In this PAPERHEAD guide, I explain the controls, weapons, interactable objects, health pickups, and movement techniques I use throughout the game. I cover everything from weapon alternate fire and explosive barrels to advanced movement techniques like triple jumps, kick hopping, and rocket jumps.
PAPERHEAD Controls, Weapons, and Movement Guide
Controls
Movement is an important part of the game. If I have played ULTRAKILL or Postal: Brain Damaged, I will feel right at home with the movement mechanics.
Note: I can change the key bindings at any time if the default controls feel inconvenient.
Keyboard Controls
Movement
- W, A, S, D: I use these keys for ground movement.
- Mouse: I look around.
- Spacebar: I jump. Pressing it again in the air allows me to double jump.
- Ctrl: I crouch. Holding it while moving allows me to slide, which is one of my most reliable ways to move quickly around levels.
- Left Shift: I kick and launch myself forward in the direction I am looking. This is also my primary source of melee damage and an important movement technique.
Weapons
- LMB: I shoot with my equipped weapon.
- RMB: I use the weapon’s alternate fire. I can mostly ignore this during the first few levels.
- Q: I open the weapon selection menu, which slows down time.
- Mouse Scroll Up/Down: I switch to the next or previous weapon. I can also use [ / ].
- 1–7: I quickly select weapons.
- C: I use the Pencil (8O8) for melee attacks once I unlock it later in the game.
- X: I use bombs.
Weapons Guide
Pistol
I use the Pistol to pick off stragglers and Bomb Dogs. It is a reliable weapon for dealing with individual enemies.
Alternate Fire: I use the alternate fire primarily against ranged enemies because it tracks targets slightly.
Shotgun
I use the Shotgun as my main weapon throughout most of the game. It deals reliable damage at close to medium range and has plenty of ammunition.
Alternate Fire: I fire two shells with a wider spread, which is extremely useful against larger enemies.
Although the game presents the alternate fire as the dedicated crowd-control option, I find the primary fire more effective for crowd control.
Machine Gun
I use the Machine Gun as my go-to crowd-control weapon. It deals solid damage and has a reasonably plentiful supply of ammunition.
Railgun
I use the Railgun as my dedicated sniper weapon. It destroys Elite enemies and also works well as an alternative crowd-control option. I find it more effective than the Rocket Launcher for this purpose.
Rocket Launcher
I find the Rocket Launcher more useful for stripping armor than for crowd control. I combine it with the Pencil (8O8) bombs to make better use of its capabilities.
The Lighter (BFG)
I use the Lighter as my main room-clearing weapon. It does exactly what I expect from a powerful area-clearing attack, but I make sure to strip armor from Elite enemies first.
The Pencil (8O8)
I use the Pencil as a grenade launcher similar to the one in DOOM (2016) and DOOM Eternal. It is also my only true melee weapon.
The Pencil is my only way to obtain ammunition outside the shop or the barrel upgrade.
Fun fact: I can parry the bombs fired by the Pencil, and they also home in on targets to some extent. I can combine this with the Madness leg skin for the ultimate ULTRAKILL experience.
Interactables
Objects
I find movable objects throughout the levels. I can move and use them depending on the situation.
Chairs, Boxes, Fridges, etc.
I use these objects to reach secrets or hide in certain areas. I can also kick them into enemies to earn score meter points. Early in the game, I can carry them around if I invest in the relevant upgrade.
Barrels
I rely on barrels for crowd control during the early game, especially before I get comfortable using the Pencil and its upgrades.
I can also use barrels to clear obstacles, reveal secrets, and provide other useful effects.
Explosive Panels
I can use Explosive Panels similarly to barrels, although I find them less useful in almost every way.
White Boxes
I use the Pencil to draw on White Boxes, which can give me either a healing item or paperclips.
I can also erase a box up to three times before it breaks. If it breaks, I receive nothing.
Health Drops and Pickups
Bandages
I collect Bandages to restore a certain amount of health.
Armor
I collect Armor to gain 25 armor points. Armor also reduces burning damage.
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These pickups usually spawn paperclips based on chance. The exact quantities are not fully confirmed, but the possible drops include:
- Normal Paperclips: Approximately 1–8.
- Golden Paperclips: Approximately 1–3, with a very rare chance of appearing.
Movement Techniques
The game includes several movement techniques that help me move around levels quickly. The following are techniques I have noticed while playing, rather than the basic mechanics taught by the game.
Triple Jump
After performing a double jump, I kick to launch myself forward and effectively gain a third jump.
Alternatively, I can spam the jump button to buffer a third jump. Credit for this alternative method goes to somerandomguy.
Ramp Jump
I slide toward an upward incline to launch myself into the air. This is useful when I need extra height beyond what a normal triple jump can provide.
Kick Hopping
I time my kicks while bunny hopping to maintain momentum and avoid losing speed when touching the ground.
Rocket Jump
I use an explosive source to launch myself through the air at high speed. This technique is also useful for scaling walls.