Between Escape From Tarkov, Gray Zone Warfare, and Arena Breakout: Infinite, the tactical, military simulation style of FPS is having a renaissance right now. But while realism and punishing, strategy-driven shootouts can be a thrill, sometimes you want something a little more balanced – the tension of tactics, but with higher playability and less frustration factor. Weaving between Tarkov and Counter-Strike 2, a new squad-based FPS promises precisely that, and a new playtest is just about to launch on Steam.
If the world of FPS games is split broadly in two right now – the straightforward, pick-up-and-play deathmatches of Counter Strike 2 and CoD, and the grueling, high-barrier-to-entry realism of Tarkov – then Exfil wants to land somewhere in the middle. Created by a small team, it nevertheless boasts realistic, strategic squad shooting and striking visuals.
Four teams enter a small open-world map. The goal is to recover a hunk of intel and then safely extract. It’s nervy and high pressure, and death comes quickly, but Exfil is also lighter and more instantly intelligible than some of its rivals. If EFT et al have so far felt intimidating, Exfil could be the happy medium.
The new Exfil playtest runs from Saturday June 1 to Sunday June 2. Around 40,000 players have signed up already, and developer Misultin is introducing a variety of new features for this third Steam demo. There are new weapons, improved iron sights, and the initial loadout screen has been reworked so you can see what your squadmates have equipped, and maybe balance your gun choices accordingly – there’s nothing worse than everyone trying to play sniper.
The audio has been enhanced and sounds more convincing than ever, and there’s even a new weapons testing area, so you can practice your shooting before heading into the field. If you want to sign up, just head to the Exfil Steam page right here.
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