Gray Zone Warfare is the first of many extraction shooters that do what Tarkov don't, and it's out today in Early Access
We're finally starting to see some movement in the extraction shooter space - and not just in trailers and hype, as one new contender enters the arena.
The extraction shooter subgenre continues to grow, with new and exciting releases appearing on the scene every few months. Usually, these games only exist in pre-release trailers and hyperbolic blurb about their level of ballistics simulation, but most never see the light of day.
Gray Zone Warfare, the debut game from Madfinger Games, is attempting to change that. The indie extraction shooter is available for purchase today, so players can actually see for themselves whether the hype has been justified.
A big reason for the Gray Zone Warfare hype, of course, is the result of a week-long event the developer recently held, where many content creators - especially those who typically play Escape from Tarkov - were invited to share their experience with their audience. Mind you, these play sessions were all livestreamed to the world, not your typical behind-closed-doors event.
We knew the Early Access release date was around the corner, and Madfinger delivered, unveiling four whole editions ($35, $58, $80, and $100), available for purchase on Steam. As is seemingly the norm for extraction shooters, the more you pay, the bigger your storage space can be.
Gray Zone Warfare differs from Escape from Tarkov in a few major ways, however. In a sense, it’s positioned as its own game that offers some of Tarkov’s elements, while introducing its own unique take.
For instance, the world map in Gray Zone runs on a single instance, with players connecting and disconnecting from what’s effectively the same evolving match. In theory, you can go back to where you died and pick up your gear (provided it's not been looted), but the persistency also adds an element of progression rarely seen in games with limited round times.
The biggest one for me, however, is the addition of PvE-only servers, a feature that will be available on day one. Tarkov famously does not offer single-player or co-op components, and when the developer recently decided to add a PvE mode, it did so in the most chaotic way possible, launching a new $270 edition of the game and leaving its community in flames. Said edition has since been delisted, and Tarkov devs promised to make the mode available to owners of the previously most expensive edition when it releases. It’s all a bit of a mess, which is exactly the kind of environment that gives a boost to rival games like Gray Zone Warfare.
The general sentiment out of that content creator event seems to be that the game's sandbox is capable of creating some fun and intense moments, but is very much still early in its development. Grey Zone Warfare is also an incredibly demanding Unreal Engine 5 title (just look at those visuals!), so you’re going to need a decent PC to play it.