GTFO is a brutal and intense four-player cooperative FPS that is not for the weak of heart. Find out the basic tips and tricks players need to know in this survival horror game.
Swedish indie game studio, 10 Chambers Collective developed GTFO. The game launched on Steam Early Access in late 2019 and has received mostly favorable user reviews since then. When the development team of GTFO calls the game "hardcore" in its description, they are is not kidding. The game is known for being legitimately terrifying and notoriously challenging.
Players of GTFO are subjected to the ultimate test of communication and cooperation in this four-person cooperative PVE FPS. The four players take on the role of prisoners who are issued work orders by the Warden, called the Rundown. Rundowns contain missions of varying difficulty and have different time frames in which players must complete them. They involve sending the player's team on an expedition through sections of the Complex. Enemies wait around every corner, stealth is of the utmost importance, the ability to obtain information about the environment is vital, and knowing how and where to use weapons and items the team has and finds will mean the difference between life and death.
Plan ahead in GTFO - Gear up, Communicate and Coordinate
Each team member helps to ensure the survival of the group. Players should discuss their assessment of their situation, what lies ahead, and ways they can complete the goals listed in the Rundown they received. One player might scan the room ahead for enemies, give the group their evaluation of what they're about to face.
Players should use Terminals found on the map to learn valuable information about the area they're currently in, as well as areas and zones ahead, and strategize on how to complete their immediate objective. Some useful commands to type include LIST, QUERY, and PING. For instance, if the player typed "list zone_12", the terminal would provide a list of items in that Zone. If the player wanted to find MediPack_456, they could type, "query MediPack_456," and the terminal would show what Zone has it. If the player typed "ping MediPack_456," the terminal would show in what Zone and Area it is. Further, if there were teammates in the Zone in which the MediPack was detected, they would hear an audible sound produced by the item, indicating its location in the room.
The team should have one Bio Tracker. One player on the team can use it to see what enemies are in the next room, even if the door is locked. It will show if they are moving and where they are located. The player can then communicate all of this to their team.
The C-Foam Launcher, Mine Deployer, and Sentry Gun are also vital defensive tools. The C-Foam launcher shoots a substance that will freeze enemies for a short time and make it take longer for them to break through a door. The Mine Deployers have a laser sensor that triggers when an enemy comes in contact with it. Enemies have to be in the laser's range to be hit, regardless of their distance from the actual explosion. A well-placed Sentry Gun can help thin a herd headed towards the team when it auto-fires. A poorly placed Sentry Gun may cause friendly fire.
A well-placed Sentry Gun can help thin a herd headed towards the team when it auto-fires. A poorly placed Sentry Gun may cause friendly fire. A Burst Sentry uses SMG-like tech to scan ahead. When it detects an enemy, it shoots in three-shot bursts. It's good for long-range, deals low damage, and has a max ammo capacity of 210. The Shotgun Sentry uses a shotgun-like weaponry tech to scan ahead and shoots 5-round slugs at the enemy. It deals solid damage, has low accuracy, depletes ammo faster than the Burst Sentry, and has a max ammo capacity of 210.
Melee weapons are essential for stealth kills. They all have the same charge time and do the same amount of damage. Players can charge up and then swing their melee weapon of choice. If a player charges for too long, the weapon will automatically swing.
Players will face waves of enemies during their missions. Some weapons don't hold much ammo and will quickly become useless to the team. Take this into account when choosing loadouts.
Primary Weapons available to GTFO players include:
- Shelling S49 Semi-Automatic Pistol (Max ammo - 168, Magazine size - 15, Medium damage and Low rate of fire)
- Malatack LX Assault Rifle (Max ammo - 265, Magazine size - 30, Medium damage, and Medium rate of fire)
- TR22 Hanaway DMR (Max ammo - 67, Magazine size - 10, High damage, and Low rate of fire)
- Van Auken LTC 5 SMG (Max ammo - 393, magazine size - 40, Low damage, and High rate of fire).
Secondary Weapons available to players include:
- Buckland S870 Semi-Auto Shotgun (max ammo - 23, magazine size - 6, very high damage, low rate of fire)
- Buckland AF6 Combat Shotgun (Max ammo - 56, Magazine size - 10, High damage, and Medium rate of fire)
- Koning PR 11 Sniper Rifle (Max ammo - 11, Magazine size - 3, High damage, and Low rate of fire)
- Mastaba R66 Revolver (Max ammo - 44, Magazine size - 6, High damage, and Low rate of fire)
- Techman Arbalist V Machine Gun (Max ammo - 107, Magazine size - 24, Medium damage, and Low rate of fire).
Be Very, Very Quiet in GTFO
Stealth is one of the very basic skills players must make use of in GTFO. Most of the enemies the players will run into during their missions are called Sleepers, which will only go aggro if provoked. These creatures typically stand in one place and will not become aggressive unless one of the players moves excessively, shines a light on them for too long, or the team makes a lot of noise.
GTFO Players can briefly use their flashlights to locate enemies and communicate with each other and coordinate their movements and actions. If there is a Sleeper ahead, one of the team members can slowly make their way up to the enemy and bash its head in with a hammer. It is easy to tell if a Sleeper is going to go aggro. Any movement, light, or noise caused by a player nearby will cause the creature to pulse with a glowing light. If the Sleeper is pulsing, the player should stop what they're doing until the glowing subsides. They may continue with their movement once the Sleeper stops. Players should be prepared to hold their position each time the creature begins to pulse again. GTFO heavily favors stealth over firepower. Doing this will save ammo and health.
If an enemy is alerted and does go aggro, players have a short amount of time in which they can finish it off before the creature brings other sleepers in the area upon the team.
There is no matchmaking currently available in GTFO. Players must coordinate with existing friends or seek out others on Discord to put a team together. Once a team agrees to play together, they'll have to remember the key to survival is to plan, equip the right items and weapons, be quiet, and above all else, communicate and coordinate.
GTFO is available on PC via Steam.