Escape From Tarkov: Hardest of the hardcore looter-shooter is spellbinding despite the punishing learning curve

Greetings, traveller, and welcome back to The Register Plays Games, our monthly gaming column. For the first time we feature a multiplayer title, and not a particularly forgiving one at that. I don't know why, I'm not even good at video games despite dedicating a chunk of my scant free time to playing them. Want to squad up? …

[Anonymous Coward]

Pay to win

"Each level has increased starting gear and stash space."

Which is why I can't get behind this one and will wait for some other company to create this. Nobody is paying attention to how valuable that stash space is. Having the choice of keeping extra semi-helpful health items is a large advantage in this game, just like DayZ.

[Excellentsword]

Re: Pay to win

Yeah, it's not P2W.

[arenthor]

Re: Pay to win

So I'm a long term Tarkov vet, been playing since alpha.

I do agree stash space is valuable and only gets more so into the mid/late stage of the wipes.

However with the hideout now even a base edition person can now have the same size stash as me with edge of darkness addition.

The extra equipment becomes less useful each raid as a lot of the starting items we got for say quest turn ins are now "Find in raid" which these items don't count as.

[Pascal Monett]

Thanks, I'll stay on 7 Days To Die

That is a fun game, constantly improving, and I can have a server set to my preferences where only me and my friends can play.

I've played Battlefield 2 long enough to know that your worst enemy is the arsehole on your side that shoots you because you got to the plane first. Thank you very much, but I do not have the time or the patience to waste on playing with arseholes I don't know.

The goal is to enjoy myself ? That's why I only play with people I've met face-to-face.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Thanks, I'll stay on 7 Days To Die

I'm on the PS4 version of 7DTD - the publisher itself died quite a while ago so no more updates.

Me and my GF play split screen and unfortunately the (much further developed) PC version doesn't have that.

Great game though.

[H.Winter]

Re: Thanks, I'll stay on 7 Days To Die

It sucks so much they released a console version that didn't get updated while the PC one was/is still in early access.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Thanks, I'll stay on 7 Days To Die

I'm glad they did. Even with its many shortcomings I really love the game.

I think when we're bored of this map we're going to try and set up some way to play together on PC. Maybe laptop and PC in the same room, or something.

[Andy Non]

Sounds too stress inducing

I prefer a more leisurely RPG gaming experience. Currently playing "Death Stranding" which involves a lot of walking around and there is chance to relax - until it starts raining which brings out the surprisingly scary dead souls. I like a game that I can save / reload after I've been brutally murdered or fall off a cliff.

[NoneSuch]

Interested in the PVE aspects of this game over PVP. As the author says, other players have inconsistent behaviour in all games. Zero interest in PUBG and its clones. I enjoy doing my own thing, at my own speed in an idiot free environment.

Will wait until it hits Steam.

[Trixr]

Same re PVE vs PVP. I simply don't have the time to spend to skill up on being any good at PVP, unlike dudebros who can spend 10+ hrs a day just playing games. I have that problem with multiplayer in general, to be honest.

Also, for a game that is about "realism" and survival, sitting in a nest all day long and sniping everything in sight is unrealistic, unless you're a sociopath. There's no way people will survive that kind of scenario without teaming up and not shooting possible allies/trading partners on sight. I'd think more of this kind of PVP if there were debuffs for killing players who have showed no threat to you. (Maybe this game has that kind of system - this article is the first I've heard of the game.)

[Excellentsword]

I think it could really do with a ranked matchmaking system so that new players go into raids against other new and similarly equipped players. Right now, there's nothing to stop some sweaty NEET from taking everyone out from across the map with a thermal scope, which is one of many reasons it's so brutal for noobs. However, everyone is a threat if they get the drop on you. More experienced players will take in minimal loadouts and defeat heavily armoured opponents with a pistol. Also, you could go in naked and find plenty of guns with which to arm yourself on the fly.

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

Battle Royale?

Meh. Series 7 is where it's at.

[OzBob]

Meh, will stick with "Onward"

which doesn't have the looting but with VR you can be shot by someone who is a "pale black dot" on the distance.

[Baldrickk]

Re: Meh, will stick with "Onward"

I'm honestly pretty terrible at Onward, but I'm slowly improving. It's pretty brutal

[Cartimand]

Hmmm...

Sounds very interesting, but I cannot forgive El Reg for its glowing review of Darkest Dungeon.

I bought it on your recommendation and it turned out to be a plodding, repetitive dog of a game!

[Excellentsword]

Re: Hmmm...

Hey, they're not so much recommendations as "here's what I've played this month". I'd hope that there is enough detail to help you decide whether it's something you'd enjoy. And I'm not strictly recommending Tarkov. I agree that it's interesting, which is why I chose to write about it, but otherwise it's a very difficult and frustrating game that's definitely not for everyone.

[Haynomonous]

Now includes Tetris

No mention of the OCD- triggering inventory management? Trying to work out which item of equipment can go where, to ensure optimal bag space utilisation seems to be one of the most consuming parts of the game, going by the streamers I've watched on twitch.