ARC Raiders has finally hit the market after years of development at Embark Studios. It comes from the creative minds that brought us The Finals and, once upon a time, games like Battlefield. It’s a retro-futuristic, post-apocalyptic, extraction shooter epic that has been turning heads for months, and now it’s finally here, it’s screaming up the charts.
Being a fan of the extraction genre, I was all too eager to leap head over heels into ARC Raiders. I’d waited until the full release of the game to experience it, as I wanted the most polished version possible, and what I’ve been treated to is nothing short of sumptuous.
This is the most refreshing, entertaining extraction shooter I think we’ve ever had. Read on for my full ARC Raiders review.
ARC Raiders is Accessible but Remains Challenging
ARC Raiders is perhaps the most accessible game to land in the genre, which is typically tougher and less welcoming than almost every other genre out there (except perhaps Soulslike). It takes the extraction shooter concept and makes it more ‘arcadey’ and inviting, while retaining a solid sense of challenge that keeps the more talented players engaged.
That balance is flawless, in my eyes. I generally hate games that are challenging for the sake of it, but ARC Raiders manages to keep you entertained even while you’re losing, and there are mechanics built into the game to make sure you can keep playing even when you’re on your last buck.
Given that ARC Raiders is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, it already has a step up on the competition, which is almost exclusively refined to PC platforms. For instance, Escape from Tarkov, arguably the spearhead of the extraction genre, has spent almost a decade confined to a proprietary launcher on PC, and is only just coming to Steam later this month.
If you choose to invest the $30 or so to secure a copy of ARC Raiders, you’ll be getting what might be one of the best introductions to the extraction shooter genre imaginable.
Extraction Redefined
ARC Raiders takes players and throws them into a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by an invasion of robotic enemies called ARC. The human race has been driven underground into a settlement called Speranza, and ‘going topside’ is a risky and ambitious concept reserved only for foolhardy Raiders, scavengers who want to claim the riches still left above ground.
It’s a third-person action-based shooter with some light RPG and survival mechanics, large-ish environments to explore, and intense combat systems that make fighting both human enemies and AI-driven robots a satisfying romp.
I’ve said it’s effectively Fortnite crossed with Fallout, and fused with Escape from Tarkov.
You’ve got the third-person perspective, rapid movement model, and elements like skin packs and emotes, combined with the post-apocalyptic, war-torn setting, and extraction-based gameplay loop.
What’s different about ARC Raiders is that it holds your hand quite nicely without being too forgiving. You can get free loadouts at any point if you’re down on your luck, you have a companion named Scrappy (he’s a chicken) who collects crafting items for you to use, and the early-game missions are tutorials that help you understand the core facets of the title.
I think the earliest quests had me fully understand every angle of the game, including trading, crafting, extraction, healing, and more, within an hour flat. You don’t get that in a game like Escape from Tarkov!
But with that being said, ARC Raiders can quickly ramp up the difficulty, depending on your circumstances. The ARC enemies are notoriously tough, and fighting something like a Queen is absolutely impossible without a dedicated effort by a well-armed team with a key strategy to follow.
As you could imagine, resources are scarce, the post-apocalyptic arsenal is reminiscent of Fallout’s ‘pipe weapon’ range, and there are no armor items to find and upgrade, just energy shields and the warm flesh of your Raider.
The Social Extraction Shooter That Marathon Couldn’t Be
Bungie stressed that Marathon, an upcoming extraction shooter that was plagued by bad press earlier this year, would be the first ‘social’ extraction shooter. It was said it would hit the market with elements of accessibility and would promote teamwork and collaboration over mindless slaughter.
That’s what ARC Raiders is doing. In the raids that I’ve played, I’ve had more positive interactions than in any other extraction shooter or battle royale title. I’ve teamed up with other players, helped them into the extraction sites (elevators that take you back to Speranza), and even earned apologies from players before they brutally knocked me out and sent me to the abyss.
Even when I do get into a fight, I feel like it’s pretty balanced, even if the RPG-style skill-based pathways lend themselves to the whole ‘unemployed gamers are more powerful’ vibe. As you rank up your character, you unlock multiple benefits that might make a brand-new player feel a bit hard done by, but that’s the nature of the game, and you just need to deal with it.
If you grind, you’ll get there yourself at some point. There are no wipes in ARC Raiders, except for the optional ‘Expedition Projects’ that crop up after you’ve hit level 20, so you can chug along at your own pace, have fun meeting people and enjoying the world around you, and not worry about losing all your progress once every six months.
Everything I Wanted
I was holding fire on ARC Raiders for the longest time, but I need to admit that it’s everything I’m looking for in an extraction shooter.
There are plenty of places to loot and explore, the resource pool is diverse, and the core concept of the game is intriguing and engaging. I’m a huge fan of the combat, which invites you to try out a range of fighting styles and approaches, and I love how accessible the game is, catering perfectly for casual players just as much as die-hard veterans of the genre.
Embark Studios has done a phenomenal job with ARC Raiders. It looks brilliant on-screen, runs quite nicely, and has a diverse collection of maps, enemies to fight, and quests to complete. There are 63 quests to contend with right now, but the ARC Raiders roadmap for the path ahead has been revealed, and plenty more content is coming.
Escape from Tarkov’s 1.0 release on November 15 and the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 on November 14 might disrupt ARC Raider somewhat, but I’m confident that this shooter has plenty of meat on the bones and fuel in the tank, more than enough to retain a core community that will keep the game up on their shoulders.
If there is one thing I would ask for, it’s a PvE mode that takes out the extra challenge of PvP battles. I’d be perfectly happy playing only with friends or running solo in a world populated by ARC, but I imagine that’s already set for development…
Arc Raiders Review Verdict
ARC Raiders perfectly represents what a modern success looks like in this industry. It’s retaining a solid player base with ease, has generated millions of sales, and has a dense roadmap with stacks of potential. Not only does it look and play fantastically well on all platforms, but it’s innovating in a genre that has, for far too long, felt inaccessible and ringfenced. There is no better extraction shooter in the world right now.
ARC Raiders
10
ARC Raiders
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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