Arc Raiders Review – Stronger Together

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“Don’t shoot!” I shouted from the bushes. “I’m coming out, and I don’t want any trouble.” The raider seemed surprised to see me, and probably reacted because of the hovering Rocketeer and past experiences with untrustworthy people. He quickly pointed his old rifle at me. He’d already called for the elevator to take him back to Speranza, so he was understandably nervous. He was so close to safety, right before the secure doors opened, and risked losing everything. But he didn’t realize—couldn’t have known—that I’d never harmed a raider before, and I was in danger too.

I felt his eyes assessing whether I was being honest. “So, you think the robots are the enemies, correct?” I asked, nervously waiting for him to lower his weapon with each passing second. “If I had to shoot you, you’d be the first raider I’ve taken down. I just want to go home, just like you.” I kept moving to avoid giving him a clear shot, but I hoped it wouldn’t come to that. Before he could decide if I was telling the truth, the Rocketeer’s alarm system went off – it had detected him while he was aiming at me.

One second I was fine, the next rockets were heading right for this guy, and he went down hard, desperately holding onto his backpack – seriously, what was in there? I could have easily left him to die, even finished him off if I felt like it. But I’d given him my word I’d help. So, I threw a lure grenade to draw the drone’s fire, and we bolted – okay, mostly crawled – for the elevator just as the thing took off after the distraction. He was pretty banged up and losing a lot of blood, but he was going to pull through.

I tried to reassure him, “I understand, but the robots are definitely the enemy. Let’s go home.” I gave the signal for the old metal elevator to lower us back down to our underground shelter. Together, this man and I returned to Speranza, carrying our injuries, salvaged items, and stories of survival – a place ARC couldn’t find us. I realized that if we met again in this ruined world, we’d both be better prepared and more willing to trust each other, and that meant more to me than anything he was carrying.

Arc Raiders thrives on the unexpected ways players interact with each other, making it a truly unique multiplayer experience. While it’s an ‘extraction shooter’ – a genre with a few other games – Arc Raiders feels different. It’s more unpredictable, exciting, and surprisingly optimistic. In my 39 hours playing, I’ve collected countless stories like the one I shared, highlighting just how engaging the game can be.

The world in Arc Raiders has been devastated by climate change and taken over by artificial intelligence, forcing humanity to live underground in a city called Speranza. To improve their lives and help their community, some brave citizens become ‘raiders,’ venturing to the surface to find valuable resources like weapons, medicine, and remnants of the past.

Arc Raiders follows the classic formula of extraction shooters, where players weigh risk against reward. You start in a safe zone, gear up, then venture into a shared world with both AI enemies and other players. The goal is to complete missions, gather resources, and make it back to safety – but if you’re killed, you lose everything you’re carrying, and other players might even loot your body. This high-stakes gameplay is what makes the genre exciting, and Arc Raiders elevates it with a community that largely embraces the game’s immersive world.

Earth has been overrun by ARC, a network of intelligent robots that have driven humanity to the brink. You’ll encounter many different types of ARC machines, and they’re all remarkably clever. For example, scout drones will reveal your position to swarms of fast-attacking Wasps, and even when you take cover, they’ll find ways to target you. Larger robots, like the Rocketeer, the Leaper, and the heavily armed Bastion, are incredibly powerful and should never be faced alone. Just seeing them is frightening, and their weapons are even more dangerous.

As a player, I have to say the enemies in this game are seriously impressive. The AI feels like a real step forward – every fight is genuinely thrilling. It’s not just about blasting through waves of the same robots; you actually have to think and play well, or you’ll get wrecked. When I manage to get through a section without taking damage, it’s because I carefully planned my approach, dodging the ARC machines flying overhead, rolling around, and trying to flank me. Seriously, if you rush in guns blazing, you’re going down. Stealth and smart tactics are key! And that totally fits the story – you’re the underdog, outmatched and outnumbered, but the ARC can’t predict your ability to adapt, persevere, and come up with clever solutions. It’s a really cool feeling.

After spending many hours playing, I’ve found that people are generally very helpful. While the game world can be harsh, most players aren’t. You’ll always run into some troublemakers, and eventually, someone will likely betray or rob you. However, far more often, you’ll see players working together, supporting each other, and focusing on the real threats. Arc Raiders really stands out because of how much players cooperate – I haven’t experienced that level of teamwork in other extraction shooters.

I’m aware my experience might be unusually positive. Some players have had it much worse – like being immediately attacked when they join a match, or consistently encountering untrustworthy players. However, I’ve found most of the community is actually quite friendly. After 39 hours and many games, I’ve only been killed a handful of times, and I haven’t killed anyone myself. While there’s always a risk of betrayal, I’ve generally chosen to trust other players, and it’s usually worked out well. There’s nothing quite like the excitement of everyone teaming up to defeat an ARC Queen! Each round feels fresh and new, and it’s made me think about keeping a journal to record my adventures – a way to create a lasting connection to this immersive game world.

