Playground Games created something wonderful with Forza Horizon 4, a three-year-old open-world racing game still going strong today. The team has added new cars and modes throughout its lifetime, and with its recent release on Steam, the entry seems to have a lot more life in it yet.
One of the more recent modes added is The Eliminator, a unique Battle Royale mode where up to 72 drivers face off for the victory. Rather than being superimposed onto a racing game, The Eliminator twists this ubiquitous mode perfectly to create tension and drama just like its shooter counterparts. It’s all great fun, but it’s also tough to get the win — unless you know what to do.
10 Be Quick
Of course, in a racing game, the player has to be quick. But one thing some players don’t know is that speed is vital as soon as you hit the first menu. The quicker the player gets through the menus, the quicker they can be on the ground and look around for a better car to pick up.
When finding a game of The Eliminator, the player will be shown a car select screen. There is only one car a player can select, a 1965 Mini Cooper S, so don’t dilly-dally and just select the car. The quicker you can get into the game, the better, and the same applies when choosing where to start.
9 Choose A Good Start Point
Just like in other Battle Royale games, knowing where to drop is key. Where you drop will change the number of car drops in the area, but also the number of other players there. The player will need to play a few times to find a favorite, but there are some recommended spots.
According to the official blog, there are four key locations where the player can find the best cars. These are Mortimer Gardens, Express Railyard, Mudkickers Adventure Park, and Slate Quarry. These locations differ quite a bit, so try them all and find a favorite. Make sure to take a good look at where the map is going to shrink before choosing a spot – otherwise you might get caught outside the safe zone very soon after starting.
8 Find A Fast Car ASAP
While a classic Mini Cooper is a beautiful car, it isn’t the quickest. The player will need to keep their eyes open for purple smoke and spinning drones: these signal a car drop. Drive towards it, and claim the car. Pro tip: the player can be traveling around 70mph and still claim the car drop, meaning they can stay on the front foot.
The cars vary from level 1 to 10 — the higher the number, the better the car. The player should expect a higher level car than the one they currently have, unless they are in a level 6 car or above. From there, they should still check out the car drops in case they are better, but a more consistent way to level up your car is to challenge other drivers.
7 Be Patient
These first few tips are key to the beginning of the game, but won’t always go to plan. Even if the player lands in a spot that has been fruitful many times before, they can face off to a great driver, find slow car after slow car, or just not find anything at all. Don’t give up.
It isn’t uncommon to drive around for a good few minutes then trundle across to a level 6 beast, while all the other drivers are still playing in 2s or 3s. So don’t worry if it doesn’t start well, things can always get better.
6 Know When To Challenge Other Drivers
Once the player has got the opening down, it’s time to get into the middlegame. The key skills here involve reading the map and challenging weaker drivers by pushing in the right stick (RS). Knowing whether another driver is in a faster car than you can give the player a big advantage in a head-to-head.
The most obvious way to know whether the driver is easily beatable is to know the cars in the game. If the player can spot the difference between a Subaru Impreza and a Porsche Macan, they can make an easy decision. If not they need to keep an eye on the minimap, keeping up their own speed and tracking the other nearby drivers’ speed. After a bit of practice, the player will see pretty quickly if they stand a chance.
5 Know Where Head-To-Heads Will End
If the player understands the map, they can have a massive headstart, giving them a chance against most drivers, even if they’re in a particularly slow car. This is because the direction of head-to-head races can be predicted, as they will most likely push back towards the center of the safe zone.
So, if the player sees another driver, they can make sure they’re ready by pointing their car towards the center of the circle. From there, they need to ensure they’re moving at speed, so they don’t waste time when the head-to-head starts. It is much easier said than done, as the player needs to be aware of how the map is shrinking, the speed and direction of the opponent, as well as their own preparations.
4 Rarely Follow The Sat-Nav
Hopefully the head-to-head started under perfect conditions, but the player still needs to win the race. While the sat-nav has a lovely voice, it is rarely (if ever) a good idea to follow its directions. Rather, the player should go as the crow flies — head straight for that finish line.
This too is easier said than done, as there can be any number of obstacles if the player takes an off-road route. Staying focused is key, dodging as many obstacles as possible and never sacrificing momentum. In general, most players will be fine, but there is one particularly difficult obstacle…
3 Know The Woods From The Trees
The most common mistake drivers make is barrelling into the woods with no real plan other than heading for the finish line. Unlike most other obstacles, the big trees won’t be destructible and will stop the player dead in their tracks. Hitting one of these is the best way to lose the race.
It can always be tough to know when to go through the woods and when to avoid them. If the player does choose to go through the woods, they should press RB to change the camera to the bonnet cam. This will help spatial awareness and make any dangerous trees more immediately visible. Never be afraid to lift off the throttle either, as it is always better to slow down slightly than to crash to a complete stop.
2 The Final Race
Now it’s time for the final showdown, where up to 12 of the best drivers will face off in one last race. Before this, head-to-head races will be disabled, and the drivers have a little while to get ready before the start. By following similar rules as before, the driver can make sure they’re the best prepared.
The final race will always end outside the last safe zone, so the player needs to predict where it will head. The race obviously can’t go off the land, so if the safe zone’s edge is near the coast, it clearly isn’t heading that way. It takes a bit of guesswork, but once decided the player needs to gather speed in the chosen direction. Don’t be overeager and drive outside the safe zone, however, as the penalties aren’t removed until the race starts.
1 Try, Try Again
All these tips rely a lot on chance and skill, things certain players will only have at certain times. In general, the best way to work these out is to get in the thick of it and put it into practice. While The Eliminator can be longer than an average Battle Royale, repeated practice runs will help massively.
The key skills that will help are off-road driving and map understanding. If a player is an expert high-speed track racer they will find it more challenging, but if a player is exceptional at driving through forests and knows the map inside out, they are going to have a very fun time.
NEXT: 10 Ways To Level Up Fast In Forza Horizon 4
