Escape from Tarkov is a semi-open-world first-person shooter with RPG and MMO elements. It is difficult to say more specifically: the game combines several genres at once. The closest analog would be perhaps DayZ, in which all zombies were replaced with armed bots, and instead of a zombie virus, there is a difficult military-political situation in a closed region. But even this analogy is rather approximate.
Gameplay
You take on the role of a mercenary for one of two PMCs operating on the territory of Tarkov and its environs – USEC or BEAR. Globally, your task is to survive and escape from Tarkov. And this is an incredibly difficult task due to the realism of the game. Beginners will have a hard time because this game is a real hardcore with its own characteristics. Many players prefer to escape from Tarkov boosting from a specific site in order to excel in the game or at least look at how the pros work in order to adopt their skills a little. The task of each of your outings is to get supplies to your caches, complete some tasks issued by merchants, and not die in the process.
With the exception of the very small Factory and Laboratory, each raid has a sizable area with several key locations where you may expect to spend at most half a game day or 25 to 50 minutes in real-time, depending on the location. You will perish if you don’t leave the area before the timer runs out. Your possessions will be lost if you pass away due to a gunshot, famine, hemorrhage, poisoning, or running out of time. Yes, you read it correctly; if the players fail, they lose everything. Only if you have insured your gear with a merchant and other players from your corpse don’t take it will it be returned to you.
The most obvious obstacle on your way to the goal, whatever it is (loot or task), is other players. In a closed war zone, you are unlikely to be able to negotiate peacefully with other survivors (although this is possible) – people are much more willing to start shooting at you. It will not be possible to honestly divide the loot and quest items, you will have to fight for food and other valuables. In addition to living opponents, whose number is unknown (either a full lobby or no one can be thrown into the match), Scavs roam the map – a local criminal unit. The bandits are armed with rather bad barrels with cheap cartridges, often not even equipped with armor, medicines, and grenades. They are controlled by artificial intelligence.
Escape from Tarkov is regarded as one of the most realistic first-person shooters because of this.
Opponents
Scavs are the first surprise in Escape from Tarkov. This is perhaps one of the most dangerous bots that you can see in video games. Yes, they have their own characteristics, sometimes they can just look at the wall, as any bots do, but still – they are smart enough.
Unlike bots in other video games, the AI Escape from Tarkov doesn’t succumb to the player at all: Scavs shoot straight to the head if given the opportunity. They run at you, use cover, can retreat to heal, and even drop-shot (quickly lie down and shoot from a prone position to get out of the fire). No intentional shooting past to make the player feel powerful – Scavs will do anything to ruin your day.
And here is the nuance. In raids, you can go out not only for PMCs but also for the Scavs themselves. You are given this opportunity once every 20 minutes in real-time (if you upgrade your base or gain a reputation with the Buyer, then the waiting time will be less). You appear on the map as a bot at a random moment of the match and play on the side of the bandits – other Scavs will not attack you until you attack them yourself or ruin your reputation. This mechanic noticeably revitalizes the game. There are many guides on what to do with Scavs, so you can improve your performance.
After all, those around you are not just bots that are born in fixed places – each of them can be a living person who knows how to play and where to shoot. Moreover, such man bots (as the community calls them) can be a full team of four people, with voice chat and group coordination. It’s a lot of luck to take the stew out of the location when you are being chased by four players who have nothing to lose and who may have already taken cool equipment from the previously killed PMC.
Conclusion
Escape from Tarkov presents an immersive gaming experience that defies easy categorization. Its amalgamation of genres creates a unique and challenging gameplay environment. Escape from Tarkov stands as a testament to the evolving landscape of first-person shooters, blending genres to create a distinct and immersive world. Its challenging gameplay, intricate mechanics, and intense firefights keep players on the edge of their seats, as they strive to survive, complete objectives, and secure valuable loot.