Do you want to get more kills and win more games in Population: ONE? We’ve compiled 30 solid Population: ONE tips to help you play better and master this game.
Seriously.
This is the most comprehensive guide for Population: ONE on the internet. We’ve got tips and tricks for:
- Moving around the map efficiently
- Jumping, climbing, and building better
- Using your weapons to kill more enemies
- Communicating with teammates
- Accessories that can help you play better
If we’ve missed anything, make sure you comment down at the bottom of this guide!
What is Population: ONE?
Population: ONE is one of the best VR games for the Meta Quest 2 and PC VR headsets. It launched alongside the Quest 2 in October 2020. Population: ONE is a battle royale multiplayer game, similar to Fortnite or PUBG.
In the game, you drop into a large map. Your job is to eliminate other players while running around hunting for guns, ammo, and gear to help you out. A death wall encloses the game every few minutes until there is only one winner.
In the default game mode, six teams of three play on the same map at one time. You can strategize and work with your team to stay alive and eliminate others. If you die, your team can also revive you for a second chance at life.
This description only scratches the surface of the game. There are plenty of Population: ONE tips to pick up on and the game has a ton of nuances.
Use the buy links below to purchase Population: ONE.
Next up, we will break down the best Population: ONE tips you need to know to play better.
Population: ONE Map Tips
The Population: ONE tips below will help you navigate across the map better and more efficiently. Despite there only being a single map, there are a ton of zones, buildings, and nuances to pick up on.
Become Familiar With the Map
The Population: ONE map never changes other than cosmetically during special events. Otherwise, you should learn its layout and where objects are as much as you can while you play.
The map contains 15 unique areas including the Cemetary, the Tower, Foothills, and the Armory. Each area contains a cluster of around fifteen buildings and structures that you can explore and scavenge. Many buildings are multi-story and you can climb and explore all other structures.
Remembering a favorite spot on the map where you can grab a good gun and ammo is key. It can sometimes make the different between winning and losing during combat.
Below is the complete Population: ONE map to review before you play.
Drop Early and Go For the Loot…
At the start of the game, you can either jump straight into action or let a drop pod carry you out across the map. By dropping early, you will have the first chance to grab a gun, ammo, and shield. You can also gather supplies and get into position longer before the map starts to shrink around you.
Stockpiling supplies early can give you comfort later on in the game when you don’t want to be moving unnecessarily.
…Or Hold Off As Long As Possible
The opposite strategy above is to jump into a drop-pod and let it carry you to the far side of the map. This can be a better Population: ONE tip for new users since early droppers tend to get into the first fire fights.
If you hold off before dropping into the map, you can stock up in safety. The drawback to this approach is that the zone will start shrinking quickly, which can mean for a mad dash back across the map.
Watch Your Battlezone
The back trigger button on your non-dominant hand brings up your mini-map (pictured above). Use this trigger often to learn your position relative to the shrinking battle zone around you.
If you get caught outside the battle zone as it is closing in, climb something tall. Then, fly off towards the safe area by spreading your arms in a “T”. When you are running to the smaller boundary, a white line on the ground will help guide you inside.
Population: ONE Movement Tips
Moving around the map is different than traditional console or PC games. The Population: ONE tips below give you pointers for moving around better so that you don’t end up dying so quick.
Learn How to Climb Faster
Climbing is an art in Population: ONE. The game famously claims in its description that you can climb anything you want in the game.
Climb faster by letting go of the wall as you throw yourself upwards with big arm movement. The game is pretty forgiving about not being 100% safe with climbing and mastering this will help you scale objects faster. You can also use this trick to climb one handed with your gun in your hand.
In general, climbing is faster with two hands. So, put your gun away by tapping the A button on your dominant hand before climbing.
Get Good at Gliding
You can glide in Population: ONE by putting both of your arms out in a “T” while you are falling from any elevated position. This is faster than walking, so don’t be afraid to glide around the map!
