Making Dough

Mercenaries™ is a different game every time through, depending on who you choose to play and who you choose to work with along the way, but there are a few basic tips that will help you no matter which path you choose.

Friend or foe? Depends on who's paying you.

Work the Crowd
While it's simpler to work for one employer at a time until you've exhausted all of that faction's missions, don't do it. Part of the game's elegant balance requires you to maintain workable relationships with all of North Korea's warring factions. The shifting enmities and alliances may throw you from time to time ("Why are the Chinese shooting at me? Oh yeah, that general I just killed …"), but it's worth it to have a wider pool of employers throughout the game. It's also better to have most of the world mildly angry with you than it is to have one heavily armed faction out for your blood. Since the factions all have their own default hostility, they're going to take it personally if you're always helping their enemy. Note that the North Koreans are always hostile to all the other factions, throughout the game.

As you progress through the game and your alliances evolve, remember to camouflage yourself appropriately. Jacking a North Korean military vehicle helps you get through a North Korean zone with a minimum of fuss. This is useful for getting close to your objective, but it's also great for making a quiet getaway once the deed is done.

Wanted—Alive
Never kill any of the Deck of 52. Sure, I know, nobody plays these amoral, open-ended "sandbox" games to be an angel, but trust me on this one. The targets are worth far more if they're alive, and more money is always a good thing. Virtually all of the targets are armed and protected by gun-wielding bodyguards, so you always have to fight for your bounty head. Always take out the guards first so you don't kill the target by accident; if the target himself proves to be a tough customer, shoot him in the legs or toss a grenade in his general direction—all you need to do is stop him from firing long enough to rush in and knock him out.

One great way to take out a gang of bodyguards is to roll a jeep into them (this is also useful for creating a diversionary explosion so you can grab the target). You can bail out of any vehicle while it's in motion, so get behind the wheel of the fastest ride you can get and floor it. Once you're pointed at a fortified position and moving at a good clip, all you need to do is dive out and start shooting. Between your primary gun and the incoming jeep, you'll soon have a clear shot at the target.

Few problems can't be solved with a little heat.

Carry Your Own Back-Up
There are a lot of powerful weapons in this game, but there's one that really stands out. The rocket launcher should be your default back-up weapon at all times, period. The rockets' explosive power is good against groups of enemies, fortified turrets, and, most importantly, vehicles. Blowing up enemy trucks and tanks is the fastest way to earn cash, and with the rocket launcher you can take down with one shot just about anything that rides, rolls, or flies. Compared to other rocket launchers in other games (and other weapons in this game), the rocket launcher is relatively fast to fire and reload, and you can carry plenty of ammo for it. Provided you have a good mid-range weapon with a decent rate of fire to compliment the launcher, you'll be ready for just about anything the crazy sandbox throws at you.

By Luke Judge