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When I first heard about Escape from Tarkov a long while ago, I was interested.. Until I found out it was multiplayer-only.

You see, I’m not a fan of PvP, or even multiplayer, honestly. Back when I was young, sure, but now, I’m a little slower. I get interrupted regularly (over the past 30 minutes I’ve been interrupted 4 times). So, playing a game where death can come at any moment and cause me to lose everything I’ve got is pretty much a non-starter for me.

Still, I kept my eyes open periodically, and then I learned: There’s a way to play Escape from Tarkov singleplayer vs. AI on a local server.

You still can’t pause, and you’ll still lose all your gear if you die, but otherwise, it’s a perfectly reasonable way to play if you prefer to quarantine digitally as well as in the RealWorld(TM).

So, this weekend, I’ve spent hours messing around, dying, and.. Having fun? Yeah. I didn’t even take any of my own screenshots because I was too busy trying to not die.

Escape from Tarkov is still in beta, but playing it in singleplayer is a worthwhile experience.

Stealth is handled through general visibility and noise; you’ll want a good monitor and great headphones to truly be able to succeed here. No magic “stealth” skill; it’s like Arma III, but better.

Sniping, too, is an absolute joy. While your typical range is actually more in-line with designated marksman roles (you’ll most likely be shooting from 600m or less), the fact that every single aspect of your rifle and ammunition can play a factor in your ability as a sniper is so well done I’m amazed. It’s like Arma III in many ways, but with more detail.

Now, if only they made a way for people like me to play offline, pause, and not lose all my gear, I’d be a happy camper (literally).