- Gunman Contracts Stand Alone begins in the safehouse, where you prepare weapons and review contracts.
- Training first helps you learn aiming, reloading, movement, and interaction before deployment.
- Choose equipment around engagement distance, ammunition needs, and the layout of the contract area.
- VR and Non-VR use different control methods but share the same contract objectives and combat loop.
- Improve through repetition by replaying challenges, refining routes, and adjusting your loadout.
How the Contract Gameplay Loop Works
Gunman Contracts Stand Alone is a contract-based tactical shooter with both VR and Non-VR modes. The central loop moves from preparation to deployment, objective completion, and loadout improvement. New players should treat the safehouse as more than a menu: it is the place to select contracts, prepare equipment, visit the Gun Bench, and practice core actions.
Early Access content is organized around story contracts, repeatable challenges, weapons, and a home-base preparation space. The available structure supports short practice sessions as well as repeated attempts focused on cleaner movement, better accuracy, or faster objective completion.
| Phase | Main task | Beginner focus |
|---|---|---|
| Safehouse | Select a contract and prepare gear | Read the objective before deploying |
| Training | Practice shooting and interaction | Learn reloads, aiming, and movement |
| Deployment | Enter the mission area | Use cover and check corners |
| Objective | Complete the assigned contract task | Prioritize the active objective |
| Return | Review performance and adjust gear | Fix the weakness from the previous run |
Safehouse
Prepare weapons, review available contracts, and access training functions before entering a mission.
Mission Area
Move through rooms, industrial spaces, and hostile locations while managing sightlines, cover, and ammunition.
Improvement Loop
Replay contracts and challenges to improve accuracy, route efficiency, weapon handling, and completion speed.
Do not rush into the first contract with unfamiliar weapons. Spend a short practice session testing aiming, reloads, weapon changes, and movement.
Step-by-Step: Start Your First Contract
Follow this sequence whenever you begin a new contract. The method works for both VR and Non-VR players, although the physical actions differ between control formats.
Enter the Safehouse
Start by checking the available contract information and identifying the current objective. Use the safehouse to understand what preparation options are available before entering the mission area.
Practice the Core Actions
Visit the training area or practice space to test aiming, firing, reloading, weapon changes, and movement. VR players should become comfortable with physical weapon handling, while Non-VR players should adjust sensitivity and input settings.
Build a Practical Loadout
Choose a primary weapon and sidearm that match the expected distance. Confirm ammunition, test attachments at the Gun Bench when available, and avoid selecting equipment only because it has higher firepower.
Enter and Read the Space
Move into the mission area carefully. Check entrances, corners, windows, and connected rooms before committing to a firefight. Use cover to reduce exposure and create a safer angle for the next engagement.
Complete the Active Objective
Focus on the assigned target, area, or task rather than treating every enemy as the immediate priority. Eliminate threats that block progress, secure the objective, and continue toward the completion or extraction point.
| Preparation question | Recommended action |
|---|---|
| What is the contract objective? | Read it before choosing weapons |
| Where are most fights likely to happen? | Select equipment for close, medium, or long sightlines |
| Is the loadout familiar? | Practice reloads and weapon changes first |
| How should the first approach work? | Move slowly, use cover, and check corners |
| What should happen after completion? | Return to the safehouse flow and refine the next setup |
Clearing every visible enemy can consume ammunition and time. Handle threats that affect your route, then return attention to the contract objective.
Weapons and Loadouts for New Players
Weapon choice should support the mission environment and your preferred control style. A balanced setup is usually easier to manage than a specialized loadout when you are still learning the contract layouts.
The Gun Bench is useful for testing weapons and experimenting with attachments or handling preferences. Use it to compare practical control rather than relying only on theoretical damage. A weapon that is easy to aim and reload may produce better results than a harder-to-control option.
| Weapon role | Best use | Main strength | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidearm | Backup and confined spaces | Fast access and flexible handling | Lower sustained firepower |
| Submachine gun | Close to medium range | Rapid target transitions | Ammunition can be spent quickly |
| Assault rifle | Mixed-range contracts | Balanced range and firepower | Needs controlled bursts |
| Shotgun | Very close engagements | High impact in tight spaces | Limited range and reload flexibility |
| Precision rifle | Long sightlines | Accurate deliberate shots | Slower in close quarters |
Balanced Setup
Use an assault rifle with a sidearm when you do not yet know the mission layout.
Close-Range Setup
Pair a compact automatic weapon or shotgun with a sidearm for interior spaces.
Precision Setup
Choose a precision-focused weapon when the route offers longer sightlines and controlled positions.
