Warzone 2 guide: Various aim-assist modes explained

It has been over two weeks since the release of Warzone 2 last month, and players have been working toward finding the best weapons, and settings and developing strategies to get an edge in Al-Mazrah.

There are various aim-assist settings in Warzone 2 for controller players, available on each platform, including PlayStation, Xbox, and PC. Since each player has a different style of play, one aim-assist option would not be able to cater to all, so Infinity Ward has included settings to match everyone's gameplay.

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Different types of aim-assist settings in Warzone 2

Aim-assist settings in Warzone 2 (Image via Activision)

There are basic settings for your input device, where you can choose if you want to play with your controller or keyboard and mouse. Once you enter a match with a specific input, you cannot change it mid-match and only do so after the match's end or by leaving it. These settings apply to both Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.

In the basic settings, you can flip PlayStation's L1 and R1 with R2 and L2, respectively, and LB, RB, LT, and RT on Xbox controllers. Other settings include controller vibration toggle, stick sensitivity, button layout, and more in Warzone 2.

There are two types of aim-assist characteristics, rotational and slow-down. Rotational aim-assist helps aim the enemy while the player is moving and strafing. However, slowing down the aim-assist helps when the player aims toward the enemy and slows down the analog stick's sensitivity.

In advanced settings, players can edit their options which comprise combinations of rotational and slow-down aim-assists with different percentages of both. The different types of aim-assists for Warzone 2 are:

Default: This type is for the general player base, selected by default, and kicks in when the player's crosshairs are close to the enemy. Both slow-down and rotational aim-assists are equally implemented under this type.

Precision: This type of aim-assist is best for players that are accurate while aiming at enemies. It only kicks in when the player's crosshairs are very close to the enemy, after which it sticks to them, basically locking them onto the target. There is no rotational aim-assist involved with this type.

Focusing: This type is for new controller players who tend to miss their targets by a small margin. It kicks in when the player's crosshairs are close to the target, narrowly missing them, after which it sticks to the enemy, similar to the Precision aim-assist type. There is a solid slow-down aim-assist involved but no rotational one.

Black Ops: This type was implemented by Treyarch with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops in 2010. It works by slowing down the player's aim when aiming close to the enemy while offering a rotational aim-assist. This is best for traditional players who have been part of the franchise for many years.

Next is the Gyro aim, which uses the gyroscope in your controller to aim in-game. Both DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers have an in-built gyroscope, but none of the Xbox controllers do, including the Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller.

Players can combine aim-assist and gyro aim to be able to aim faster and more accurately at enemies, although aiming with a gyroscope involves a learning curve. It senses the movement of your controller and uses it to aim in the game accordingly. For example, if you tilt your controller up, your player's aim will also go up.

Lastly, there is the "Aim Response Curve," which changes the ratio of the user moving their thumbstick to the aim rate in-game. For example, if the user shifts their thumbstick 100% to the left, the speed at which the character in-game starts aiming to the left at 100% speed is determined by the Aim Response Curve type. It works similarly to mouse acceleration for keyboard and mouse players.

Standard: By selecting this type, the speed at which the aim in-game reaches 100% is incremental. However, the exact numbers have not been revealed by Infinity Ward.

Linear: There are no gradual increments when the player aims 100% in a specific direction, and the ratio of thumbstick movement to aim in-game is even. This is raw input from the controller, suitable for players who are experienced with first-person shooters.

Dynamic: This type combines standard and linear, with gradual increments when the thumbstick is pushed slightly but raw input when the thumbstick is pushed completely. This allows players to micro-adjust their aim while shooting and look around much more quickly.

Warzone 2 players must play around with a combination of all settings to find the best. There is no one best combination, as everyone has a different preference and gameplay style.