ARC Raiders is an extraction shooter by Embark Studios set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by hostile robots. Read our review of its early-access build to see what it did well, what it didn't do well, and if it's worth buying.
Everything We Know About ARC Raiders
ARC Raiders Story Plot
In an alternate world, a mysterious robotic threat known as the ARC appeared on the planet of Calabretta. These hostile machines threatened any settlement on the surface, thus forcing entire communities to scatter. The people have fled to underground colonies like Speranza, where the demand for supplies is at an all-time high, and acquiring resources is dangerous and not for the faint of heart. This is where Raiders play a part in society by returning to the surface to scavenge the desolate wasteland, bringing home valuable resources and loot.
ARC Raiders Gameplay
As a Raider, players will be scavenging for resources scattered across the overworld and take them back home. From scraps of broken arcade machines, to looting the unlucky Raiders who have been targeted by the deadly ARCs. In this world, it’s the survival of the fittest. Build trust and earn your keep with the traders in Speranza. There are no rules in Calabretta, and everything is up for grabs for anyone and everyone willing to go there.
Players can play either solo or in squads of three, moving out in specific areas like the Dam Warehouse or the Buried City to extract loot to fulfill quests or for their own resources. Upon arriving back at Speranza, scavenged materials can be crafted into usable equipment such as shields, firearms, grenades, and healing items to gear up for the next trek out into the surface.
ARC Raiders Release Date
ARC Raiders does not have a specified release date as of writing, but is slated for a full release some time in 2025. However, the game can be wishlisted ahead of time on Steam, Epic Games, and PlayStation Store pages. Its Xbox page is yet to be made public.
| Digital Storefronts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Steam |
 Epic |
 Playstation |
 Xbox |
| Wishlist only | TBA | ||
ARC Raiders Review [Playtest]
An Extraction Shooter Gem
I’ll preface by saying that I’m not as well-versed in PvP shooting games. I’m a hoarder and a looter, not a shooter. I like stockpiling and collecting every single collectable material I can see on the screen to the point of being overencumbered—as evidenced by how I play games like Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds, and the Borderlands series. Thus, something like ARC Raiders is not something I usually get to play, but nevertheless it all felt familiar the moment I stepped into its grisly but astonishing world, and I enjoyed it—a lot more than I thought.
ARC Raiders is an extraction shooter game set in the planet of Calabretta, where it has been taken over by hostile machines called ARCs, forcing humanity to take shelter in the crowded underground. However, all the resources and materials are all on the surface—supply is quickly depleting, and demand steadily rises. That’s where Raiders—the players—step in. They bravely go out to the topside to gather valuable resources and take them back to their home base, then repeating the process.
That generally is the gameplay loop of it all; explore, loot, shoot some baddies, and return safely. It sounds boring on paper, but ARC Raiders got the formula down, even in the playtest phase, making it fun, addictive, and adrenaline-pumping.
Smooth Gameplay For All Types Of Raiders
The game, despite its name as an extraction shooter (and having shooter in its name), feels more like a stealth title. There’s no need to confront anyone if you can help it, and you can return to Speranza without even having to lift your gun if you’re sneaky enough or lucky enough to just not run into people. I’m quite risk-adverse and I’d like to keep my hoard with me at all times, and luckily enough I was able to come out unscathed more often than not.
Nevertheless, when the time comes that you need to bring out the big guns to protect yourself, it has you covered. Gunplay is satisfying, snappy and not laggy at all. Executing mouse clicks and button presses don’t feel clunky as the game responds exactly how you want it to—and this extends to exploration as well. Its controls are fluid and the buttons are intuitive and all in the right places. If you’ve played any other type of shooting game on the PC (or for console players, on their respective consoles), the buttons are generally the same as it is in any other shooter, thus having that feeling of familiarity.
Whether you’re like me who prefers to stay in the shadows, or gungho about shooting down enemies the instant you see them, ARC Raider’s gameplay caters to all kinds of players. While there are no flashy abilities that turn you invisible for a time or magic-leaning skills here—just you and your trusty weapons (and squadmates if you have them), it can easily be enjoyed by players of all calibers. Even if you’re not particularly good at aiming, you can sneak away and stealth your way back to civilization if you’re careful enough. After all, you’re not heavily punished for not having a high K.O. count, and there is no immediate need to knock out enemies
If you do perish in combat either by a rival Raider or a rogue ARC, it’s not terribly frustrating. While you do lose your hard-earned loot and equipment, you come back to Speranza with experience that can help you upgrade a node in your easy to follow Skill Trees. No rank downs or EXP being taken away here; you win some, you lose some, and that’s a-okay. Progression isn’t locked by how much loot you return or how many Raiders or ARCs you eliminate—you still level up nonetheless, and you come back literally stronger with a handy skill that can help you survive just a bit longer.
