PUBG maps: Everything you need to know about Taego

PUBG is back with a new map, Taego, and it is unlike any other map ever released.

This time, we get to witness the beauty of the Korean countryside. Taego promised fans a visual display of old Korea's landscape. Along with a new map, the 12.2 updates brought a plethora of game-changing additions to the beloved franchise, including a self-revive kit and a mini-scale battle royale that occur in real-time as the main one is in progress.

My name is Bryan, and I will be your tour leader for today. I will be guiding you through the hills, villages, and towns of Taego. If you look to your left, you can see all the best landing locations. If you look to your right, that is one of the many secret rooms that Taego hides behind its mysterious charm.

Are you ready for the tour, future survivors? Strap in, dive, and earn yourself some chickens for dinner. Here's everything you need to know about PUBG's newest map—Taego.

Taego's Overview

Image source: PUBG Corp

Let's go over the design of Taego. Taego is an 8x8 traditional large map that features multiple environments, such as hills, indoor areas, and open fields. Taego resembles Erangel (the first playable map) in many ways but not without its own quirks and characteristics

✅ Pros

• Wide-open fields:

   Taego offers a lot of open terrains for gamers to relive the old innocent PUBG days, sprinting and frolicking on the endless yellow grass.

• Exciting new features:

   Returning players may now uniquely enjoy the battle royale genre.

• Air packages on steroids:

   air shipments are now delivered in several cartons, with additional items included.

❌ Cons

• Reduced visibility:

   tall grass and bushes may prevent you from spotting enemies. That could be an advantage, depending on your situation.

• Visible wildlife:

   this is an exclusive added feature in Taego. Birds flee if you approach or shoot near them. They may warn attackers of your position, which might be fatal.

See the map in action, watch the Taego gameplay trailer.

Best Landing Locations

Now that you are familiar with Taego's environment, I invite you to visit some of the best locations Taego has to offer so that you know exactly where to drop for your next game.

The locations will be divided into two categories: hot drop and safe drop. Hot means you will be dropping into a highly contested area. Safe means you will have plenty of time to secure your loot before the first gunfire begins. Let's start with a hot location.

Terminal (Hot)

Image source: PUBG Corp

Our first stop for the trip is the terminal. The terminal is located at the center of the map for a reason. Players who are looking to get straight into the action will love this location. Similar to School in Erangel, gunfights happen as soon as players land on the roof of the building. Players can descend the building using staircases or drop down to a bus beneath and make their way through the window from the roof.

The inside of the terminal is a scary place to be. Enemies can hide in any room and catch you off guard. The element of surprise causes adrenaline to coast through your veins as your eyes stay fully alert of the tiniest movements. The terminal is not a place for fainted hearts.

Being one of the busiest areas in Taego, players can expect to have fully-equipped gear by the time they walk out of the door (if they manage to survive the chaotic massacre).

Prison (Safe)

Image source: PUBG Corp

Prison is the first area you spawn into while waiting for the match to start. It is a good idea to explore the prison for two reasons. First of all, PUBG Studio put a lot of effort into designing this prison. It resembles an abandoned prison in the '80s. Walls are blown up, corridors are full of graffitis, and jail rooms are shut tight. The sun cannot seem to penetrate those hard bricks. The inside is chilly, dark, and atmospheric.

Secondly, if you are going to land in prison (haha), it is best to know your way around first. The indoors' complicated design may confuse new visitors. It is like a maze; as soon as you lose a sense of direction, you forget the way out. Therefore, don't focus too much on finding that muzzle for your Berryl because you might end up walking the same corridors for the tenth time. Plus, you don't know what is lurking in the shadow, so keep your eyes up.

Ho San (Hot)

Image source: PUBG Corp.

This location is another hot-drop, so it invites a lot of dynamic gunplay. Ho San is a residential area with lots of similar houses close to each other. While looting indoors, Ho San restricts your field of view but offers protection. Players can only rely on sound and awareness to spot incoming danger.

