Summary
- PvPvE extraction shooter Arc Raiders is available today for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title.
- The risk of losing your stuff, the danger of the robots, and the unpredictability of other raiders makes for an overall tense experience.
- But thoughtful quality-of-life enhancements and a charming ’70s retrofuturist aesthetic help it go down more easily, inviting in genre-curious players.
My favorite shooters accommodate a wide range of players. I didn’t have the fastest twitch reflexes as a teenager, let alone now nearing 40, so I’ll never do well in a straight battle of headshots and KDR. But I’ve poured hundreds of hours into Overwatch and Helldivers 2 because they reward strategic thinking and offer an interesting range of different playstyles, which in turn produces a more compellingly wide range of stories. They also allow me to play alongside more skilled friends without feeling like anyone is compromising their fun.
Arc Raiders may be the next shooter to pull me in. I played for 3 hours across 3 different maps, both solo and in a squad, in a recent closed preview event of the whole game for journalists and influencers. This upcoming PvPvE extraction shooter is set in a future reminiscent of “The Matrix” – rogue robots called Arc have devastated humanity, driving the survivors to hide deep underground in a last stronghold city, Speranza (“hope”).
As the eponymous raiders, players make runs to different zones on the surface, pillaging the ruins of civilization for usable materials while navigating the threats of both Arc robots and their fellow raiders, then making it safely home with whatever they can carry back to base to sell, scrap, craft, or use on subsequent raids.
It’s chasing the microgenre du jour, extraction shooters, which are built around the same general risk/reward loop of going into a hostile area, completing objectives, and extracting with goodies that will fuel future runs. If you’ve enjoyed the likes of Escape from Tarkov and Hunt: Showdown, Arc Raiders is aiming to be your next obsession – and if you haven’t dipped a toe into extraction shooters yet, this is shaping up to be a gorgeous entry point.
Tension Management
As befits the genre, the dominant feeling throughout my time with Arc Raiders was tension. Any encounter going wrong could mean not just the opportunity cost of whatever new spoils we hoped to take home, but also losing all the equipment we brought in with us. That kind of high-stakes resource pressure, where one’s ability to make progress depends on building and maintaining momentum that can be easily lost, is part of the appeal for the genre’s hardcore fans, but also adds a certain prickliness that could deter other prospective players.
Arc Raiders graciously smooths this out with free loadouts that let you jump into a raid with a minimum viable kit and no risk of loss, helping players that might be stuck treading water while they get their bearings in the game. Every raider also has “Scrappy,” a pet rooster that collects a steady drip of basic materials for them while out on raids, ensuring they can always craft basic necessities like bandages and bullets.
Completing objectives during a raid, whether they extract or not, also nets skill points that can be distributed between three different trees. This all allows for a baseline of progression and character growth/specialization, even if players are struggling to survive most of their runs.
The greatest source of tension, however, was from other people. Unlike a conventional PvP competitive shooter, where the constant pressure of other players is the engine driving gameplay, the rate of encounters was much more variable here. Individual raids across my session varied widely based on the map and happenstance. Some were dominated by long, quiet stretches of scavenging through buildings and sneaking past robots, punctuated by a handful of staccato encounters. Other times we found ourselves stumbling from firefight to firefight as robot engagements drew the attention of opportunistic raiders, and vice versa.
Besides never quite being sure exactly when we would encounter other players, another juicy source of tension was whether our fellow raiders would be hostile or friendly. Over my session I experienced a full spectrum of interactions, from being shot on sight to having lighthearted chats, leading sometimes to them giving crucial help later in the match, other times to betrayal. In that way it reminded me of Sea of Thieves, which cultivates a similar sense of vulnerability by pairing the possibility of losing all your new stuff with the black box of strangers’ intentions. Granting that a closed session of journalists and influencers is likely to be as friendly as the game is going to get, I’ll be very curious to see how the player community’s norms develop once the game is released to the wider public.
The Enemy of my Enemy
One element that might help encourage players to work together is the genuine threat posed by the Arc robots. Far from being rote cannon-fodder, the non-human enemies are dynamic and dangerous, keeping us on our toes throughout, even when other human players weren’t in sight. Developer Embark is no doubt helped here by the fact that Arc Raiders started as purely PvE experience before settling into its current extraction form, which means real development time and resources went into making Arc enemies feel like the star of the show, and not just a supporting player.
Part of this that really stood out to me was how, as the developers have discussed previously, the movement and behaviors for the Arc were not traditionally keyframed and hand-crafted by animators, but rather trained through machine learning applied to physics simulations. It’s essentially the same kind of process used by many real-world roboticists to train their creations in the complex task of navigating physical space, like the robot apocalypse abettors at Boston Dynamics.
The Arc were lively and unpredictable. Shooting out an assault drone’s rotor didn’t send it crashing down like I’d hoped, but rather it awkwardly swung down before compensating with the others and swooping back around to continue the fight in a way that felt compellingly organic.
Stray, small Arc were easily manageable in isolation, but add a few more (or just a single large one) and the situation could quickly get out of hand. The genuine threat posed by the Arc will hopefully help keep pressure on players to at least consider temporary alliances and keep the game more socially vibrant and variable.
Yesterday’s Tomorrow, Today!
Arc Raiders needs no help being aesthetically vibrant, however. Following from the graphic design of the logo, the game has a charming ’70s retrofuturism look. This is especially true in the character cosmetics, which were fun and colorful, and had a nice variety of silhouettes – I gave my raider a bright green motorcycle helmet, leather flight jacket, and tight jeans with a stripe up the side. Compared to its peers in the genre, Arc Raiders’ more colorful and playful design sensibility (like unlockable hats for Scrappy – he got a matching little motorcycle helmet) goes a long way to piquing my interest.