Gliding can be performed from any building, ledge, click, or object that is off the ground level. Climbing fast can give you the advantage to get up high, but Gliding is just as important to get down.
Fly or Glide Instead of Walking
Like we mentioned above, gliding is faster than walking. In fact, it is about double the speed. So before you climb down any stairs or object, thinking about jumping off the building’s ledge instead. Your faster speed will make it harder for enemies to shoot you while you are vulnerable.
Keep Moving in the Open
You are most likely to die in Population: ONE when you are moving out in the open. The scenery in the game is not quite as dense as PC games, so a player running across the map sticks out more.
Try to move from point A to point B as quickly as possible and use whatever cover is around you. A lot of new players have trouble in the game because they don’t strategize their movements across the map as the battle zone shrinks.
Play on the Fringe
By focusing your play along the outside edge of the map, you have one less side where enemies can come from. This will give you a clearer picture to enemies running across your line of sight.
Plus, zones in the middle of the map like the Tower and Plains are hot spots for battle early in the game. Staying away from these areas will keep you alive longer.
Play From Above
If you want to have more chances at killing other people, look for the high ground. Players who run at ground level cannot see you well if you are hiding up high. Plus, it is much harder to aim your gun upward rather than downwards during combat.
If you aren’t targeting an enemy, the high ground will let you play your next move better. Plus, you have the option to glide in order to get to your next point faster.
The next time you play, we guarantee this Population: ONE tip will improve your gameplay.
Don’t Forget to Build
Population: ONE is similar to Fortnite in that they both have a rapid building component to the game. When your gun is away, your trigger button will instantly build walls and floors for instant cover and climbing.
A lot of new players forget about building because it is less convenient than a running style of play. However, buildings can give you cover in open areas and is a lot of fun too.
Move Along the Boundary
The outer boundary in Population: ONE makes a buzzing noise when you are near it. Use this to your advantage to muffle your footsteps if you need to sprint.
For an advanced tip, try to revive your teammates near the boundary. Your paddles will be muffled by the sound of the boundary while you charge them!
Utilize Traversal Techniques
Mastering different traversal techniques will make you a more versatile and agile player. Learn to slide down slopes for a quick escape, use zip lines to cover large distances, and practice rappelling to move vertically easily.
Combining these techniques will make you harder to hit and give you a mobility advantage over your opponents.
Want even more Population: ONE tips for moving around the map? Check out the helpful video below for more.
The Best Population: ONE Accessories
The Population: ONE tips below summarize some of the best accessories that you can use with your headset to improve your gameplay. These will help make you feel more comfortable or assist you in killing enemies and playing Pop:ONE.
Play With On-Ear Headphones
You can get a huge advantage in Population: ONE by using your ears and listening. When enemies are nearby, you can hear the movement of their steps in the direction they are coming from. Likewise, your own movement makes nice as well.
We instantly improved our gameplay with a pair of quality headphones that increased the quality of audio in 360 degrees. If you have the Oculus Quest 2, Logitech has two pairs of headphones developed specifically for the headset. We’ve listed them below if you want to check them out, but any good pair will do.
Increase Your Comfort
Population: ONE requires more head movement than other VR games. Also, because games take around 10 minutes each, it’s easy to lose track of time. Make sure your Oculus Quest is comfortable to wear for long sessions.
VR Cover is a face cover that prevents sweat from soaking into your Oculus Quest 2 padding. It is an essential Quest 2 accessory that every user should have on hand.
The Oculus Quest 2 Elite Strap equips the headset with a premium padded headband. By default, the Quest 2 is a front-heavy device that will weigh on your forehead. The Elite Strap has a hard lining to better handle the Quest 2’s weight. It makes fitting the Quest 2 to your head a much more accessible experience.
These two accessories can make you more comfortable and ready to play Population: ONE.
