An elevator pitch for Level Zero: Extraction would sound like this: It’s Escape from Tarkov crossed with Alien.
Tantalizing, but a bit redundant. There’s more to Level Zero beyond the easy comparison. It’s an extraction shooter, like Tarkov, and there’s an alien hunting you, true. But where other shooters emphasize action and realism, Level Zero embraces the intense claustrophobia of Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi epic. Guns will do the trick in a pinch, but the moment the alien (controlled by another player) shows up, you’re best off running. There’s a sense of helplessness that permeates every second of Level Zero. Knowledge that for all the gear you carry, ultimately you’re hopelessly outgunned and out-evolved by whatever lurks in the darkness. And that’s if you don’t bump into the other teams of mercenaries!
You play as a mercenary out for valuable loot. Only problem is, said loot is usually found in abandoned outposts destroyed by alien lifeforms. You enter with a small team, grab what you can, and get out before anyone notices. At least in theory. In practice, the results are rarely as straightforward.
For example, my first run with Level Zero went like this. I joined up with a party of unknowns, other journalists, in the early Beta test. The voice chat is entirely localized, so if anyone strays too far, that’s it. You won’t hear from them anymore. After hasty introductions, we set out into the unknown. Time is of essence.
We descend a stairwell to a darkened research lab. Two doors wait downstairs; one deeper into the complex, the other outside, where a potential extraction site awaits. Something rattles behind us. I rush up the stairs and use my feeble torch to light up the long hallway. Nothing. Whatever it was is gone – if it was there to begin with.
I turn around and head back down, only to realize my “team” has moved on. I call out and hear nothing back. I peek into the lab and find it untouched. They didn’t go this way. So I head outside, where a howling wind catches me off-guard. I see figures moving in the distance. Their torches swinging wildly from side to side. They’re running towards something – or away from someone.
Then one of the lights goes out. The two other remaining lights split up. I move closer and hear one of the players shout into their mic. Then another light goes. At this point, I don’t hesitate any longer. I turn around and head back inside, closing the doors behind me. I’m alone in the dark. The alien is close, and I have no idea what to do or where to go.
Level Zero captures the sensation of terror, hopelessness, and – in rare cases – triumph, beautifully. Even in its early form, with numerous little bugs, poor implementations of tutorials, and odd control features, it’s a remarkable example of how far a good idea and gameplay loop can take you. Played with friends and an unknown as the alien, it elevates the genre by stripping it down to the bare essentials. Like Scott’s classic film, it reinforces the simple notion that in space, no one can hear you scream.
You can also play as the alien, but I found that experience a bit lonesome and occasionally frustrating. There’s little incentive to enjoy the experience, as more emphasis is placed on the communal scares of surviving as a team. If the full release amps up the thrills – or includes another player you can team up with for joint hunting – Level Zero will deliver the finest gaming experience in galactic horror in years.
As it stands, this is my favorite extraction shooter in ages. Even in its current form. There are faults, to be sure. Gun play, for one, is still clunky and dire. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out where you’re supposed to go on the map. Feedback from enemies is non-existent, which makes melee combat a pain. Things that will get figured out as the game progresses, but they are there as of now, and you should take that into account before you dive in.
I can’t wait to see where it goes from here, and I hope that it will find an audience to keep the player base lively for years to come. The foundation is super solid, the atmosphere to die for, and every run that I’ve taken has been a thrill. That’s not an easy thing to achieve, and Level Zero makes it look like a walk in the park.
Level Zero: Extraction is out now in public beta. The full release is due later this year.