Pioner, which is basically hardcore Fallout 76, is getting a new beta

A lot of Pioner looks like Fallout. The post-apocalyptic settlements, the ramshackle buildings, and the rusting robots are all reminiscent of the iconic videogame series. However, other parts of the game look almost alien. The natural flora is beyond comprehension, and intrigues me greatly. What could have happened to the world to make it look like that? Is this game even set on our world? Thankfully, we don't have to wait long to find out, as developer GFA Games has revealed an exciting new gameplay trailer alongside an announcement that we'll be able to play an open beta of the game later this year.

The Fallout comparisons have been made before, but the new trailer doubles down on that aesthetic. Despite the similarities in setting, however, Pioner looks very different to Bethesda's post-apocalyptic MMO, Fallout 76.

As you can see in the new gameplay trailer, GFA Games is focused on more realistic gunplay, more akin to what we'd see in Escape from Tarkov than Fallout's arcadey shooting systems.

The variety of enemies you'll fight is also exciting. The trailer shows messed-up zombies, fearsome beasts, and of course, rival humans. Those rivals take the form of savage raider-style NPCs, as well as other players in the game's PvP mode.

PvP is accessed via the Shadowlands, a specific zone of Tartarus Island, where the game is set. This means you can seemingly opt out if you want, but heading in grants you access to an extraction shooter-style mode, where you can earn great rewards or lose everything.

The grim atmosphere of this ruined world is enough to sell me on Pioner, but adding Tarkov-esque gunplay excites me even more. Countless games have great atmosphere but poor mechanics, and plenty focus on the shooting details but offer a sterile world to fight in. If Pioner can nail both aspects, it has all the makings of a great FPS game.

You can play the Pioner open beta in October this year. You can sign up and wishlist the game here.

If you can't wait a month to get stuck in, check out some of the best survival games in the meantime. The best apocalypse games are also worth a look - we promise there's more than just Fallout and Stalker on the list.

Will you be playing the Pioner open beta? Let us know in our community Discord server, where readers and staff hang out to share all the gaming fun.