There are few greater compliments than being compared toEscape From Tarkov. As a genre-defining title,Escape From Tarkovblended together battle royale elements with a loot extraction core to produce a game that very few can hope to emulate. Luckily for fans,Dark and Darkerpresents a fantasy-centered take on the FPS extraction formula that deserves the attention of allTarkovfans.
Despite being in its early stages,Dark and Darkerhas quickly grabbed the attention of looter extraction fans. While a comparison toTarkovgives fans a vague idea of what to expect fromDark and Darker, it’s far from derivative. It’s a difficult-to-describe blend that is probably best understood through first-hand experience—with the next available opportunity coming in the form ofDark and Darker’s upcoming February playtest.
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Comparing Dark and Darker and Escape From Tarkov
In terms of players' objectives,Dark and DarkerandTarkovare remarkably similar. The end goal of both titles is to spawn in, battle against enemy players and mobs, and extract with better items. They’re also both among themost brutally difficult multiplayer gamescurrently available. Outside these two core elements, though, the two titles diverge rather radically.Tarkovis the decidedly more tactical of the two—with a more complex weapon and item customization system—butDark and Darkeris the clear winner in terms of both in-game pacing and lobby queue times.
SinceDark and Darkerinstitutes a battle royale-type zone mechanic, it naturally trends toward a more cutthroat pace and shorter overall match times. As it currently stands,Dark and Darkeralso boast absurdly short queues which translates to more time spent in-game and less time spent waiting around. That lessens the blow of each unsuccessful raid and hadfans begging for extensions during the lastDark and Darkerplaytest.
It’s also worth mentioning thatDark and Darker’s fantasy setting manifests as far more than a superficial difference. The array of classes, weaponry, and spells available in the game has a massive impact on the outcome of each raid. As players gear up in the pre-lobby, they have to consider their team’s composition as well as the various spells that each of their casters is going to bring. A well-balanced team comprised of a Fighter, Cleric, and Ranger may be a tough assignment for most opponents, but if that same group runs afoul of a team of Rogues hiding in the darkness, it could be an entirely different story.
What Dark and Darker Can Learn From Escape From Tarkov
WhileDark and Darkercan and should stand alone as its own title, there are plenty of lessons to be learned from theimprovementsTarkovhas made over the years. Perhaps the most important is to get a grip on cheaters as early and as effectively as possible. Luckily, the alpha playtests forDark and Darkerhave been relatively cheater-free, but it’s only a matter of time before the game gains enough popularity to draw in a more significant population of hackers. As it stands, IRONMACE is tackling cheaters on a case-by-case basis with assistance from the community, but that will likely not be enough come launch day. LikeTarkov,Dark and Darkerwill never be completely cheater free, but as long as the problem remains under control, it should have little impact on the player base.
With every major patch,Tarkovbrings something new to the table.Tarkov’s 0.13 patchushered in the long-awaited Streets map.Dark and Darkerneeds to take a similar approach to its major patches in the future. It doesn’t always have to be an addition like a new map or class, but a new weapon will go a long way with fans and keep the title feeling fresh long after its initial appeal wears off for casual fans.
Dark and Darkerreleases in late 2023 on PC.
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