Arc Raiders: Finally an extraction title I actually care about

It was two days before the Arc Raiders Server Slam that I decided, “Why not?”. I’ve been following the game’s progress on and off for about a year, so I know it was originally intended as free-to-play. I also know it was first announced in 2021, and maybe good things really do take time. So, the news about a free play test? Sure, it’s worth a go. 

But am I really going to pick up a $40 game after treating myself to Battlefield 6? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. After all, I honestly don’t like extraction shooters, and Arc Raiders would need to do something pretty special to get me tempted. And yet, sadly for my wallet, Embark Studios appears to have done just that. 

For the uninitiated, Arc Raiders has a bit of a Terminator meets Mad Max vibe going on. It’s a lore that works convincingly to explain why humans aren’t just freely roaming ‘Topside’, but are instead confined to underground settlements as the Arc robotic threat patrols the surface. It’s a lore I’m keen to dig into, and it undoubtedly has plenty to reveal. 

Of course, the Server Slam was just a play test, and players were confined to one map, the Dam Battlegrounds. Yet four additional maps or areas are visible in the larger world, for full release: Buried City, The Spaceport, The Blue Gate, and Stella Montis. Contained in the broader region known as South Calabretta, there’s undoubtedly plenty to learn out there.

Whatever the wider Arc Raiders world may teach us in time (and it’s seemingly set in or based on Italy), the Dam Battlegrounds was huge fun. Undeniably dystopian, storm and battle-ravaged, it’s populated with wide open, scattered, and built-up POIs. It was great to sneak and stalk around while seeking out salvageable goods and taking in the sights. 

The Dam Battlegrounds felt like a great choice for the play test, and what I hadn’t anticipated was the flexibility of this lone map. In fact, if all of Arc Raiders’ maps offer such range, we are in for a treat. Whether I wanted to skulk and loot around unseen or stalk other players from a distance, the play test could oblige. And largely, this was a lot of fun. 

Having previously played and been easily bored with Escape From Tarkov, and refunded Hunt: Showdown, I quickly found joy. The open and tactical nature of how you conduct your runs is highly appealing. Mainly solo, I largely avoided others, as I found other players mainly wanted to shoot me, though not always. Still, friendlies seemingly existed (per Reddit).

Nonetheless, the combination of proximity chat, not knowing other players’ intentions, and the very real Arc threat made each match a proper dice roll. Certainly, duoing or trioing up with friends would have offered greater fun and protection. Yet the thrill of extracting with whatever loot I could, while building my base and capabilities, felt rewarding.

Among the conversations during this Arc Raiders’ play test were many questions about the game’s decision to be third-person. To me, this works well and feels like a shrewd choice. Arc Raiders seems like a game that can draw in action-adventure gamers with lore, loot, and world-building. Yet it will also find FPS gamers in PvP, progression, and tactical planning.

For my part, seeing my customised character in the world made me feel more connected to them and their story, even if I felt a bit set back from the action. However, that’s okay in a visually satisfying environment where you can soak it in. It’s a useful perspective, too, because scanning a landscape and sky for robots feels easier over the shoulder. 

This genre-blurring view of who the game is for feels like a huge selling point for Arc Raiders. Unsurprising, then, the ‘Server slam’ event nearly tipped 190,000 players, placing the game among the top titles on Steam. But it’s that ‘one more match’ feel, exploration, and engaging combat that had me jumping back into one map time and time again.

It wasn’t all plain sailing in my view, though. I do think some tweaking can be done before the October 30 Arc Raiders release date. More than a couple of times, I deployed into matches right next to multiple Arc drones, having previously lost all guns and gadgets in the prior match. These flying death dealers weren’t friendly either, and my luck felt desperate.

Naturally, deploying with low-grade guns and no shields or medicine isn’t ideal. However, sometimes it was essential when I was on a bad skid. That makes surviving the PvE and PvP threats frustrating. My own inexperience may have played a part in such issues, true. However, it does feel like the title may need to balance things a little. 

Free player loadouts helped to get players back on their feet in the play test. But a softer learning curve, or a tweaked enemy threat level for low-geared players, may also be good. Certainly, not always being able to extract is a part of the game, but too many of those in a row can feel a little too punishing. 

Still, navigating to and hopefully successfully using an elevator was tense, joyous, deadly, and rewarding in Arc Raiders’ Server Slam. Extracting back to the underground felt like an achievement, too, even when searching for low-value essential items. Returning from runs? It felt rewarding and a little cosy to get back home.

Building out your own Raider’s space with various workbenches, crafting, and engaging with traders felt fine despite the capped access for the play test. I do wonder how extensive skill-trees, workbenches, and loadouts will get, and how this will impact action Topside. However, that’s a thought for the full release. For now, Speranza feels vitally decompressing. 

As it is, then, based on the Server Slam, Arc Raiders feels like it’s in a strong and compelling spot. Not just based on its position on the Steam most played list, but in its mix of action, adventure, self-powered play styles, and the potential for friendly or foe-ridden encounters. Unusually for me, and at $40, it’s an extraction shooter I can’t wait to get back to.