Originals

Posted by: Joe Donato

Battlefield 3's second expansion, Close Quarters, should be available this week for anyone willing to pony up the $15 (or $50 if they go for Battlefield Premium). This new expansion features four new maps set in tight, complex buildings and fortresses with a theme of close quarters infantry combat.

As a big fan of the game, I've been playing the new maps obsessively over the last few days. So, to get you started, or to help out if you're having trouble, here are five simple tips for doing well and having more fun in Close Quarters!

Oh, and if you're new to Battlefield 3 entirely, be sure to check out my previous article, which collected 10 more basic tips for survival.

Play Gun Master, Try New Guns

Close Quarters introduces two new game modes to fit the tighter map layouts. Conquest Domination is a faster-paced version of the standard Conquest game type. You can capture flags much more quickly in this mode, but otherwise it is the same Conquest you know and love. The second new game mode, Gun Master, should sound familiar to anyone who has played Call of Duty's Gun Game mode.

Gun Master pits two teams against each other in a team deathmatch-esque scenario, except the goal isn't to get the most kills. Each player starts with a pistol and every two kills earns them an upgrade to a new weapon. The goal is to be the first player to work your way through the weapon tiers and then take victory with a knife kill.

The reason I highly suggest you play Gun Master (besides it being a ton of fun) is that it gives you a quick sample of several different guns in the game. Even if you unlock new guns, you often don't get to see their full potential without unlocking attachments. Gun Master gives you access to several kitted out weapons for some competitive experimentation.

Gun Master also forces you to learn to use handguns, which you probably only use in certain circumstances, and probably not enough to actually get good with them. Since the first few guns are all handguns, you'll get a ton of practice that should help in other modes. You'll also have a chance to play around with shotguns, LMGs, Sniper Rifles, and the new grenade launcher, which may be the worst gun in the entire game thanks to it's delayed explosion.

Use Surround Sound If You've Got It

DICE games feature best-in-class audio and surround sound. Nothing short of the Dead Space series even comes close to the powerful and satisfying audio in Battlefield 3. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the Close Quarters maps.

Wide open space and vehicle warfare tends to mask the sound of footsteps behind you, but because Close Quarters is strictly infantry combat in small arenas, surround sound gives you a distinct strategic advantage.

With a nice pair of surround sound headphones (Turtle Beach XP400s, if you were wondering), I've gotten the drop on dozens of unsuspecting opponents on the Close Quarters maps. The trick is to slow down and listen. Watch your mini-map to make sure you're not hearing your own teammate's footsteps, and make your way towards any mysterious sounds. You'll thank me later, assuming you don't get hate mail from the guy you just smoked.

Tags: Battlefield 3, Close Quarters, Multiplayer, Walkthrough