Try Escape from Tarkov, the most realistic and brutal FPS simulator game currently available

Izaak
Image via Battlestate Games
Image via Battlestate Games

Escape from Tarkov is one of the most difficult and unforgiving first-person action RPG/Simulator games currently available, and that makes it strangely enjoyable.

Escape from Tarkov is a hardcore and realistic online first-person action RPG/Simulator with MMO features and a story-driven walkthrough. It is a small-scale venture where small groups of players go on raids for materials, fighting with other groups over the finite resources available on each map.

Players can load in with any gear they won in previous games, but they run the risk of losing it all on death.


What is Escape from Tarkov?

Escape from Tarkov entered a period of closed beta in mid-2017, and has mostly flown under the radar since then. The game is produced by developer Battlestate Games and is set in a fictional region in Russia. The core selling point of the game is its incredible number of ways to control the character, giving players an unparalleled level of realistic movements.

Escape from Tarkov features a variable walk speed, as well as eight different body positions ranging from standing to lying prone. The weapons in Escape from Tarkov can be almost totally disassembled and customized with parts gathered through the game.

Even something as simple as reloading has a realistic flair, with reloads normally having the player character place the removed magazine back into their inventory, while fast reloads have them just drop the magazine on the ground instead. In many ways, it's more like the Day Z than the more streamlined and simplified shooters that followed.

Escape from Tarkov has an incredible amount of depth and precision, and will almost certainly not be for everyone. Nevertheless, the game has managed to earn a sizable core following, and recently peaked at over 400,000 viewers watching the game on Twitch.


Who might enjoy Escape from Tarkov?

Everyone has the ability to enjoy Escape from Tarkov, whether playing it or just watching it on stream. However, the game certainly does appeal to a specific type of player.

Anyone who likes games that offer a challenge, isn’t afraid of losing, and enjoys playing high-tension games that keep them on the edge of their seat will almost certainly want to give this one a try.

Escape from Tarkov tends to appeal to players who have played other highly realistic shooters, such as ARMA, Red Orchestra, or The Hunt: Showdown.

Players who enjoy highly challenging games, such as almost anything made by From Software (Dark Souls, Sekiro), may also consider checking it out. They may find that Escape from Tarkov features the same thrilling-yet-terrifying gameplay common to those kinds of games.

Escape from Tarkov currently has a player count of over 200,000, and almost twice as many people watching the game on Twitch. If the game continues to grow like that, it could very well put hardcore shooters front and center for many gamers.