Practice Setup
Use familiar weapons in the training area before testing specialized combinations in a contract.
A dependable beginner loadout should solve three problems:
- It should cover the expected engagement distance.
- It should leave enough ammunition for multiple encounters.
- It should remain comfortable to operate under pressure.
Start with reliability and familiarity. Specialize only after you understand how the contract space controls distance, cover, and enemy approaches.
VR and Non-VR Controls Explained
Gunman Contracts Stand Alone supports VR and Non-VR play, but the interaction model changes significantly between them. VR emphasizes tracked hands, physical weapon handling, and configured movement options. Non-VR converts the same actions into keyboard-and-mouse or controller inputs.
| Play format | Main interaction model | Setup priority | Best beginner habit |
|---|---|---|---|
| VR | Direct hand and controller interaction | Tracking, play space, comfort options | Practice grabbing, aiming, and reloading |
| Keyboard and mouse | Desktop movement and mouse aiming | Sensitivity and key bindings | Use controlled movement and cover |
| Controller | Analog movement and mapped actions | Camera and button layout | Practice weapon changes before deployment |
VR Setup
Before entering a contract, confirm that both controllers track correctly and that your play area is comfortable. Choose a standing or seated position that lets you handle weapons without reaching beyond your safe physical space. Test locomotion and turning options before combat begins.
VR players should practice:
- Picking up and storing weapons.
- Bringing a weapon into a stable aiming position.
- Performing physical reload actions.
- Switching between primary and secondary weapons.
- Moving while maintaining awareness of the play area.
Non-VR Setup
Non-VR players should begin by checking movement, aiming, firing, reloading, interaction, and weapon-switch inputs. Adjust mouse or camera sensitivity if target tracking feels too slow or too fast. A comfortable control layout reduces hesitation during close encounters.
The core actions remain familiar across modes:
- Move through the mission area.
- Aim and fire.
- Reload and manage ammunition.
- Change weapons.
- Interact with mission objects.
- Complete the contract objective.
VR players should configure movement for comfort before chasing speed. Non-VR players should prioritize consistent aim and predictable inputs over aggressive sensitivity settings.
Challenges, Practice, and Progression
After learning the main contract loop, use the repeatable modes to improve specific skills. Takedown-style scenarios emphasize target elimination, while Last Stand focuses on survival, positioning, and ammunition management. Training and shooting challenges are useful for building weapon familiarity without the pressure of a full contract.
| Mode | Primary goal | Skill to improve |
|---|---|---|
| Takedown | Eliminate hostile targets | Target priority and combat efficiency |
| Last Stand | Survive incoming attacks | Cover, reload timing, and ammunition control |
| Training Area | Practice core actions | Aiming, weapon handling, and movement |
| Shooting Challenges | Improve performance | Precision, reaction speed, and accuracy |
| Objective Scenarios | Complete a task under pressure | Route planning and threat management |
Use a simple improvement cycle:
- Play once to understand the layout.
- Identify the cause of failure or slow progress.
- Change one part of the route or loadout.
- Replay while keeping the rest of the setup consistent.
- Review whether the change improved control, speed, or survival.
First Contract Checklist:
- Review the active contract objective
- Practice aiming, firing, and reloading
- Confirm a primary weapon and sidearm
- Check movement and comfort settings
- Use cover before committing to a firefight
For leaderboard-oriented runs, focus on accuracy and efficient movement rather than firing continuously. Learn target positions, reduce unnecessary pauses, and keep the active objective visible in your decision-making. VR and Non-VR play use different control methods, so practice within the format you intend to use for serious attempts.
Use early attempts to learn the scenario. Once the route is familiar, focus on reducing wasted movement, improving target order, and preserving ammunition.
Beginner FAQ
Q: What is the first thing to do in Gunman Contracts Stand Alone?
Enter the safehouse, review the available contract objective, and practice basic shooting, reloading, movement, and weapon changes before deployment.
Q: Should new players start in VR or Non-VR?
Choose the format that matches your available hardware and comfort. VR emphasizes physical interaction, while Non-VR uses familiar desktop or controller inputs.
Q: What is the best beginner weapon setup?
A balanced primary weapon paired with a reliable sidearm is a practical starting point. Choose equipment that matches the expected engagement distance and feels easy to operate.
Q: How can I improve after completing my first contract?
Replay the contract or a challenge, identify one weakness, and adjust your route, controls, or loadout. Focus on accuracy, cover usage, reload timing, and objective efficiency.
After your first successful contract, explore the weapons database, challenge modes, VR settings, and mission-specific guides to refine your playstyle.
For official access, check the Gunman Contracts - Stand Alone Steam page and the 2080 Games title page.