You Need to Play ARC Raiders, Even if You Hate Extraction Shooters

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I’ve had some memorable moments playing ARC Raiders. Once, a simple search for supplies on a rooftop turned into a fight with ARC, and another team actually used our own zipline to wipe us out! Another time, we weren’t ready for a Leaper in the forest, and it quickly defeated two of us, then finished off the third while they tried to revive me. We also had a close sniper battle where I tried to flank the enemy from below but failed. Luckily, a teammate revived an ally right before my attempt, and that small help contributed to us eventually escaping.

I don’t usually love extraction shooter games, but I was completely hooked by Embark Studios’ new release, ARC Raiders. Even with major games like Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 coming out around the same time – which feels like a repeat of the difficulties Titanfall 2 faced – I can confidently say: you should definitely give ARC Raiders a try.

I still need more time, particularly with the live game, to fully share my thoughts on what I enjoyed and didn’t enjoy. A recent preview event did help clarify those ideas. Surprisingly, I couldn’t do solo practice runs in Dam Battlegrounds – our first game started us at The Spaceport, a desolate area filled with abandoned shuttles and decaying launch pads. The map featured long sightlines combined with tall buildings connected by ziplines, which meant a lot of going up and down. You were either trying to control the high ground in nearby buildings, using them for cover from both the ARC and other players, or exploring long, winding tunnels. I figured that was fine – you have to be adaptable to survive in a post-apocalyptic world.

The other two maps I played – Buried City and Blue Gate – were completely different from each other. Buried City, with its ruined city in the desert, seemed basic at first. But ARC Raiders made it feel much more immersive. Old, partially buried buildings suggested families once lived there, and perhaps even perished together. Rooftops offered opportunities to ambush other players hunting for valuable supply drops. Even taking the subway was dangerous, with fast-moving Fireball ARCs roaming around.

Blue Gate looks peaceful at first, which is what made my attempt to sneak around the enemy fail so badly. The wide, hilly landscape is surprisingly calm, but that quickly changes when it starts to rain. Suddenly, it’s chaos, and we’re fighting for our lives against a sniper. Luckily, the ARC weapon helped us by taking out some enemies first, giving us a little breathing room.

One of the things I really liked about playing ARC Raiders was learning the map. Knowing where to go is crucial in competitive multiplayer shooters, and even more so in games like battle royales or extraction shooters, to find resources and good equipment. You also have to think about how dangerous different areas are, knowing other players might already be there. It’s really important, because you can lose all your gear in this game. The way the game makes survival a challenge is interesting, but it also has some drawbacks.

Unlike many competitive games, the environments in ARC Raiders feel like places that were once full of life. They hint at a lost civilization, now overtaken by a beautiful but dangerous new ecosystem. The world is packed with details to discover – some will help you complete your missions, while others are just interesting finds that might be useful later on.

The core gameplay is still there – you’ll collect items to finish missions or upgrade your gear, and try to escape safely. But this game really lets you explore freely. Danger is always present – other players showed no mercy in the preview – but there’s a unique feeling during quiet moments, like anything could happen, and that kept me hooked, even after repeatedly failing.

It’s understandable that losing progress can be annoying, particularly for players new to games where you collect items and then try to escape with them. What’s great is how the developers, Embark Studios, handle this in their game. In the game’s main hub, called Speranza, you can buy weapons, ammo, and resources from different shops. You can even craft your own gear! But if you’re worried about losing everything on your next mission, the game offers ‘Free Loadouts’ – pre-set inventories with a weapon, health items, and ammo to get you started.

This is a good starting point, but it won’t be enough to compete with top players. It’s perfect for exploring the map or gathering materials to complete quests, though. Plus, there’s Scrappy, a friendly rooster who wanders around Speranza and gives you resources each round – the better trained he is, the better the resources become.

The game features a skill tree with helpful passive abilities, such as reduced movement slowdown while shielded, faster loot discovery, and lower stamina consumption. You earn experience quickly by looting, fighting enemies, and completing other actions, which helps you improve your character and gain an advantage on future missions. While you might not immediately be able to defeat powerful enemies or massive machines (and the trailer hints at even greater challenges ahead), these systems ensure you’re consistently progressing, learning, and becoming more skilled at the game.

I could go on and on about how great ARC Raiders is. The weapons feel fantastic, particularly the Anvil – a powerful hand cannon with realistic loading. The ARC enemies are more than just typical computer-controlled opponents; they’re genuinely challenging. You really need to learn what you’re up against, or you’ll quickly find yourself defeated. Because they’re so dangerous, stealth is a smart way to play, but their alertness also lets you manipulate them and even turn them against other players.

Be cautious around derelict vehicles. Some may still have battery life and could unexpectedly honk, potentially drawing unwanted attention from ARC if you approach them.

Playing ARC Raiders felt like a true “extraction adventure.” Unlike many games where the main goal is just collecting loot, ARC Raiders focused on the journey itself. Exploring each map, challenging its limits, and working towards a bigger objective felt right at home in the game’s optimistic world. Even with long odds, there was a sense of hope and excitement about what each new challenge might bring, even if it meant taking a big risk.

Please be aware that the opinions shared in this article are the author’s own and don’t reflect the official stance of GamingBolt.

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2025-10-31 21:42