Extend Your Playtime
Games in Population: ONE run between 10 and 20 minutes long and it is easy to use up your battery. Consider buying an external battery pack and rechargeable controller batteries so that you can extend your playtime easily.
As an added bonus, an external battery pack will act as a nice counterweight to your headset. This will keep the pressure off your forehead and make it fit better all around.
The elite strap with battery pack is the official solution from Oculus, but the external pack below with some Velcro will do just fine. For your controllers, simple rechargeable ones from Amazon are the way to go.
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Use a Gun Stock
Population: ONE rewards you for using two hands on your gun by giving you maximum accuracy and less recoil. In order to help yourself out, take a look at getting a gun stock for your VR motion controllers. The stock will help you line up your sights and shoot better.
A stock can take some time to get used to for your movement and combat. However, it will help you kill more enemies and that’s the main goal.
Check out our guide on the best gun stocks for more information. Or if you play primarily on the Oculus Quest like us, take a look at the option below.
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Population ONE: Gun Tips
Being able to shoot guns in Population: ONE is key if you want to win. The tips below will help you shoot and attack enemies more efficiently.
Take Time Each Gun
Learning how guns work is a key Population: ONE tip since, you know, you’ll need to make some kills if you want to win. In addition to the dozen or so guns in the game, you can find guns in different tier levels as well.
Guns with white text labels are the weakest and most basic. They do the lowest damage per shot.
Guns with blue text labels are in the middle tier of damage power and guns with purple text are the highest tier. There are also a few golden ones generated each map which are the most powerful, but very tough to find.
Gun factors like the rate of fire, ammo capacity, and recoil stay the same no matter what color you find.
Learn Your Gun’s Recoil
Each gun in the game has different recoil, which is the amount the sights jump up after continuous firing. In general, most rifles have less recoil if you burst first them instead of holding the trigger.
To reduce recoil further, check out our next Population: ONE tip.
Play With Two Hands
If you reach forward with your non-dominant hand and press the side button, you will grip your gun with two hands. This will reduce your record and spread of bullets when firing.
If you look through your gun sights while in two hand mode, your red marker will turn to iron sights. This helps you target enemies at long distances.
Getting used to combat in VR with two hands is tricky, so this will require some practice!
Reload Fast
All guns in the game require a two-step loading process. You have to press the side button on your non-dominant hand to load in the clip and then again to cock it. Luckily, the game is pretty forgiving as far as hand placement and motion.
Get used to reloading fast to minimize the time you are vulnerable to getting killed in combat.
If you are half through your clip and want to reload, press down on your dominant d-pad to eject your old clip. Then, use the same two-step process to reload a full new clip in its place.
Change Your Sensitivity Settings
Sometimes all you need to shoot better is a tweak of your weapon settings. Access your gun settings by pressing the gear icon at the home screen.
If you aren’t used to playing combat games with two hands in VR, set Motion Dampening to 100% and Offhand Influence to 0%. This means that all of your aiming is down to your dominant hand and your non-dominant hand will just be to reduce recoil. This will help you get used to the nuances of this VR shooter.
Master Quick Swapping Weapons
Swapping weapons quickly can make all the difference in a firefight. Use the weapon wheel (activated by pressing the B button on your dominant hand) to switch between your primary and secondary weapons quickly.
Practice switching between guns in safe areas so you’re ready when combat starts.
Know Your Loadout Capacity
Your backpack has limited capacity, so managing your inventory effectively is crucial. Prioritize weapons, ammo, and shield items over less essential items like grenades and building materials.
If your backpack is full, consider dropping items that you don’t need or have less use for. This will ensure you have space for more valuable loot as you progress in the game.
Want even more Population: ONE tips around using guns properly? Check out the Youtube video below!
Population: ONE Teamwork Tips
Since there is no free-for-all mode yet, teamwork is key if you want to win some games. Population: ONE has a large community of VR players with varying difficulty. The Population: ONE tips below revolve around helping your team out with good communication.
