Escape from Tarkov is a tough game that can be intimidating for new players. Luckily it’s possible to play the game offline with bots which can help you familiarise yourself with its mechanics without risking losing your gear.
Figuring out how to add friends and play with them can be tricky though which is why this screenshot-based guide has been written.
1. Combat
The survival shooter genre has been one of the driving forces in gaming for a few years now with games like ARK: Survival Evolved, DayZ, or PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds drawing millions of players into their fold. Escape from Tarkov is a hardcore take on the genre from Russian developer Battlestate Games. It tries to add some RPG elements including quests and upgradable skills but at its core Escape from Tarkov is a brutally hard first-person shooter.
The game is a fairly realistic military first-person shooter with a large selection of weapons, extensive weapon customization, and ballistics that try to mimic real life as closely as possible. This means that players will often die in combat if they don’t make sure they have the right ammo, are not overloaded with gear, and have a good position.
Gunfights in Escape from Tarkov are fast and furious but they are also fair. While some people might feel that the game is unfair or unbalanced because they can easily get a jump on their opponents and kill them without a fight it is actually a great way to force players to think about each move before executing it.
Another aspect of the combat that makes it more tactical than many other FPS games is the sound system. Every time you fire a shot in Escape from Tarkov it not only sounds different depending on what kind of weapon you’re firing but the sound will also tell you how far away the target is, what kind of ammunition they are using, and even whether or not they have a suppressor.
Sound in Escape from Tarkov is a huge part of the experience and it’s one of the most important tools for surviving the brutally harsh environment of Tarkov. The movement model is also different from most other shooters, trying to mimic the actual performance of a soldier encumbered with loads of equipment and a gun. This means that when you walk it can be a snail’s pace that barely produces any noise or a sprint that can expose your location to enemies.
2. Inventory
Escape from Tarkov is an FPS/RPG hybrid that is gaining a lot of attention for its tense gunfights and surprisingly demanding gameplay. As a result, the game’s player base is growing steadily and many new players are considering whether or not it’s right for them. This general guide is designed to help them make up their mind.
First, we’ll take a look at the overall game experience and give some tips on how to optimize performance and improve visibility. We’ll also cover some basic gameplay concepts and answer frequently asked questions.
Escape From Tarkov is an action-packed tactical first-person shooter set in the fictional Russian city of Tarkov. It’s a post-apocalyptic nightmare where political scandals and corporate collapse have left the city in ruin, with sections controlled by aggressive AI hooligans or private military corporations.
The gameplay consists of completing tasks, fighting other players in raids (gameplay matches), and searching the environment for loot. Each task can earn you cash or items, which you can use to upgrade your equipment and improve your chances of survival in the dangerous world of Escape from Tarkov. The biggest drawback of this system is that if you die during a raid, all of the gear you brought in is lost forever. To avoid this, you can store any valuables that you find in a Secure Container, which will protect them from looters after a raid.
As the game progresses, your character will level up and gain skills. These skills will affect your ability to use and handle weapons. For example, the more you use an automatic weapon, the better your control over its recoil will become. This will allow you to fire more rounds in a row without having to constantly move your mouse to counteract the gun’s movement.
3. Weapons
Like any good first-person shooter, Escape from Tarkov requires players to pick their weapons carefully. The game uses a complex weapons system that features myriad attachments, calibers, and more to make sure that players have a wide variety of options when it comes to tackling the deadly Norvinsk Special Economic Zone.
The system is also designed to create a unique feeling for each weapon, with the damage attributes of a gun coming from its ammo and other factors such as mobility, ergonomics, and recoil potential determining its viability. The OP-SKS is a perfect example of this, with its incredibly stable build and powerful 7.62x39mm cartridge making it ideal for taking down PMCs during the early-wipe period.
But the weapon system isn’t the only thing that makes Escape from Tarkov feel different from other games, as it’s also one of the most challenging and brutal survival shooters around. Players who die in raids lose all of their equipped guns and loot, meaning that even a single death can completely devastate a player.
On top of that, raids are contested by both players and Scav (AI-driven locals) which means success can often come down to having a spare magazine or being in the right place at the right time.
Despite these unique challenges, Escape from Tarkov has still managed to build up a large player base, with a huge community of people playing to rack up PvP kills, grow their in-game wealth and hunt down the insanely strong game bosses that provide a higher level of AI challenge. The development team has mentioned that the game is nearing a full release, although it’s worth noting that there could be several wipes before the game’s final launch.
4. Items
If you are a fan of first-person shooters, Escape from Tarkov is one to consider. The game is gritty and realistic with a large selection of guns that can be modified and used for different purposes. The realism is not limited to the weapons as players also have to tend to their health as bones break and wounds bleed. In addition, the gunplay is tense and exciting with a realistic ballistics model that makes death painfully quick.
The biggest draw for many players is that the game offers a highly replayable experience with several scenarios to play through. In matches (called raids), players are dropped into a map with gear they equip and fight other players as well as AI Scavs in an attempt to survive and complete missions. If the player can make it to an extraction zone, they keep all of their loot found in the match. However, if the player dies, they lose all equipment including their equipped weapon.
Another key feature that Escape from Tarkov has is a skill system that levels up over time and improves the player’s ability to perform certain actions such as controlling recoil or healing. These skills are a great way to increase the player’s chances of survival in difficult situations.
Escape from Tarkov is a demanding game and requires a high-end PC to run smoothly. However, the game can be optimized by adjusting graphics settings, updating drivers, closing background applications, and using performance optimization tools to help increase framerates and eliminate lag and stutter. By following these simple tips, players can enjoy a smooth gaming experience and increase their chances of successfully extracting from a raid in Escape from Tarkov.
5. Quests
The game is designed to encourage players to try new equipment or tactics as they progress through the game with a number of different quests and rewards to complete. These vary from simple items to new weapons and maps. Depending on the task and its rewards some are more important than others but they all add to the experience.
While a few of these are essential to advancing in the game completing them all will help players to reach higher trader levels more quickly after each Escape from Tarkov wipe which gives them access to better armor, guns, and ammo than those still stuck on lower level gear. This advantage can make PvP encounters trivial for gamers that are well-practiced in the mechanics of the game.
There are a number of Tarkov EFT Hacks that players will need to undertake on behalf of in-game traders and each one is designed to emphasize a different playstyle encouraging the player to experiment with different weapons or tactics. Some of these are very basic and can be completed on any map while others require a specific location or additional equipment such as night vision to accomplish.
The most important of these is the Peacekeeper quest which provides a number of valuable containers and access to powerful Western weaponry. Players can start this on either Customs or Factory with the latter being a particularly good option as it usually has low player numbers at the early stages of a wipe making it easier to complete the task without being killed.
Another essential quest is Prapor’s Elimination task which rewards players with a compass and two MP-133 shotguns. While it is only a small reward it will save gamers a handful of Roubles and introduce them to the Woods map so it should be high on any new player’s priority list.
