I’ve followed Arc Raiders for almost a year now, and have been involved in multiple tests and previews during that time. Since I first went topside to start collecting scrap, Arc Raiders has constantly impressed me: the sound design, atmosphere, and gunplay are all polished in a way that I’ve come to expect from Embark Studios, even more so after its recent success with The Finals.
This latest iteration of Arc Raiders is the launch build, and the game has come a long way since I first tested it: the UI has been polished, the quests fleshed out, and many bugs have been fixed. But now it will not be judged by its potential, but by what it is. The question is, is Arc Raiders ready?
Although it felt like the game was ready to play after its wildly popular technical test in summer this year, I now understand why Embark wanted to wait for release, even if it does put the game at odds with Battlefield 6’s brand-new Battle Royale, RedSec. Arc Raiders is an innovative and interesting extraction shooter, and while I think the genre imposes a level of hardcore gametime needed to compete, Arc could be the game to properly send the extraction shooter concept into the mainstream.
Set in a ruined post-apocalyptic world where the remnants of human civilization exist underground, much of Arc Raiders is built around defending and fuelling a city called Speranza. You’re tasked with heading into the overworld to collect scrap and other resources, while avoiding the Arc – robot overlords who now control topside. Except you also need to avoid other players, who are often more than willing to make off with all your hard-earned loot.
Immersive Gameplay On The Run From Horrifying Robots
Arc Raiders is difficult. The Arc, the robots that roam the various maps available at launch, do not pull their punches. Do not engage with the robots unless you absolutely have to. Fighting the Arc takes preparation, skill, and honestly, a bit of luck sometimes. I can see the power of the robots being a turn-off for some players who might not have the patience to learn their quirks, but for those who are willing to become one with the Arc, to learn their ways and how to defeat them, they turn from frustrating AI enemies into useful tools.
During the preview event, I was given some Lure Grenades. When you throw them, the Arc will chase after them. Throw them at an enemy squad… well, you get the picture. All hell descends upon them. The Wasps and Rocketeer and Hornets and Snitches (these are the robots you will come to know well very soon) stun you, blow you up, and end your run pretty sharpish.
The subtle fear of the Arc at all turns is heightened by Arc Raiders’ impeccable sound design and atmosphere. I thought Battlefield 6 had the best sound design I’d ever heard in a video game, but Arc Raiders has stolen that crown in record time. The harrowing alarms, screeches, and dystopian whirring of a ruined world often gives me goosebumps. It’s a scary game. I love it and hate it at the same time (in a good way).
Difficulty and accessibility has been a fairly hot topic in the extraction shooter community. Is Arc Raiders too much of a casual experience to appeal to the hardcore extraction shooter fans (ie, the fans of Escape From Tarkov), but also not casual enough to appeal to a mainstream audience?
It’s a good question, but I think from my time playing the game so far, I can see Arc Raiders falling neatly into the middle. It’s just a really good game, and despite the difficulty of battles with the Arc themselves, it’s fairly forgiving in other ways.
Even after an unsuccessful run where you lose everything, the game gives you a competent free loadout with a weapon, health resources, and ammunition. This provides you with enough gear to jump back in immediately. You also don’t have to engage with enemies that often if you don’t want to. Some of my most enjoyable hours spent with Arc Raiders have just been jumping into a match, hugging the edge, collecting scrap and other occasionally rare bits of loot, before quickly extracting without seeing a single soul.
As a gamer that’s getting on a little bit (I’m over 30, which is officially ‘unc’ status according to my teenage brother), Arc Raiders’ slower pace and immersion is a satisfying break from the frenetic energy of Battlefield 6. Both games will be vying for my attention throughout November, but deep-down I know I’m more of an Arc Raiders guy than a Battlefield guy. I just can’t stop thinking about collecting scrap.
ARC Raiders
- Released
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October 30, 2025
- ESRB
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Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
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Embark Studios
- Publisher(s)
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Embark Studios
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
