Escape From Tarkov adds Ground Zero, a dense urban area

Extraction shooter Escape from Tarkov dropped a big new update this week, bringing a new urban area, new weapons, a new boss, and a rework of the shoreline area. The big new region is Ground Zero, a major downtown filled with skyscrapers that also includes urban infrastructure like "banks, cafes, restaurants, stores, pharmacies, and so on."

Catering directly to the firearm enthusiasts that make up its core fanbase, Tarkov also included a nice new weapon to tinker with. Alongside other additions is the SIG MCX SPEAR, a more widely-available "civilian" version of the US Army's new XM7 assault rifle.

Oh, and the update adds Vaulting. Everyone who plays Tarkov is very excited about being able to defeat their greatest enemy: Some boxes and/or a thigh-high wall.

And, wow, if you liked the look of last year's urban map Streets of Tarkov, Ground Zero delivers pretty similar stuff—the trick here is that Ground Zero is for newer, lower-level players. It's restricted to beginner players at levels 1-20, with players above level 20 unable to enter it. It's also where new introductory quests happen, and it has special visual cues for new players.

The update launched yesterday with some serious technical issues, including players unable to log in or play once logged in. Those should now be fixed, says Tarkov's X/Twitter account, with a technical update deployed to solve some other client-side problems.

This update also includes a big rework of Tarkov's hitbox and armor system. Heads now have separate hit zones for the separate areas of head armor, while other parts of the body have become similarly complex to fit with a very detailed new armor system. The new armor includes 37(!) new ballistic plates for separate body areas and a new system of repairs and such for the integrated armor of various equipment, such as helmets.

You can find the Escape from Tarkov 0.14 trailer above or on YouTube, and you can find the full Escape from Tarkov 0.14 patch notes on the Tarkov website, which is also where you can learn more about the game generally.

Jon Bolding is a games writer and critic with an extensive background in strategy games. When he's not on his PC, he can be found playing every tabletop game under the sun.