GAMING: ESCAPE FROM TARKOV is The Most Metal FPS You Can Play

Battlestate Games describe their online First person Shooter “Escape from Tarkov” as a “hardcore and realistic online first-person action RPG/Simulator with MMO features and a story-driven walkthrough.” Its still in Beta and the basic game will set you back about £30. This can rise to just under £100 for the ultimate ‘Edge of Darkness’ edition.

So what makes this game stand out from all the other online FPS games like Fortnite, Call of Duty Warzone, PUBG, and the like? Why should it be the most metal of this genre?

Well, to cut to the chase, it is a full on, in your face, pure adrenaline rush that will have you elated and terrified all at the same time. Let’s be honest, it is a computer game, its just pixels. But it is just so easy to immerse yourself in this game and lose yourself to its environment, jumping out of your seat when a shot goes off.

You could be all pimped out with the best armour and weapons and still find yourself crouched down, hiding in a bush (those who do it as an actual tactic are called bush-wookies) wondering where you put the toilet paper you picked up from the Dorms on Customs (yes, toilet paper is a thing in this game. Probably more spawned in this game than were on the shelves of Asda at the start of the pandemic). It is crushing when you die (many say it is akin to being kicked in the old nether regions) but you are on such a high when you successfully extract out of the raid.

In short, the lows are way low, and the highs are way high. It can be frustrating and difficult, but the feeling of accomplishment when you complete an objective is beyond compare.

So, what is Escape from tarkov?

It is a Player versus Player versus Environment looter shooter that has that wonderful eastern European/Soviet dourness that we first came across in STALKER or METRO. It is unwavering in its grittiness, uncompromising in its gameplay and unforgiving of any mistakes. In fact, you don’t even need to have made a mistake for the game to kick you right in the teeth.

You play a PMC from one of the two playable factions, either USEC (American) or Bear (Russian), finding yourself trapped in the Norvinsk region of Russia in the city of Tarkov. It is post-apocalyptic in nature, even though it’s not strictly a post-apocalyptic game. You have a hideout and a stash. What you find in raid you can put in your stash and use to trade, sell or fix your hideout with. Your character can put on clothing (helmets, ear protectors, body armour) and can be kitted out with all sorts of weapons. When you are ready, off you go on a raid to collect up materials to make you rich (Had to chuckle at that. If you play EFT you will know why) including household items, ammo, weapons, weapon parts, clothing, food, drink and medical items.

You choose a map and click your way through, possibly insuring your kit along the way. Then you click ready and begin loading in. At this point you may begin to have sweaty palms.

It should be pointed out that what you have and find in raid and get out with is yours. If you die, you lose all you had (if you insured your kit and no one else took an interest in it you might get it back). This brings you into the realms of ‘gear fear’. Bringing in that nice gun with you that you spent ages pimping out in your hideout, only to get ‘head, eyes’ed before you ever fired a shot can sometimes bring a tear of frustration to your eyes (it was always dust in mine.) So you may begin to ‘fear’ bringing in that really cool looking gun in with you. hence, gear fear.

Once in the Raid, you must go from one side of the map to the other. Along the way you may bump into other players, AI scavs and Scav bosses, and even player scavs. Each encounter becomes an adrenaline rush that is just intoxicating. The movement, gun handling, recoil, stopping power of the bullets, affects on your character are all things you begin to think about in a split second and can feel (at least for a dirty casual like me) so real. Each raid is a terrifying ordeal that you just want to keep putting yourself through. Again and again. lets not forget either that you have to keep your character hydrated and fed or penalties start hitting you hard. Your heart will be pumping hard, your breathing will be heavy, there will be sweat on your brow and you will constantly wonder if you are the predator or the prey.

And you will still love the game. As it beats you to a pulp.

The game relies a lot on sound as well so you also have to think about when to run, and when to sneak. You also need to keep thinking about cover and keeping your character a small target.

There is currently no ‘intro’ or ‘How to play the game’. It is hardcore. It does not care about your feelings. And yet you want to prove to the game, to yourself, and to Uncle Nikita that it will not stop you.

That is why Escape from Tarkov is the most metal game I have ever played. If it were a metal genre it would be Hardcore Death Industrial Rock Metal. It is Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Rammstein, Amon Amarth, Morbid Angel, Cradle of Filth, Led Zeppelin, Motorhead, AC/DC, and more all rolled into one. So long as it has a pumping, adrenaline fuelled rhythm it feels like Escape from Tarkov. The game even boasts a few of its own great pumping metal tracks as background music.

There are lots of great streamers out there like OnePeg, Bakeezy, Veritas, Noice Guy, JesseKazam and the daddy of them all, Pestily that you can watch and get a feel of the game before you buy it. There are numrous ‘how to’ and ‘beginner’ videos to research through – yes, that’s right, the game makes you work even before you press install. If you want to succeed, you need to put in the effort. Something, i think has been missing from games for a long long time. There are stakes in this game, you gamble with your gear every time you go in and the risks versus benefit is a real thing.

Have a watch of Boomstick Gaming for a quick rundown and beginners guide.

If you enjoy a good adrenaline rush, then you will want to buy this game. If you want a challenging game that makes you work for each and every tiny victory, you will want this game.

Do not buy this game if you want to respawn, to have easy AI to kill, to be able to loot millions every time, or to have a relaxing game. This is for those days where you really want to let loose with your pent up energy.

One thing to be aware of though. It is in beta, there are issues with servers and loading times can be long from time to time. But if you have that in the back of your mind when playing then you should avoid the old rage quit scenario. Remember, that while it is the immersion, emotion, gratification and achievement you are playing the game for, it is still with a bunch of pixels.

It is also the best non-horror horror game I have ever played.

To wet your appetite why not watch the live action series called Raid based on the game.