Crisp, Stunning Visuals
The visuals are stunning, crisp, and pleasing to the eyes—I’m afraid my screenshot can’t exactly capture just how visually appealing it actually is. Maps feel so large even if you can technically run from one and to the other within five minutes, and are detailed to the point of looking realistic. Rust on the decaying doors and walls, individual swaying blades of tall grass to hide in, buttons and monitors of the abandoned machinery, to the rundown cars strewn about—even opening containers full of loot is detailed to a T where the container actually shows signs of being opened if searched. A very, very minor thing I know—but it shows just how much attention to detail the developers put into the game.
Performance-wise, I had no problem getting the game running smoothly. Frame rate was usually stable with little to no sudden drops, and there were no other visual glitches I encountered after playing a few matches, which is an absolute win for a playtest title.
Peak Sound Design
Now this is where ARC Raiders shines, in my opinion. Every single sound feels so full and exact, from the heavy rushing footsteps you take from running and the beeping of the security cameras to the resounding clang of gunfire coming from a nearby building, a telltale sign of hostilities coming. I’m not sure if the sounds are louder than it’s supposed to be to add to the whole tension or if it’s just me being paranoid about everything, but whatever it is, it’s working really, really well. Almost everything makes a sound—from weapon fire (of course) to footsteps on concrete or water, and most especially the drawers and cabinets full of precious, precious loot. Every sound actually feels like it’s out to get you or to give your position away—it all feels nerve-wracking but exciting at the same time.
You’ll surely be on your toes the entire time, because one single sound can give away your position to the computer-controlled enemies or worse, rival Raiders out to get your loot. There’s always the risk of noise, even while looting and especially when breaching hard-to-open containers or doors with your crowbar. Even looting feels tense because while you’re examining the contents, you can hear footsteps or shooting bullets nearby—you then have a split second to think if that’s just your mind playing tricks on you, or if it’s not, will you be able to shoot the intruder in time. There’s a ton of instances where I stop looting midway just to check my immediate vicinity—you never know.
In terms of background audio, there is some ambient music very rarely but most of the time it’s only you and the sounds of nature, letting you hyperfocus on getting valuable resources while making sure you can hear the environment around you and to be cautious. Combine that with the sound design, and you’ve got yourself a really solid, immersive and atmospheric gameplay experience that thrills you all the way to your core.
Only In Third-Person
While not necessarily a negative point, it would be great to have the option of entering into first-person mode. There’s already a whole bunch of first-person shooters out there (including Embark Studio’s own FPS, The Finals), I know, but ARC Raiders may benefit from having that option for players who may want to experience Calabretta in the eyes of their character.
Little Customization Options
Granted that this is only the playtest and that the game may still be undergoing major changes until its eventual release, but the lack of customization options was underwhelming, starting from the character customization. There were only a handful of pre-rendered heads, a bunch of hairstyles, and four hair colors to choose from at the beginning, which can be kind of a bore for some players who may have wanted to see more of themselves in the game. This extends to outfits as well, which only came in sets and could not be mixed and matched. Now I wasn’t expecting anything like PUBG-level flashy clothes options, but it’s a nice suggestion for future development if anything.
THE Extraction Shooter To Look Out For
ARC Raiders provides a solid extraction shooter gameplay experience that gamers of all types may find fun in. From veteran shooter enthusiasts to newbies looking to try their hand at the genre, anyone can jump in and enjoy the game. It’s nothing flashy, with no fantasy elements and a common post-apocalyptic setting, but that’s alright—it compensates for its initial bland first impression with solid gameplay, stunning visuals, and atmospheric sound design that pulls you into its desolate world.
I might call it an unpolished gem, but that’s simply because it’s still in its testing phase and is viable to undergo changes while in active development, from minor changes to major ones that might overhaul mechanics that I’ve experienced. Even at its playtest state, it has immense potential to be an even greater game at launch. I’m pumped to see what ARC Raiders will be later this year, and you should put this on your bucket list for 2025 too.
Game8 Reviews
You may also like...
ARC Raiders Product Information
 |
|
| Title | ARC Raiders |
|---|---|
| Release Date | TBA |
| Developer | Embark Studios |
| Publisher | Embark Studios |
| Supported Platforms | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S |
| Genre | Action, Shooter |
| Number of Players | 1-3 |
| ESRB Rating | RP |
| Official Website | ARC Raiders Official Website |
