GTFO Rundown 8.0 Preview - You're Already Dead

There’s something to be said for any game that allows itself to be challenging in today’s landscape of story modes and user-friendly content. 10 Chambers’ GTFO is one such project, one that has been embraced by its fans despite its hardcore leanings.

Released in 2019 through Steam’s Early Access program, GTFO has seen its share of success through awards but more importantly, community support. This support has culminated in a series of free updates over the years known as Rundowns, and the last of the lot is now upon us.

Rundown 8.0: Duality is an expansion that brings GTFO’s mission count up to 80, as well as the conclusion to the game’s long-running story arc. This time, players are tasked with taking their four-player team of prisoners to escape the hellish underground complex known as Garganta.

Circling back around to GTFO itself, the development team hails it as a game that had to be mad, it was something they wanted to do in order to reboot their creativity after 10 Chambers was formed in 2015.

What separates GTFO from its contemporaries, however, is how punishing it is. There’s no handholding in this co-op first-person shooter.

As with previous updates, GTFO thrives on the idea that the player’s survival hinges upon their ability to communicate, coordinate, and manage what little resources they do have. Those who fail to engage in such teamwork will find themselves having a bad time and will probably end up dead.

These truths were evident during my time with the new update ahead of its release. I was curious, but also cautious at first because I had never played GTFO up until that moment. Even from the outset where you’re tasked with customizing your character’s loadouts before the mission begins, there is a sense of mystery and foreboding.

My thoughts were – just why would I need all of these weapons and tools when I was going into this thing with three other people?

Well, the answer to that is quite simple: you’re going to need everything you have to get through GTFO’s punishing experience.

And it’s punishing right out of the gate. I can see why the developers stressed that GTFO is a hardcore game because you can’t just waltz around, firing off ammo whenever you please. The gameplay loop relies on several different mechanics you get you through and you’re best using all of your options lest you end up running out of resources early on.

After selecting a set of load-outs, the game kicks into gear once everyone else chimes in at the ready. Your character is whisked away into a dark and dreary underground, and there’s no choice but to trek forward.

Whilst my preview was guided by someone familiar with GTFO, my impression from the start is just how oppressive everything feels. The eerie environments are dimly lit, and as you go through the maps there are creatures scattered about.

These are the main enemy combatants throughout and progressing through the maps requires a bit of strategy when it comes to getting around them.

I say that but, while stealth is certainly an option, it doesn’t always work out that way. These creatures are very sensitive, to say the least, and things like lights or moving while they’re stimulated will trigger an entire mass of them to come at you.

Enemies can be approached with stealth kills, but if you fail, you’re going to have to expend some ammo to get rid of them in some way or another. It can be tense, and I absolutely failed a few times just trying to get a handle on everything that was happening.

On top of that, you have to rely on the three other people with you executing everything without disturbing them either and more often than not, a big fight is going to break out and you’ll be shooting your way out.

It helps that GTFO’s gameplay is in the same realm as most shooters. It’s the usual layout on a keyboard and then cycling through your loadout using the mouse. I found myself favoring rifles, but I also had a weapon that could place turrets that would come in handy during a later map-centric mechanic.

Said mechanic tied more into the survival theme of GTFO. Not only are you clearing rooms for items and the like, but some of them will force you into a situation where you have to stand in a marked circle to satisfy the conditions of what’s called a bio-scan. During this time, enemies will swarm the area and so before that happens, you and your teammates have time to set traps using things like mines and turrets to help eliminate the problem.

As story does play an important role in GTFO, completing objectives related to the narrative is key for progression during each mission. Of course, once you satisfy those requirements, it’s time for the game’s name to kick in and you’ll need to get yourself and your teammates out before you’re killed dead.

It’s not as easy as it sounds, and my team did game over during the second mission we tried. There’s just so much caution required and situational awareness comes heavily into play. Even the smallest noises can send a wave of enemies your way and GTFO has no problem punishing you severely for such a slight.

With this update, GTFO’s story will see its conclusion, but for those new to the game fear not – all of the previous Rundown campaigns are still available and can be tried out during a free Steam weekend through December 10.

As for the future? 10 Chambers remains dedicated to the GTFO community and is considering a potential console version so long as it doesn’t interfere with their next project, the newly announced heist game Den of Wolves.

TechRaptor was invited to an event to preview GTFO Rundown 8 by the publisher.