCOM: Special Forces, so your efforts won't go unnoticed. With that said...

The secret "I" in team
...Don't shadow your teammates too closely. While it may seem like there is strength in numbers, you're vulnerable to attacks that can wipe you all out in a flash. A well aimed grenade can kill several soldiers in one go if you're too close to each other. This is especially important in Suppression mode, which tasks you with taking down all hostiles. If you have to stick together, keep your numbers in twos and threes at the most.

Feet of clay
Claymore mines are very useful in this beta and worth considering when you're selecting your weapons. While you only get one claymore per round, Last Defence and Uplink modes often require you to defend an area or item, so loading the target with Claymores and then taking a safe position is a sure-fire way to keep the enemy at a distance and clock up a few extra kills.

Remember, claymores planted by teammates only detonate when a hostile runs near them, so there won't be any accidental and embarrassing team kills added to your tally.

Download the SOCOM: Special Forces beta for free from PlayStation Store and become a tactical titan with these tips. And make sure you get all the best demos and betas first by signing up to PlayStation Plus. Find out how to subscribe at eu.playstation.com/playstationplus.