It doesn’t approach the full dayglo hyperpop palette of fellow upcoming extraction shooter, Marathon, though, and grounds it with a realistic layer of post-apocalyptic wear and tear. Light and sound do a lot to support immersion as well; stalking our way through flashlight-lit underground tunnels crammed with rusted-out cars while muffled gunfire echoes above, or darting from shadow to shadow of bombed out apartment buildings across a plaza lit brightly by the midday sun, keeping an ear out for the ominous beeps of Arc sentries in the distance. The spaces were evocative, with a pleasing range of environments (residential, industrial, claustrophobic, open, flat, vertical, etc.), both within and between maps, which helped fuel the interesting variety of encounters we had.
Smoothed Edges
Arc Raiders has definitely caught my attention, as I’m always on the lookout for good session-based co-op games that I can use for catching up with friends. The game’s fun visual design, tight core loop, and quality-of-life mechanics have smoothed over some of the extraction shooter’s sharper edges, which may give it a real shot at bringing the genre to a wider audience.
Arc Raiders comes to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC as an Xbox Play Anywhere title today on October 30.
ARC Raiders – Deluxe Edition
Embark Studios
– “G-suit” Legendary Outfit,
– “Salvager” Backpack,
– “Spaceship Souvenir” Backpack Attachment,
– Outfit color variants.
ARC Raiders Deluxe Edition includes the base game and the following content:
The Wanderer Cosmetic Pack, including the following cosmetic items:
– “Valente” Legendary Outfit
– “Pathfinder” Backpack
– “Blanket Roll” Backpack Attachment
Plus:
Character Cosmetic
Finger Gun Rapid Fire Emote
Scrappy Skin
2 400 Raider Tokens
ARC Raiders – Standard Edition
Embark Studios
Secure your copy of the game as the Standard or Deluxe Edition, and receive the Lucky Duck Bundle pre-order bonus at launch!
The Lucky Duck Bundle contains the exclusive Hatchling Backpack and Golden Rubber Duck Backpack Charm.
ABOUT THIS GAME
SCAVENGE, SURVIVE, THRIVE
In ARC Raiders, gameplay flows between the surface ruled by lethal machines, and the vibrant underground society of Speranza. Craft, repair, and upgrade your gear in the safety of your own workshop, before venturing topside to scavenge the remnants of a devastated but beautiful world. Play solo or in parties up to three, navigating the constant threat of ARC’s machines and the unpredictable choices of fellow survivors. In the end, only you decide what kind of Raider you are – and how far you’ll go to prevail.
EXPLORE AN IMMERSIVE WORLD
Explore four distinct maps at launch, with more to be revealed as the underground society evolves and expands its reach. Each destination carries the weight of a world twice-destroyed, and the scars of conflicts both old and new. Sift through the remnants for valuable loot, and piece together the past as it’s slowly reclaimed by nature. Evolving map conditions ensure that no two runs are the same, with varying weather, enemies, and mechanics adding unpredictability and danger.
STAKE YOUR CLAIM
In a society built on boldness and bravado, it is up to you to stake your claim as a Raider. The loot you scavenge can be sold for coin or crafted into all-new gear, allowing you take on increasingly lethal dangers head-on. Through both victories and hardships, you’ll gain valuable experience; unlocking varied skills that enable all-new ways of play. In addition, you’ll complete quests for Traders with differing motives and agendas; uncovering both the friction and comradery of a community under constant threat of collapse.
BEWARE THE MACHINES
Lethal machines known as ARC rule the surface, ranging from unrelenting drone swarms to mechanical giants that obliterate everything in their path. Their origins remain a mystery, but their ever-present danger is felt with every step you take. Each machine comes with distinct strengths and tactics, forcing you to pinpoint their weak spots and constantly think on your feet. And remember: the noise of battle carries. Other Raiders may be listening; eager to claim what you leave behind.
FORGE YOUR OWN PATH
Raiders survive by kitbashing scavenged materials; using long-lost tech and looted ARC parts to craft weapons, gadgets, and gear. Upgrade your workshop stations and learn blueprints to craft even more advanced items, or improvise quick fixes in the field to get yourself out of a bind. As you make a name for yourself, you’ll be able to measure your skill against other Raiders by taking on Trials; rising through the leaderboards to earn valuable rewards.
QUESTS
In Speranza, everyone has an agenda, and the Traders are no different. They’ll send you topside on missions in exchange for rewards, slowly revealing more about who they are and what they want for Speranza’s future. Complete quests to earn gear, crafting materials, and XP to level up your Raider and unlock new skill points.
SKILL TREE
The ARC Raiders skill tree branches into three paths: Survival, Mobility, and Conditioning. Spend your points to shape your playstyle. Loot faster and move quieter with Survival skills. Outmaneuver your opponents and threats with Mobility. And enhance your Strength and Stamina with Conditioning. Choose how you grow and what your Raider brings to the battle.
BUILD YOUR ARSENAL
Whether you’re preparing to take down specific ARC enemies or fend off rival Raiders, there’s a choice of weaponry for every fight. Cater to your style with a range of firearms including SMGs, rifles and shotguns, as well as more advanced options such as railguns and energy weapons. Grenades, traps, ziplines and deployables offer the tactical depth needed to outsmart your enemies, while augments allow you to tailor your loadout to your preferred playstyle; unlocking dedicated inventory slots and additional gameplay perks.”
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