One of the best parts of this game is the optional voice chat. Being able to speak directly to other players nearby – using your own voice – often helps de-escalate tense situations and build trust. It reminds everyone that we’re all on the same side fighting the robots, and I’ve found most players quickly agree with that.

The game encourages players to work together, and its quests and open world design really support that. Quests don’t always give you clear directions, so you often need to ask other players for help finding locations or resources. I frequently found myself helping – or being helped by – other players during my adventures. This creates a feeling that the game world is truly alive and shared. You’ll become very familiar with key locations like the Buried City, and naturally start guiding others when you can. Sometimes, this even leads to spontaneous teamwork, where players join forces to complete quests and ensure everyone gets back safely. I remember once finding another player working on the same roof repair as me. We shared stories and resources before continuing on our separate ways.

Why wasn’t I tempted to eliminate other players and steal their loot? In games like Escape From Tarkov, Hunt: Showdown, and Vigor – other extraction shooters I like – the game’s design or the player community (or both) would usually push me to do just that. But Arc Raiders seems different. It’s fostering a more cooperative environment, and I find myself drawn to helping other players. Even when I try to be cautious, I often join fights against the ARC simply because I hear teammates engaging them. I don’t have to assist, but I genuinely want to.

If a teammate gets knocked down, you can easily revive them by simply interacting with them. However, reviving players who aren’t in your group requires a defibrillator. I always carry one or two with me, and I keep them in a special inventory slot that’s protected even if I die. I’ve even started prioritizing carrying defibrillators over valuable keys that unlock rare rooms – I’d rather help someone in need. It seems like many other players in Arc Raiders feel the same way.

While player-versus-player (PvP) combat isn’t constant, it’s more common in areas with valuable loot, especially places that require rare keys to access. Even there, I haven’t been attacked much, though the intense Night Raids do seem to bring out more competitive and aggressive behavior. Some players are already intentionally causing trouble for others, and with such a large player base, it’s likely many more are doing the same. So, the threat of being attacked is always present, but so far, most players seem friendly. It’s nice to see people cooperating when resources are scarce and danger is high, and it’s encouraging for someone like me, who tends to be optimistic. Arc Raiders feels like a game that rewards that positive outlook.

The game takes place in a unique world that blends the excitement of a space adventure with the feel of a western. People dress in a style you could call ‘NASA-Punk’ – think cowboy duster coats paired with astronaut helmets. While some outfits are a bit goofy, they clearly prioritize practicality over looks. At launch, the game features four distinct open-world areas, each with its own atmosphere and colors. You’ll explore places like the murky Dam Battlegrounds, the sand-covered Buried City, the vast desert of Spaceport, and the vibrant, green hills of The Blue Zone.

Each map offers a unique way to play. Dam Battlegrounds is ideal for beginners, with plenty of trees and bushes for cover – and even swamps to wade through! Buried City lets you explore lots of buildings and navigate the sandy ruins by running across rooftops. Spaceport is a large, open map, leaving players exposed to snipers and drones. Personally, I enjoy The Blue Zone the most. It’s a beautiful, green valley surrounded by forests that feel like something out of Star Wars. From the edge of the valley, you can see a lot of the map, and I often stop to admire the scenery and imagine our forces fighting back against the AI.

The game’s environments are full of detail and history, hinting at a past where humanity briefly won a war against the machines, known as ARC. Now that the machines have returned, exploring the world, scarred by two machine wars, adds depth to the story told through the environment. I recently learned about the Husks – enormous, incredibly powerful machines that are now extinct – and I couldn’t help but worry they might reappear in Arc Raiders. However, I also realized that defeating something so massive would require a strong, cooperative community, which is something I’m excited about. If the Husks do return, I think we’ll be prepared to fight them as a team.

I haven’t even talked about the shooting yet, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad – Arc Raiders is actually a really good third-person shooter. The enemies are smart and provide a consistent challenge, forcing you to move carefully between cover like a guerrilla fighter. When combat does start, the game’s weapons all feel unique and make you think about what you carry. Some guns are better against robots, while others are better against human enemies, and still others are best for dealing with the ARC threat. This encourages players and teams to carefully plan their loadouts for each mission. You won’t always know what you’ll encounter, but making your best guess is a good way to start.

Because reloading takes time, every shot needs to count. The game offers some aim assist against ARC enemies, but you still need to make small adjustments, especially when they’re moving quickly. Combat is as much about strategy as it is about reflexes. When facing the Fireball and Pop bots, you either need to hit them with your first shot, or quickly escape. Thankfully, the shooting mechanics are smooth and dependable, so when you do mess up, it will feel like your own fault. You can also heavily customize your weapons with lots of interchangeable parts, letting you build them to your liking – which fits right in with the resourceful, do-it-yourself spirit of the Speranza community.

