I went into this game fully expecting to lose interest after getting my ass handed to me a few times. Here I am, 200 hours later, still queueing up for more raids. I am something of a casual gamer, so I figured a game as intense and competitive as Escape From Tarkov would have me making zero progress, die endlessly, and struggle to understand the many systems the game expects you to know by heart. I was fortunate enough to have a sherpa (teacher) that taught me the basics and what was important vs what I would never need to know.

For context, I have spent pretty much my entire time in game in the PvE mode, which is an additional purchase even though I think it should just be included in the base game. If I had only done PvP, I probably would have quit the game like I originally thought I would. However, PvE game a sort of balance to the difficulty. It also helps that you wont run into one of the many cheaters running rampant in PvP. Buying the PvE mode is how any casual gamers should at least start this game. If you plan on trying to learn everything yourself, you probably wont have a good time as the game basically tells you nothing.

If you are thinking about getting this game, there are a few recommendations I would give. Firstly, have a buddy to play with that has some time in the game. This can help with learning how the game works, plus you have a friend to go into raid with. Secondly, use the resources available to you. Two great sources for information are the official Tarkov Wiki[escapefromtarkov.fandom.com] and Map Genie[mapgenie.io]. The wiki has pretty much everything you could ever want to know in the game, from how basic systems work to step by step guides for the quests in the game. The wiki is completely free and is also a great way to check out the game before buying it. Map Genie has viewable maps with everything you could want to know about them labeled. Its a great tool for learning where extractions are or just the basic layouts of the maps, since the maps the game has are borderline useless. Unfortunately, some of the maps are behind a paywall, however it is only $10. So if you intend to put some serious time into this game, it may be worth it to pay for the rest of the maps. Lastly, expect to die. This is a difficult game that is pretty much designed from the ground up to infuriate you. If you go in just expecting to struggle a lot, then the game wont irritate you as much.

Overall, I have greatly enjoyed the game. Even though I still have a lot to learn, I am making much progress anyway. The game still has its bugs, but it is a great game with a significant amount of content. 8/10, would highly recommend to casuals looking to get a foot in the door to hardcore shooters or to pros looking to add one more game to that list of games they are good at that they bring out every chance they get.