Release date: October 16, 2025
Developer: Team Soda
Platforms: PC
Genre: Extraction Shooter / Indie
🦆 A Weird Game That Feels Weirdly Familiar
Escape from Duckov might just be the strangest extraction shooter I’ve ever touched — and I say that as someone who’s sunk over a thousand hours into Warframe and hundreds into The Division 2. So yeah, grind and I are old friends.
Duckov takes the hardcore loop of Escape from Tarkov — loot, extract, repeat — and filters it through a cartoon fever dream. You play as a gun-toting duck in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, scavenging for tech and scraps while rival ducks and robotic enemies try to turn you into feathers. It sounds ridiculous, but that’s the charm.
🔫 Combat and Gameplay – Top-Down, Tight, and Surprisingly Meaty
The game’s top-down, isometric camera limits your field of vision, which keeps you alert — enemies can still sneak behind you. The gunplay feels great: weapons have kick, feedback, and that satisfying snap you expect from a well-tuned shooter.
You’ll manage your duck’s wounds, hunger, and hydration, but nothing too punishing. These mechanics add a layer of realism without turning it into a survival slog. It’s the kind of gameplay where you’re rewarded for staying alert, not punished for experimenting.
🪙 The Grind – Depends on the Player
Let’s address the elephant (or duck) in the room: this game is grindy.
You’ll replay the same routes, lose gear, rebuild your stash, and repeat that cycle countless times. For some, that’ll feel exhausting.
But if you’ve ever thrived in games like Warframe or The Division 2, you already know the truth — the grind is the game.
The satisfaction doesn’t come from instant progress, it comes from mastery. Every death teaches you something. Every successful extraction feels earned.
Yes, you’ll need patience, but that’s exactly what makes Duckov oddly rewarding.
🏗️ Progression, Maps, and Base Building
Duckov starts small — literally. You begin with a modest map, upgrading your duck and your base to unlock better weapons and crafting options. Once you can afford to access the larger, more dangerous zone, the game really opens up.
Enemies fight each other, wildlife roams freely, and the environment can change through storms or blocked pathways you can clear permanently. It’s chaotic, dynamic, and keeps runs from feeling identical.
There’s also a quest system that adds purpose to your scavenging — tasks that push you to explore new areas or hunt for specific resources. Sure, RNG can be cruel, but that’s the extraction genre in a nutshell.
💾 Single-Player Only — A Blessing or a Missed Opportunity?
Escape from Duckov goes against the trend by being purely single-player. No PvP, no co-op, no lobby shooters. Just you and your duck against the world.
That’ll split opinions:
- For some, the lack of multiplayer removes the tension and unpredictability of other extraction games.
- For others (myself included), it’s refreshing. You can grind at your own pace, experiment, and enjoy the weird humor without worrying about getting sniped mid-loot by a 12-year-old with lightning reflexes.
🎨 Style and Personality
Duckov’s art style is a love-it-or-hate-it deal — cartoonish, bright, and self-aware. It doesn’t take itself seriously, yet the mechanics absolutely do. The humor helps break up the tension of endless runs, and it’s nice to see an indie dev swing this confidently for something different.
🧩 Verdict
Escape from Duckov isn’t for everyone, but for gamers who appreciate the grind, it’s a hidden gem. It’s weird, relentless, and unapologetically itself.
If you’re the type who enjoys methodical progress — slowly improving your loadout, unlocking new tech, and mastering repetition — you’ll find a lot to love here.
If you’re looking for instant gratification or story-driven pacing, you’ll probably bounce off fast.
Score: 8/10 — Great
A quirky, self-aware extraction shooter that rewards patience, precision, and persistence. The grind’s not a flaw — it’s the flavor.
👍 Pros
- Responsive, weighty combat
- Clever top-down perspective
- Fun mix of humor and intensity
- Deep progression for grind enjoyers
👎 Cons
- No multiplayer (for those who crave it)
- RNG-heavy loot system can frustrate
- Repetition may wear down casual players