This game offers a lot more than just shooting. It’s packed with useful gadgets, like a zipline that’s gotten me out of tough spots, a wide variety of grenades, and even a device to temporarily block doors. There’s also a high-tech grappling hook that I got to try before the game launched, but I haven’t seen anyone else use yet. Once players start exploring everything, I think this already popular game will become even more exciting, as these tools are really fun to experiment with.

The game offers a lot of versatile tools that let you play creatively. I particularly like the manual flare. Usually, flares are automatically launched when you’re knocked down or requesting supplies. But with the manual version, you can trick other players into thinking one of those events happened, potentially drawing them in or scaring them away. It’s this kind of flexibility that reminds me of the spirit of another game I enjoy, Sea of Thieves, which has an unofficial motto: “tools, not rules.”

The game’s focus on community, player-created strategies, and unconventional tactics makes the combat even more engaging. Enemies aren’t defeated with simple, highlighted weak points; you need to experiment and work together to figure out how to beat them. For example, a friendly player once showed me a secret loot location and how to defeat a tough enemy called a Leaper – first stunning it with a shock grenade, then throwing a firebomb into an opening that appears while it’s helpless. In Arc Raiders, helping others often leads to rewards beyond just staying alive – you’ll also build positive relationships.

The most exciting parts of Arc Raiders happen when you’re not following a script, but the game’s sound design is almost as impressive. Created with help from developers who previously worked on Battlefield, the audio truly brings the world to life. You can practically follow the story just by listening. As you explore, you’ll hear things like raiders being detected by scouts on rooftops, the strange signals of a downed probe echoing across the desert, and the intense sounds of a massive mechanical defender battling a horde of enemies. These sounds aren’t just immersive; they also give you important clues. Gunfire is powerful and impactful, and even in quieter moments, you can hear details like someone searching for supplies in the next room.

Because the ARC machines are all around you – flying overhead as drones or lurking in old, dark buildings – learning to listen for them is key, and the game’s sound design is fantastic. You’ll quickly become able to tell the difference between player-versus-player and player-versus-environment battles just by the sound of the gunfire. Arc Raiders is a beautiful game, but its audio is what truly stands out.

Arc Raiders is designed to be a game that constantly evolves, with plans for new maps, events, and ongoing content. It already features systems like Trials and Expeditions to keep players engaged. Trials are similar to ranked modes, but focus on cooperative challenges – things like defeating enemies or gathering resources – that change each week. You compete against other players on leaderboards, earning rewards like character customization options as you climb the ranks. In my experience, this system adds a fun, optional layer to the core experience of exploring the world and making your own stories with other players.

Expeditions is a lengthy, repeatable activity similar to a prestige system. It lets you retire your current character and start a new one with some special benefits. I might try it eventually, but I’m not quite ready yet – I still have a lot to do with my first character before I move on. Both this and the Trials system are designed to give players something to do after finishing the main game and keep them coming back, but I don’t think they’re essential in Arc Raiders. The game is already compelling beyond just needing more ‘content,’ and these systems feel like enjoyable extras. I don’t need them to motivate me to keep playing for a long time.

Arc Raiders excels in many areas, and my only real complaints are small. The character customization could be better – there aren’t enough choices, especially for hairstyles. While the developers are adding more options through the in-game shop and battle pass, there need to be more free choices available from the start. Considering the large player base, the current options are too limited, and it’s disappointing to see so little visual variety among characters beyond their outfits.

The central area of Speranza, where players gather, currently functions a bit differently than in many other games. Instead of a shared space for players to hang out and interact, traders act as quest givers, displaying their goods and missions through menus. I’ve been debating whether this streamlined approach is the right choice. While it efficiently gets players between missions, it unfortunately limits the potential of Speranza, preventing it from becoming a truly memorable and communal space like the rest of the game. It feels a bit basic and like a temporary solution, which is a contrast to the strong sense of community Arc Raiders is trying to create.

The audio announcements in Speranza’s menus offer a glimpse into a larger world beyond what we currently see in the game, and they really capture the spirit of this community. One announcement reminds everyone that literacy is required, which struck me as unusual and hopeful for a post-apocalyptic setting. Speranza isn’t just about survival after the end of the world; it’s about rebuilding and holding onto what makes us human. Unlike many similar games, it’s not a grim, cutthroat world. The people of Speranza haven’t lost their compassion, and that’s something the game’s antagonists can’t take away. It’s amazing to see players naturally embrace this hopeful spirit, demonstrating how thoughtful game design and world-building can create unexpected and meaningful experiences.

Arc Raiders lets players battle each other, but it’s heartening to see most people choosing to cooperate instead. This teamwork, whether it proves anything about real-world humanity or not, creates a truly exceptional multiplayer experience – one of the best I’ve ever played.

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2025-11-04 22:14