It's a shame Gray Zone Warfare is a performance nightmare, because it fixes so many problems I have with Escape From Tarkov

GamesFPSGray Zone WarfareIt’s a shame Gray Zone Warfare is a performance nightmare, because it fixes so many problems I have with Escape From TarkovWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Madfinger Games)

gray zone warfare

I sometimes question if I can call myself a fan of extraction shooters when I don’t enjoy the most popular game in the genre: Escape From Tarkov. I bounced off the hardcore milsim after a few painful gear wipes at the hands of extraction campers. I’ve almost reinstalled it a dozen times in the years since, hopeful that I could get into it with the right mindset, but always stop short of pressing play.

That’s why I’m eager to give Gray Zone Warfare, the latest tactical FPS pressed from the Tarkov mold that’s oozing with buzz from EFT devotees, a real shot. If I’m gonna suck, at least I’ll suck right alongside a bunch of other new players.

Turns out I was very wrong to assume Gray Zone is another Tarkov clone. The first clue was discovering there’s a whole cooperative element to the game you won’t find in any other major extraction shooter. Before I even picked up a gun, I had to join one of three factions. It turns out this is a pretty important decision—you can only group up with players in your faction, and you can only change your faction after a full server reset that’ll happen “every few months.” Mandfinger says a feature is in the works to wipe your character and switch factions whenever.

At least during this early launch period, the geographic divide between the factions creates these “safe” zones in the corners of the map where you can be fairly confident there are no real enemy players. In my first hour exploring a town outside camp, I only encountered friendly players and NPCs. The closer you get to the center or opposing corners of the map, the more likely you are to run into the other factions. It reminds me of the Horde/Alliance dynamic in World of Warcraft, except the PMCs of Gray Zone Warfare are fighting over loot caches with shiny guns and water bottles.

Factions make for such a friendlier introduction than the minute one beatdowns you get in Tarkov or Marauders. And Gray Zone’s other standout feature, its persistent map, slightly softens the blow of losing your loot. When you die, you respawn in the same session back at your base camp. From there you can start fresh with a new loadout like you would in Tarkov, or you can head back to where you just beefed it and try to recover what you lost. If a player killed you, then they probably pocketed your best stuff. But if it was an NPC, it’ll all still be there.

Easy corpse runs are the reason the few deaths I’ve had so far in Gray Zone haven’t bothered me too much. The first time, I died as soon as I stepped out of the helicopter in some sort of freak accident. The second time, I had to go AFK just as an NPC found me and scored an easy kill. Both times, I was able to recover everything I lost, something you won’t see in Tarkov without a group of helpful friends willing to be your corpse mule.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

(Image credit: Madfinger Games)

Grayzone Warfare rucksack full of items

Too early access

These smart, welcome adjustments to the Tarkov formula make Gray Zone stand out in an increasingly homogenous genre. I want to play more Gray Zone Warfare, which is way more than I can say about the games that inspired it, but that makes its glaring early access messiness all the more frustrating.

As day one Steam reviewers will tell you, it’s nearly impossible to get Gray Zone running at a smooth, competitive shooter-friendly framerate without a very powerful PC. If you’re in the vast majority of Steam users with several generations-old hardware, you’ll have to settle for a choppy 30-40 fps average with frequent chugs in busy areas (and that’s at a humble 1080p with DLSS on). It’s a nice looking game, but nothing about it suggests that only the might of 30 and 40-series cards can render its glory.

So yes, this isearlyearly access. What you can play today feels like the beginnings of a much larger game, but it’s hard to recommend dropping $35 on it (or a lot more, if you want more inventory space) as is. You only need to read this list of planned features to see how far Gray Zone Warfare still has to go:

Developer Madfinger Games expects early access to last years, and is leaving the door open to change its plans based on player feedback.

Recent updates5/2/24:In a previous version of this story, I mentioned that you couldn’t shoot out of the helicopters in the preview version of the game, but failed to realize Madfinger changed how this works for the early access release. You can now defend yourself while landing and taking off in a heli, and disembarking players have five seconds of invulnerability.

Recent updates

5/2/24:In a previous version of this story, I mentioned that you couldn’t shoot out of the helicopters in the preview version of the game, but failed to realize Madfinger changed how this works for the early access release. You can now defend yourself while landing and taking off in a heli, and disembarking players have five seconds of invulnerability.

More about fpsThe most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’If you missed it over the holidays, this noir Half-Life 2 mod turns you into a hardboiled detective in Prohibition-era ChicagoLatestI tried a sim racing rig that generates ‘wind’ at CES 2025 and it’s claimed to help keep VR nausea at baySee more latest►

More about fps

The most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’If you missed it over the holidays, this noir Half-Life 2 mod turns you into a hardboiled detective in Prohibition-era Chicago

FBC: Firebreak

The most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’

A noir Chicago with Combine metro cops from Half-Life 2

If you missed it over the holidays, this noir Half-Life 2 mod turns you into a hardboiled detective in Prohibition-era Chicago

LatestI tried a sim racing rig that generates ‘wind’ at CES 2025 and it’s claimed to help keep VR nausea at baySee more latest►

Latest

I tried a sim racing rig that generates ‘wind’ at CES 2025 and it’s claimed to help keep VR nausea at bay

Nitro Concepts CES 2025 booth with a sim racing rig that offered wind simulation from twin fans near the wheelbase.

I tried a sim racing rig that generates ‘wind’ at CES 2025 and it’s claimed to help keep VR nausea at bay

See more latest►

Most Popular

These are the 14 biggest upcoming RPGs of 2025—get ready for another amazing year for the genre

Five new Steam games you probably missed (January 6, 2025)

I’ve seen enough: No more forcing singleplayer studios to make mediocre live service games

6 games that could be bigger hits than you’re expecting in 2025

What are your 2025 gaming resolutions?

The FBI put a $5 million bounty on the ‘Cryptoqueen’ last year but still hasn’t found her, so take your pick: Russia, South Africa, or murdered on a yacht in 2018

The Witcher season 4: Everything we know about Hemsworth’s debut on The Continent

8 bold gaming predictions for 2025

The PC game releases we’re most excited about in January

Twitter is dead, X is a cesspit, let’s make 2025 the year of the message board

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

Too early access#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

Too early access