Skip To...
What a joyous day it is for us extraction shooter fans. Don’t get me wrong; I like the formula of having a highly customizable character I’ll never see due to a first-person perspective. Oh yeah, and I also like the war-torn settings we get in every game of this type. I’m being a bit sarcastic if it wasn’t clear by now. Thankfully, ARC Raiders has answered my prayers. After a long period of silence, Embark invited me and other potential players to a closed-door event to see some gameplay features coming to ARC Raiders. While it may follow the same footsteps as other extraction shooters in terms of gameplay loop, the way it presents these systems is what sets it apart from others.
Not Your Usual Extraction Shooter
Recently, we’ve had a flood of extraction shooters, which, while welcome, feel a bit similar most of the time. All of them are in first-person and place you on a map that was razed by war, a militia, or something else. You go around these areas, loot all sorts of domestic components to return to your base, and build supercomputers out of them. It is something that works perfectly fine, but even the most veteran players out there can admit it gets repetitive—speaking exclusively about the design. However, ARC Raiders tries to break the mold a bit by bringing familiar gameplay elements but under a new and colorful spotlight.
During the short event, I was able to attend, I saw a brand-new trailer showing the transition from the previously exclusive co-op game to a PvPvE one, as well as some features coming to ARC Raiders, such as quests, using gadgets to traverse the map, character customization, and more. With just these little details out there, I can already say that most extraction shooter fans will find a haven here. Also, a playtest should be on the way, so that’s one thing to look forward to.
Machines and Hunters Ready to Hinder Your Progress
While I was happy with the co-op-only part of ARC Raiders, after looking at the PvPvE gameplay, I must say I like how it’s coming along. Keep in mind I only saw a trailer and a quick gameplay showcase, so my impressions are based on that. Yet, it was a fantastic first impression for someone who has been waiting quite some time for news about this project.
In many ways, ARC Raiders has the same gameplay loop as other games of this type. You take a quest from your base, head to the map to obtain materials or complete challenges, and try to extract alive with your loot to complete your missions and buy better gear. It is a loop that is as simple as it is engaging. Still, ARC Raiders tries to present it differently by leaving the “present-like” setting behind and aiming for a more futuristic approach.
Since you’re in a PvPvE scenario, you’ll be facing other players as well as Machines that range from small drone-like ones to huge spider machines ready to take you down. To eliminate humans and mechanical creatures alike, we saw a few gadgets in action, such as smoke grenades and even a few electric mines.
Beyond that, one thing I liked is how the game plays exclusively in third-person, which is new in the genre. I can finally see the character I’m customizing, which seems to be a key aspect of the game as well, by the way. The team behind ARC Raiders didn’t delve into the customization aspects that much, but I saw a few outfits and armor pieces I already got my eye on.
Aiming For a Large Live Service Experience
One thing Aleksander Grondal, the executive producer of ARC Raiders, focused on is how the team is aiming for a large live service model. During the hands-off event, he mentioned players could expect expansive maps full of dangers and things to do. And let me tell you, if what I saw in the trailer is an indication of that, we’re in for a treat.
Also, Grondal mentioned the team is opting for a “premium” approach to ARC Raiders instead of the common free-to-play model, which I believe is a fantastic idea. While I don’t mind free games, they tend to lean on the pay-to-win side after a while. However, other premium live service games, such as Helldivers 2, tend to bring a bit more quality in their updates, so that’s something that gives me high hopes.
Ultimately, what grabbed me the most out of everything I saw was the art style. While you can clearly see it is a post-apocalyptic world with people struggling to survive, there’s a lot of life in it. You have flamingos flying across the map, and it is one of the best color palettes I’ve seen in the genre. It reminded me of Deathloop or even The Outer Worlds. I only saw a few of the maps, but the small details I saw were enough to make me fall in love with the art direction of this game.
Ready to Enlist
While there is not a confirmed release date, the fact that the gameplay for ARC Raiders is looking much smoother fills me with joy. I would still love to see more about the weapon and character customization, some of the quests the team mentioned, and maybe an extended showcase of some of the maps. But with what little I saw, I can assure you that, whether you’re an extraction shooter fan or not, you must add this game to your wishlist because you won’t want to miss it.
