FAQ: Should I buy and play Escape from Tarkov?

That depends on what you're looking for in a game. Escape from Tarkov is an incredibly intense, hardcore FPS with a steep learning curve, brutal difficulty, and a strong emphasis on realism.

The game does not help players in any way—there's no tutorial, many mechanics are left unexplained, and you’ll need to invest a significant amount of time researching things on the wiki or other sources to understand them. There are no in-game maps showing your position or quest objectives like in most other games.

All of this is intentional, making Tarkov even more challenging and immersive for those who enjoy this kind of experience. If you thrive in games that require preparation, knowledge, and adaptation, you might love it. However, if you prefer more casual shooters or get frustrated easily by losing progress, it might not be the best fit.

Reasons to play:

• Unmatched realism: Tarkov's gunplay, ballistics, and survival mechanics are some of the most detailed in any FPS.

• Tense, high-risk gameplay: Every raid matters, and success feels incredibly rewarding.

• Deep progression system: Skill upgrades, quests, hideout management, and an evolving in-game economy.

• Satisfying PvPvE: The mix of AI and real players keeps every raid unpredictable.

Reasons not to play:

• Steep learning curve: It’s notoriously difficult for beginners, and there’s no real tutorial.

• Harsh penalties for death: Losing your gear can be frustrating, especially early on.

• Time investment: Progressing effectively requires a lot of time and patience.

• Performance issues & bugs: Tarkov is still in beta, and occasional technical issues can be frustrating.

• Cheaters: Like all online games, EFT has its fair share of cheaters. However, due to the high-stakes nature of the game, where every raid can result in significant losses, encountering a cheater is far more punishing and frustrating than in standard FPS matches, as the stakes in each raid are much higher and losing valuable gear, progress, and the time invested to an unfair fight can be infuriating.

My personal recommendation is to watch some gameplay first to get a sense of what the game is really like and whether it fits your taste. If you decide to give it a try, I suggest starting with the Standard Edition, as you can always upgrade later if you enjoy the game.

Escape from Tarkov is a game you either love or hate—there is rarely any middle ground. Players tend to either play for 10 hours and move on or sink hundreds, if not thousands, of hours into it.

That was my case—after a couple of weeks, I was so invested that I upgraded to the Edge of Darkness edition (originally $150, but no longer available) and never regretted it. With around 3,000 hours of playtime, it definitely paid off.