I understand the appeal of Escape From Tarkov, Arma, Gray Zone Warfare, and all the other hyper-punishing, realistic FPS games out there, but I also find them strangely unconvincing. When the pattern of gameplay is spawn, die, spawn, die, spawn, die, it feels less like I’m in the middle of a real, all-out battle, and more like I’m just playing a videogame. Nevertheless, I like the steep difficulty and the pretense of realism – loud guns, bullet physics, and a grounded, boots-and-mud aesthetic. Originally announced back in 2019, ‘83 looks like the ideal midpoint between accessible online shooter and stone-cold milsim. Created by former developers from the Rising Storm and Red Orchestra series, after years in the wilderness, it’s now in full development swing thanks to a new publishing deal.
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