Escape from Tarkov (hardcore fps/rpg/mmo)

I can recommend farming like crazy in the offline mode with PvE turned off, gives you a chance to learn the maps and loot locations without being murdered going around the first corner. The other benefit is that you can stock up on guns and ammo so when you go into multi player you can afford to die. I don't use my large pack and vest for multi but go lighter until I can get better at it.

 

I've come back to this now that it is in beta to see how it is going. At one point in the alpha I had concerns that the lack of maps and size would be a limiting factor for replaying it. Well it may be, but I could care less, the adrenaline rush playing this is down right addictive.

For those that missed the conversation that Mercules and I had on the game last night the highlights are:
1. If you or your friends have a heart condition, do not play this game, straight up don't do it, you could very well end up with a heart attack (I can't tell you the last time I ran into a game that was that startling)
2. Use the bathroom before playing, you may literally scare the piss or crap out of yourself. If you have just had a meal of Taco Bell or Chinese carry out you play at your own risk.

Its hard to imagine better selling points for a shooter, or any game for that matter, than that the risk of death and/or soiling yourself is this high.
If you enjoy suspenseful games, strategic shooters, or survival games you owe it to yourself to check out EoT. The Jackfrags video I posted a while back is still spot on for the level of terror you will go through.

The game is fairly straight forward, buy any of the starter editions, load it up and go play. There will be DLC eventually they have said but no micro transactions, simply pay for the game and enjoy it. The different game versions give you access to different amounts of loot storage and a few rare items without having to raid for them, that's it, you die just the same. There are advantages to having the larger loot stash as well as a larger secure container. What is a secure container you ask, well it is a container that you can carry into the game that allows you to keep some items safe from loss. One of the big selling points of the game is the hardcore aspect where if you die in game everything you took into the instance is lost. The secure container allows you to carry a limited number of items in and if you when you die you will get to keep them. This is incredibly useful for keys that you can find that allow you to unlock rooms and map short cuts. You can get insurance on items you take into game if you want/need to if they are that valuable.

This brings up the modes of play, you can set your account up as one of two PMC groups the Russian state sponsored BEAR or the western backed USEC While you can die in game you only drop what ever gear you took in that isn't in the secured container. You can also play as a SCAV they are scavengers and bandits that have moved in as law and order moved out. In this case you will spawn in place of one of the NPC's in the game where you get a basic weapon and gear to play with, you can then hunt everyone down or just the PMC players. Other Scav's shouldn't shoot at you but there are three different groups of them so they may start fighting among themselves and other players might be playing as a Scav themselves and be more than happy to wreck your day. Also there is not much more satisfying than spawning in as a Scav with a pistol and then wrecking a player who took all their good gear into the game. I say that because anything you pick up as a Scav you have the option of extracting with and keeping for your main account. This is a great way that you can never actually screw up so badly that you can't get weapons and gear back.

Paragon in his Buyer Beware series recently did a video about his rekindled love for survival games thanks to EoT, I can say it is spot on.
About 5min in is when he starts reviewing the game itself after giving his feelings on the genre.

 

Don't rush into pre-ordering this game. Apparently stuttering and lag is still a huge problem. There's also a pretty brutal learning curve which won't appeal to more casual players.



I really do hope this game gets the polish it needs, but buyer beware for now.

 

This game has fallen under our radar, but I think it's worth mentioning its recent resurgence.

Polygon is full of shitposters-turned-reporters, but even they've had to admit it's success so far:
https://www.polygon.com/2020/1/8/21055397/escape-from-tarkov-explained-twitch-drops-battlestate

Following our official policy, I'm still going to wait for a proper damn release of the game (it is STILL in Beta), but thought this was worth bringing up again.

 

I've been keeping an eye on it from a distance as it has been 20months since I had a connection that I could play it over. Progress is slow but steady, there are still streamers playing it after over two years among the multitude of other action titles that they also play that have come and gone so I feel that there definitely is some staying power or at least good replayability. Hopefully in another 4 months when I get back to the states I can update and take it out for another spin and see just how bad the already rough learning curve has become.