ARC Raiders Review

If you're like me, a few months ago, you've probably been hearing people talk about ARC Raiders and wondering, "What in the hell is this game?" Honestly, that was me when everyone and their mother was buzzing about the technical test. I had zero clue what they were talking about. Fast forward a bit, and I've had the chance to play the beta and check what the ARC Raiders hype is really about. 

ARC Raiders officially launched yesterday, October 30, on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation, and Xbox, and for good reason, the hype is unreal. If you're unsure whether this is a game for you, I've got you covered. This is an extraction shooter with a PvPvE twist, and it's a game that manages to stand out in a genre that's seen plenty of competition. 

First off, the developers behind ARC Raiders deserve some recognition. Embark Studios, the same team behind The Finals, brought in talent from DICE, and you can see the pedigree in the polish of the game. Initially, ARC Raiders was planned to be a co-op game with only PvE content. 

At some point, they decided to include PvP features, which changed the game into an extraction shooter. As a consequence, the AI is not simply background noise; it is an active part of the game that changes how you play each round. That one choice alone sets it apart from pretty much every other extraction game I've tried. 

You have this post-apocalyptic world called Speranza, where you play as a raider scavenging for loot, resources, and upgrades while kicking AI and human opponents' asses.  

The main characters are largely defined by what you make of them, and while there isn't a deep narrative in the traditional sense, the story emerges organically through gameplay. There's a ton of personality injected into the world—from the NPCs that sell gear and offer missions to the quirky moments with your in-game companions, like Scrappy the Rooster. You're constantly uncovering little bits of lore tucked away in the codex. 

The AI enemies do not mess around. I don't mean to offend, but then again, if the shoe fits, wear it. The PvE opponents in some of the other extraction shooters I've played are really weak. The ARC robots in ARC Raiders, though, are something else entirely.  

When you first start playing, you'll probably bump into a few tiny weak bots that you can take out without a problem. However, the more you play, the more you'll run into other ARC bots. If you don't treat drones with enough respect, even seemingly harmless drones that float around peacefully can be deadly. 

There are several ground-based variants of these so-called ARC bots. The first is the Tick, which acts as a kind of gentle crowd control by hopping around and sticking to your face. The Fireball, a rolling flamethrower that shoots flames in your face, is another option. 

You've got Pop, which will try to roll up close to you and explode. There's a Leaper that can cover large distances and literally just tries to jump on top of you, smashing you into the ground.  

Then you've got the bigger, more lumbering ground ones like the Bastion, which is slow and tanky with heavy machine guns, or the Bombardier, which does exactly what it sounds like.  

The Wasp, which is swift and employs light machine guns; the Hornet, which can electrocute you and imprison you; the Rocketeer, which can overwhelm you by firing rockets in rapid succession; and the Snitch, which scans for players and, if detected, emits loud distress signals, alerting other players to your presence and summoning other ARC robots.  

And finally, you've got the boss variant, the Queen—this gargantuan bot that appears to require multiple teams to realistically take down. Whenever I've come across them in my games, I've never seen one get eliminated.  

The gameplay is where ARC Raiders shows why it's so darn talked about. This is a PvPvE extraction shooter, which means you're navigating large maps, looting resources, and trying to survive long enough to reach extraction points.  

You can play solo or in squads of up to three, with the matchmaking system prioritizing balance so lone players aren't constantly ganged up on. Now that you've got a basic idea of the ARC bots, let me tell you that the AI is intelligent as hell.  

These aren't just mindless cannon fodder—they notice players, react to damage, and adjust their tactics.

There's a real sense of danger and unpredictability every time you step into a match, whether it's avoiding a Bombardier while hunting loot or trying to sneak past a team engaged with a Rocketeer. 

In actual matches, though, what you really want to do is extract with your loot and return to Speranza. There, you'll find different NPCs who sell things and give missions. There's a progression-based crafting system where you can build different benches and then craft weapons, gear, items, ammo, meds, and more.  

