If you are currently looking for an alternative to Escape from Tarkov with PvE and co-op, maybe “Incursion Red River” on Steam is interesting for you.
What is Tarkov-PvE all about?
- Escape from Tarkov (EFT) released a new PvE co-op mode on April 25, 2024, which is supposed to offer persistent progress and no wipes.
- The catch: The mode is currently only permanently available through a new edition that costs €250.
- Even the owners of the expensive EOD edition still have to pay about €100 to be able to play the mode permanently – otherwise, they can only play Tarkov-PvE for six months.
Many players of Escape from Tarkov are extremely angry because the mode is far too expensive and not included in the EOD edition, and the new edition also has pay-to-win contents. There has been a lot of criticism from the community towards EFT developers Battlestate Games.
German EFT-like with Co-op and PvE – on Steam
What kind of game is this? Incursion Red River is a tactical extraction shooter developed by the German studio Games of Tomorrow GmbH and released in Early Access on Steam on April 10, 2024. Previously, the game was running under the working title “Project Quarantine” and invited to a demo in February 2024.
The gameplay of Incursion Red River is reminiscent of Escape from Tarkov and other extraction shooters, but offers only PvE. However, you can co-operate with up to three friends in battle. If you want to play PvP, you won’t find any alternative to EFT here.
Nevertheless, you can expect the typical gameplay loop of an extraction shooter: You take missions in your hideout, grab weapons and gear, and start a raid. Then, you try to complete these missions on a large, open map, collect new and possibly better loot, and successfully extract at the end of the raid.
Additionally, Incursion Red River aims for as realistic gameplay as possible. There is no minimap, colorful hit markers, or the ability to heal yourself to 100% with a syringe or bandage after being wounded.
The gunplay also attempts to give you a realistic feel for the different weapons and corresponding recoil. These weapons can also be customized and personalized with various attachments as usual.
Of course, the loot and equipment management of a proper EFT-like should not be missing. You need to tidy up both the storage in your hideout and your backpack and ensure that you don’t run out of space.
Vietnam instead of Eastern Europe
What setting does the shooter take place in? Incursion Red River does not take place in a fictional Russian city, but leads you to a fictional version of present-day Vietnam.
A civil war between gangs, militias, and private armies is raging in the Southeast Asian state, and everyone is trying to gain their own advantage from the chaotic situation. This is also reflected on the map. The map takes you to a tropical area, with green forests and hot temperatures.
Since Incursion Red River takes place neither in a futuristic future nor far in the past, there are modern rifles, attachments, and corresponding equipment.
Moreover, the country is marked by the ongoing civil war and the associated destruction and neglect.
The roadmap promises: Weapons, a new map, and more
What can we expect from the game in the future? Currently, Incursion Red River is still in Early Access, meaning that the shooter will be supplied with new content in the future. On Steam, the developers have already shared a roadmap and showed what is to come in 2024.
- a completely new map
- 7 new weapons are planned
- more types of missions that you can complete – bosses & defense
- An expansion for the health system – various status effects and new animations for the use of medical items
- various behavioral patterns for the AI
- extreme weather
- a revision of the loot
- animations for interactions – opening doors and looting
Much praise despite the early development state
How is Incursion Red River rated? Incursion Red River has about 2,300 reviews on Steam with a little under 77% positive ratings. The general idea of many player reviews is: The game has potential but still has a lot of work ahead.
- bungie20 via Steam: “What was promised has been delivered. No more, no less. Definitely worth the recommendation for the money! In 13.5 hours I had no crashes in-game, everything worked as it should. What more do you want, except for content that is still being delivered?”
- Cross via Steam: “The game is in ALPHA. This is REAL Early Access. […] It’s a gamble. For your $15 you do not get an endlessly repeatable experience, but only a single level and a handful of weapons that you can modify, along with the classic Tetris-like inventory system.”
- Mardy_Jim via Steam: “The game has a lot of potential and is excellent in many ways – the price, the way the game looks, the selection of weapons, attachments, and equipment […], but there are some issues that REALLY need to be fixed.”
Overall, every potential buyer should be aware: Incursion Red River is still in an early development state. There is only one map, a limited selection of weapons, and one shouldn’t be surprised by a bug or two. In the end, it is up to you to decide whether it is worth nearly €16 or if you would rather buy the €250 edition of EFT.
Another realistic extraction shooter that is set to release in 2024 is Gray Zone Warfare. Just recently, some content creators were able to test the promising title and showcase it publicly: Gray Zone Warfare reminds of Tarkov in a jungle, already has 150,000 viewers on Twitch in alpha.
