Escape from Tarkov, the granddaddy of extraction shooters, has finally ended its eight-year beta and launched version 1.0 on Steam. The debut was rocky. Authentication failures, matchmaking delays, and persistent launcher issues kept many players from getting into the game. The launch also triggered a wave of review bombing from angry fans upset about the new pricing structure and the fact that beta keys wouldn’t transfer to 1.0.
One week on, however, the servers have stabilized, launcher issues have been resolved, and fan ire has returned to normal levels. The 1.0 patch introduced a host of new and updated features, including a branching storyline with multiple endings, reworked maps, new weapons, and all-around technical improvements.
Escape from Tarkov 1.0 isn’t as polished as a AAA title, but considering its staggering mechanical depth and ambition, it’s damn good. It can be a little janky and under-optimized, but with the recommended 64 GB of RAM and a solid... Read more