Find Some Friends
Find two friends to play Population: ONE with at the same time. I’m serious, just do it. You don’t even have to know them in real life.
The first time I played the game, I met two cousins who had played dozens of games together. They taught me about the different locations and hot spots on the map. They shared guns and ammo with me. We played multiple games together as I learned everything.
There aren’t enough VR social experiences, so treat Population: ONE like one of them. When you don’t want to communicate, switch back to Beat Saber, Yupitergrad, or another VR game.
Drop Close to Your Team
Dropping close to your team is key to making it far in a game of P:ONE. Having a friend close by when the action breaks out just might save your game. Plus, nobody likes that one guy who is doing his own thing on the other side of the map.
By default, your VR microphone is always on, so you don’t have any excuse!
Learn Ping Commands
Ping commands are silent beacons that you can place on the map for you and your teammates to see. You can use the Y button to place a ping marker in the direction you are facing.
Communication in Key
Once again, communication is key to succeed in the game. Even if you aren’t a chatty person, drop into the building across from your partner and watch their back.
When the battle zone starts to shrink, move with your partners in unison to the next safe zone. These types of small interactions will make you a genius Population: ONE player.
Practice Using the Defibrillator
Population: One allows you to revive a fallen partner by using a defibrillator to shock them back to life. The defibrillator can be found in your inventory backpack.
Once equipped, you have to rub the two paddles together until your meter is at 100%. This motion takes a bit to get used to, so our Population: ONE tip is to spend some time practicing.
Instead of violent shakes or wide circles, focused on consistent and steady circles. Also, rubbing these paddles together in opposite directions (one clockwise and the other counter-clockwise) is the fastest way to fill your charge meter up.
General Population: ONE Tips
The Population: ONE tips below don’t fit into any other category. They are other helpful hints to help you win more games and level up quicker.
Maximize Your Shield
Shield is one of the loot items you can find on the map and pick up. Shield ranges from 5 to 25% and increases your overall Shield meter, which maxes out at 100%. Maximizing your Shield to 100% should be near top priority when you start a game.
A gun shot does, on average, 15 points per hit. When you have a full shield, your health goes from 100 up to 200 points. This means that you need to be hit 14 times to die instead of 7 times. If a gun has 30 bullets per reload, you need to be hit 47% before the other player has to reload instead of 23%.
This is a huge difference and means you’ll be more likely to fire back and kill the other person.
Complete Daily Challenges
When you log into the game, you will see an endless supply of daily rotating challenges to complete. Some of these are easy, such as picking up a certain amount of ammo. Others are more complicated, such as getting kills with a gun. When you complete challenges, you get extra XP which will help you level up faster. Higher levels give you access to different gun modifiers and player skins.
Complete Friend Challenges
Above your daily challenges, pay close attention to your Friend Challenges as well. These challenges get you Bureau Gold, which you otherwise have to buy with real money. This Gold unlocks special edition skins and modifiers to use.
Maximize XP Gain
In order to level up, you need to earn experience points (XP). Below is a list of the XP that you can earn in the game. Remember this list so that you can earn it faster and level up quicker.
- Placement (what place you finish)
- Survival (surviving longer than other players)
- Damage to other players during combat
- Kills
- Loot gathered during the game
Always Have a Backup Plan
Sometimes things don’t go as planned, and having a backup plan can save your game. If you find yourself cornered or running low on ammo, try to have an alternative weapon or escape route in mind.
Don’t be afraid to retreat and regroup with your team if necessary. A strategic retreat can help you survive longer and increase your chances of winning.
Keep an Eye on the Kill Feed
The kill feed at the top right corner of your screen displays real-time information about players getting eliminated. Paying attention to the kill feed can give you valuable information about remaining opponents and their possible locations.
This information can help you strategize and decide where to move or avoid.
What other Population: ONE tips can you share? Comment below and share them with others!