Coming up with the best killer strategy in Texas Chain Saw Massacre is easier said than done. You might have all the power at the start of the game, but the longer it goes on, the easier it is for the survivors to get the slip. If you want to win, you are going to have to work as a team and use your noggin.
There is no best strategy when it comes to winning as the killers of course, as the best-laid plans typically go awry the moment a survivor unhooks themself in the basement. What you can do, however, is develop some good habits that will lead you to a hearty meal more often than not. It just so happens, that’s what this guide is all about.
To get more of a hands-on feel with how each character in Texas Chain Saw Massacre compares, check out our tier list for both the survivors and the killers. You can also get a feel for the lay of the land by checking out our guide to each map.
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+ 6Take note of the survivors in Texas Chain Saw Massacre
This is something you can do before the game even starts. There are four survivors in any given game, but there are more than four survivors to pick from at character selection. This means every game is going to have a slightly different array of characters roaming the property, and it’s of vital importance you know who you are up against.
Every character in Texas Chain Saw Massacre is unique. They come with different attributes, abilities, and even a unique lineup of perks to choose from. Despite all of this variance, each survivor is tilted towards one aspect of the game. For example, Connie is very slippery and can escape very quickly thanks to her ‘Focused’ ability. If you know Connie is in the game, try and keep an extra close eye on exit paths that have a locked door or grate as an obstacle.
- Read more: Is Texas Chain Saw Massacre single-player?
The same thought process can be applied to every survivor. Once you know who you are playing against, you can devise a plan to shut them down, trap them, and ultimately harvest their blood for Grandpa.
click to enlarge + 6Learn each map in Texas Chain Saw Massacre
There are only three maps in Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but each map is rather large and jam-packed with quirks and niggling annoyances designed to get under your skin. You’d think that last part would apply to the survivors, but you’d be wrong. There are dead ends and shortcuts everywhere, and the killers often don’t have access to them.
Because of the weaving of all these alternate paths, knowing how to go the “long way round” to prevent yourself from going the “impossible way round” will save you a lot of time. Not only that, but learning each map will help you find each exit route on those maps. Being able to check for suspiciously open gates near an exit will drastically increase your odds of walking away with a kill.
click to enlarge + 6Understand your role in Texas Chain Saw Massacre
This one might take you by surprise, but despite being a family of flesh-tearingly disturbing killers, everyone has a role and that role might not be killing. For example, if you are playing Leatherface, your entire reason for life is to bisect every living soul on Earth; you are just starting with the survivors. Killing is in your blood, so you should probably do that.
A character like Sissy, however, isn’t quite as suited to murder. Her damage is very low, but, to offset this, she is very mobile. She is more of a harrier who gets shots in, but won’t necessarily land the final blow. She can also poison different surfaces, debuffing survivors and making them easier to take out. Sissy very clearly falls into more of a supporting role.
Each character is different, and whilst they can all kill, they also all come with another quirk that subtly alters their role within the family, and therefore, the game.
click to enlarge + 6Communicate with your family in Texas Chain Saw Massacre
This is the big one. There are more survivors than there are killers in Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Naturally, this gives the survivors an advantage, even if it is just via the sheer weight of numbers. This has a pretty big downside for you: you can’t keep an eye on all of them at once. Heck, due to various mobility restrictions, you won’t even be able to chase everyone you see.
This is where communication comes into play. Talking over voice chat or typing up a storm can drastically increase your effectiveness in-game. It’s made even easier thanks to each area of a map being named. If you spot Sonny sneaking across the property and you are too far away to do anything, then let everyone know where Sonny is so they can take him out instead.
This is a team game at its core, and teams work better when everyone is sharing information.
click to enlarge + 6Patrol the exits in Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Similar to being outnumbered by survivors, you are also at a disadvantage when it comes to the number of exits. This is by design, of course. You aren’t able to just loiter around one exit, as doing so will just leave another exit exposed.
- Read more: Is Texas Chain Saw Massacre on Game Pass?
To get around this, you should patrol a series of exits. Heck, you could even just patrol the obvious entrances to areas that have exits. If a gate is still locked, it’s safe to say nobody has gotten through to that area. Moving with purpose instead of hoping to bump into someone will lead to more consistency in your play, which in turn leads to more wins on your record.
click to enlarge + 6Find Blood In Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Our final tip is to harvest blood whenever you can. Ideally, you want to know where blood spots are on your patrol route, so you can kill two birds with one stone. Gather blood, return to Grandpa, and have him reveal the survivors' locations to your and your team. It's a basic mechanic, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important.
When it comes to devising strategies, time management is key. It may seem obvious to harvest blood and return to Grandpa, but if you can slot harvesting in with your other tasks seamlessly, you will start to reap the rewards. Not only will Grandpa level up faster, but you are physically in more places more often, potentially slowing the survivors down as they are forced to hide more often.
If players are returning to Grandpa, there is less of a window to disable him as well. It’s a small change to how you play that has ripples into many other aspects.
That’s all we have on killer strategies for Texas Chain Saw Massacre. If you want to learn more about the game, check out our best Steam Deck settings for Texas Chain Saw Massacre. We've also got a guide on how to use generators in the game.
For more articles like this, take a look at our Guides and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre page.