When playing solo, ARC Raiders can also feel like a horror game. The bots are deadly, the world is immersive, and other players are always a threat. You find yourself being stealthy, stealing in silence, and hoping to avoid bots and players.  

The game's lobby and extraction systems really enhance this, too.

You can join games that are already underway, and matches take place on persistent maps that remain open for a certain amount of time. You can stay as long as you like or leave early because there are always several extraction points available.  

You can either chase other teams for riches or focus on slipping past them while gathering resources. Proximity voice chat makes it even more exciting (and crazy) to work together or mess with other players. Night raids put you in a situation where you have to weigh the risks and rewards: enemies are harder to see, but you get greater loot. The maps are well-made, with challenges in the surroundings and secret vaults. 

You'll encounter dynamic events on those maps, from varying weather conditions to night raids and more. So, there's always something different happening. That's not even mentioning the different encounters you'll have with other players in the game, which really make it come alive. 

Gunplay is satisfying, with a progression system for weapons and a variety of attachments. You can take two weapons into a match, and combat feels tactical, with health and shields providing some buffer against instant deaths.  

You can dodge roll between cover, and there are a ton of different throwables and gadgets to use—from stun grenades to frags, traps, and mines. That said, feedback when dealing damage to players could be a little more tactile, as the shield pop sound is sometimes the only confirmation you get. Still, the overall combat loop feels good enough in general. 

You have a skill tree with Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival paths.

Mobility is especially valuable early on, boosting stamina and allowing for better movement. Back in Speranza, your workshop lets you craft and upgrade stations, weapons, and gear. This is your hub for "number go up" gameplay, providing a satisfying sense of growth, both for your character and your equipment. 

Resets are handled through something called Expedition Projects. These cycles last eight weeks, but they are entirely voluntary. They're mainly for players who play regularly and want to complete the entire project. 

It is similar to a mission track in that you advance through the project and have the option to reset your progress after eight weeks. Doing so resets everything except cosmetics (whether earned or purchased), rewards, achievements, and rankings. 

In extraction games, monetization and resets are frequently major issues. Monetization here is largely in the form of a battle pass and cosmetics, so there's not too much to worry about unless you mind seeing players wearing different outfits. The cosmetic designs fit well with the world and don't look out of place.  

The graphics and performance of the game have been very good so far. I had no major performance problems, and the stylized visual make the world seem pleasant to explore. The game ran smoothly on my system. 

Of course, performance will vary depending on what console or PC you're playing on, and there were a few server issues during the beta I tried out, but those were fixed quickly. Hopefully, the servers will be more stable now that the game's in full motion. 

The audio design is just as good. I did not notice anything wrong with the mechanical buzzing of ARC bots, the sounds of the surroundings, footsteps, or battle indications. When you play ARC Raiders, you'll be able to hear attackers coming, gunshots from battles that are far away, and even signal flares that show when a player dies. All of these things help you be aware of what's going on around you. 

The good news is that ARC Raiders is here to stay.

ARC Raiders has long-term content plans. In a recent interview, it was confirmed that Embark Studios really plans on keeping this game going, saying, "I think internally for a very long time, we referred to this—meaning ARC Raiders—as a 10-year game. That is the ambition we are aiming for, and that dictates the game and quantity of content we want to put into it." 

Overall, ARC Raiders is shaping up to be one of the most exciting extraction games in years. It's a mix of smart AI and dynamic PvPvE, combined with beautiful visuals, polished gunplay, and meaningful progression systems.  

Casual players can enjoy solo runs and explore at their own pace, while more dedicated squads can dive into high-stakes night raids, but beware of the ARC bots, guys; I keep telling you. It's clear Embark Studios intends for ARC Raiders to be a game people will keep coming back to. 

If you've been waiting for an extraction game that doesn't extract money out of your pocket like a leech and is actually a great game without being pay-to-win, then ARC Raiders may be the one to finally deliver.