S.O.T.A. 2 is a new survival MMO that starts Early Access on Steam today, June 13th. The post-apocalyptic game has big ambitions and strongly resembles another title that recently appeared out of nowhere: Pioner.
What kind of game is this? S.O.T.A. 2 (short for: Stalker Online Time Anomaly) is being developed by two Russian developers and has been in development since at least 2018. Back then, there was already some gameplay to see (via YouTube).
In theory, the game sounds similar to Pioner, which aims to be both a survival game and an MMORPG. The developers promise RPG elements as well as survival gameplay in a third-person shooter.
Like Pioner, S.O.T.A. 2 takes place in a fictional anomaly located in a post-apocalyptic Soviet Union. Both the books and players from the well-known S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series serve as inspiration.
The official trailer showcases initial gameplay that strongly resembles Escape from Tarkov and DayZ, albeit with less modern graphics:
PvP and Realism – Hardcore Survival for the Tough
These are the features: Just like Pioner, S.O.T.A. 2 focuses on multiplayer gameplay, but the similarities stop here. S.O.T.A. 2 is more oriented towards hardcore survival games and aims to be truly challenging:
- Bullets must be loaded into the magazine one at a time before they can be put into the gun
- If you die, you lose all loot (except for premium-protected items)
- Co-op and teamwork are a big factor, with players taking on roles such as collectors or traders
- Some food items have an expiration date after which you should no longer consume them
- Gunplay is supposed to be important, and there are mechanics like bullet drop, flight time, and penetrating bullets
On the official website, there are already some details about premium content. Those who pay will get access to cosmetics, personalized weapons, armor, premium magazines, and a possible subscription (via sota-games-server.ru).
The premium features are designed to help players protect themselves from losing items when they die. This is calculated in a premium currency in the form of game rubles. 10 game rubles cost one real ruble (about 0.1 cents).
When and where can I play S.O.T.A. 2? So far, there is only a version for PC that will be released in Early Access on Steam on Sunday, June 13th (via Steam.com). Since the game is being developed by only two people, a console version seems unlikely for now.
S.O.T.A. 2 thus appears much earlier than Pioner, which is not expected until late 2021 or early 2022. Perhaps this new game will turn out to be a real gem – much like the totally unexpected game of a YouTuber:
Community challenges YouTuber to make a survival game – Now it is going steeply up on Steam