Ho San evokes the memory of an old area from Erangel called Pochinki. There is a movie theater in the center of Ho San. Around that movie theater, there are multiple buildings with green roofs. You can gain access to those roofs, get inside the buildings, and surprise your enemies. What makes Ho San fun to land is the uncertainty and anxiety every time you open any door, not knowing what is behind it. Make sure you don't barge in any house willingly because the owner may be waiting around the corner, eager to strip you from your hard-earned loot.

Wol Song (Safe)

Image source: PUBG Corp

Unlike Ho San, Wol Song is an open field. There are houses here and there, but you will mostly be out in the open looking for gear. Wol Song does not offer the intensity of close-quarter combat, but it invites another type of anxiety: the fear of being watched.

Fear not, however, as there is almost no one watching you. Both north and west sides protect this modest-sized region. The open field is large enough for you to locate enough loot. Although it's near Hae Moo So and Go Dok, most players prefer to land in those areas first, giving you a bit more time to prepare yourself. When you think you are ready, head to those two areas and give them a proper welcome.

Taego Secret Room Locations

The 12.2 updates implemented hidden walls. Players who obtained a key can open one of these walls and get access to top-tier loot. These hidden walls are inside secret rooms scattered around Taego. The secret rooms are not shown on the map, but we got you covered.

Every time you come across a painted picture that looks abstract, there is good stuff behind that painting. Here is one example:

Image source: PUBG Corp

Okay, but how do I find those paintings?

You can look for their locations by following our map below.

Image source: PUBG Corp

Once you get there, approach the painting, and you will see a lock. Interact with that lock, and the wall will reveal its treasures. The weapons may vary, but armor, helmet, and a redeploy bag are always guaranteed. Don't be lured in by the shiny level 3 helmet because it is often a trap. Enemies will be waiting for you to open the wall and reap the treasure off your dead body.

The Comeback BR System

For the first time in PUBG, players can rejoin their party even after being eliminated. The respawn system has been available in Warzone and Apex Legends for quite some time. It was surprising to see PUBG be the last one to integrate this gameplay mechanic, given that it is the first and most popular battle royale title ever released.

PUBG's version of Warzone's Gulag is quite different and unique. However, the community has been critical of its implementation. It adds more downtime to the gameplay and proves to be more tedious and intuitive. Nonetheless, here is how it works.

Let's say you got unlucky and died as soon as you landed. If your teammates are still alive, you need to wait until phase one ends, which may take a while. As soon as phase two begins, you and other dead players will teleport to the corner of the map.

The comeback system is now in action. There, you continue to play the game normally. You will respawn empty-handed. There are weapons and armors in the respawn area, but backpacks are not available, so you need to choose your items accordingly.

The goal is simple. You either survive for 5 minutes or be the last one standing in the mini-battle royale playground. If you succeed, a helicopter will transport you back to the main map, where you can meet up with your teammates. Your teammates must stay alive until you are escorted out of the respawn area. If they are wiped out, you will get disconnected as well.

On paper, the system appears to be innovative and unique. However, how does it hold up to expectation?

In reality, it's not that exciting. Even if you manage to get out of the respawn area unscathed, the wait time could stack up to a total of 15 minutes. Most players would quit the match and queue up another one with their teammates. It seems faster that way.

The respawn system does not offer any significant value to the casuals. However, it is there to help new players get a second chance. Furthermore, professional teams can milk this feature to its bones. The ability to come back to the final circles is a game-changing tool to help teammates secure that chicken dinner.

Conclusion

Needless to say, PUBG is no longer the same game it was back in 2016. The game has undergone a lot of changes and tweaks to become the game we know today. PUBG, as the pioneer of the popular battle royale genre, has a lot of potentials to showcase. Taego embodies the shifts that PUBG Corporation is willing to risk to put their game back on the map.

Many long-time fans are excited to jump in and start having fun again. After a long wait, the game seems lively once again. I might grab a few buddies of mine and run squad tonight. See you on Taego?