If you're not on the Baldur's Gate 3 hype train, this new extraction shooter is having an open beta you can play instead

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There's a big new RPG out now and everyone seems to agree that it's great, but if for some reason you're not interested and want something else to play, try this: Hawked, the PvPvE extraction shooter announced by My.Games in 2022, has kicked off an open beta that's set to run until August 17.

The setup for Hawked is pretty basic as these things go: There's an island filled with powerful artifacts from a lost civilization, and the current inhabitants don't want to give them up. Instead of acknowledging their cultural sovereignty and respecting their wishes, you—on behalf of the treasure-hunting adventurers group known as GRAIL—are going to bust in, kick ass, and take what doesn't belong to you. Hey, somebody's gotta do it, right?

Along with the usual run-and-gun action against the native inhabitants, you'll also have to evade traps, solve puzzles, and deal with other players, who might decide that since they're stealing things from other people anyway, they might as well steal your stuff too.

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Hawked is one of the more unusual extraction shooters to pop up in the last few years. Unlike Escape From Tarkov or Hunt: Showdown, you don't actually lose all your gear when you die. Killing also isn't the main goal: teams are only fighting over the treasure, so it's possible to Indiana Jones your way into an artifact and escape without a blemish.

Here's a deeper dive into what it's all about:

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Somewhat unusually, the Hawked open beta also has its own battle pass, free for everyone who takes part, with 20 "exclusive" cosmetic rewards including new outfits, gear, weapon patterns, and other in-game items. More Hawked loot can be had via Twitch Drops, which can be earned by watching official content creators. Any items picked up by Twitch Drops will be available in the open beta and the full game.

And last but not least, if you sign up for the Hawked mailing list, you'll also get a hat. It's a very fine hat.

To get into the Hawked open beta, just pop around to Steam and click the "play now" button— It's a 10GB download, and then you're off to the races. A full launch date for Hawked has not been announced.

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.