Arc Raiders, A Humble Review Of One Of The Best Multiplayer Games of 2025

They say, "Good things come to those who wait." It seems that 'perfectly' describes the situation with the latest title from Embark Studios. Their Arc Raiders were announced in 2021 and underwent a format change during development. 

The idea of transforming the game from a cooperative free-to-play romp into a PvPvE extraction shooter sounded like chasing a popular trend, almost as crazy as the plan to launch it between Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Escape from Tarkov. However, in their madness, Embark managed to shape Arc Raiders into a fresh and interesting alternative to existing extraction shooters.

In the mood for something completely different? Check out our Outer Worlds 2 review!

This review was highly expected and requested in the office, so let’s dive in!

How Arc Raiders Makes Missions Matter

ARC Raiders begins with a short tutorial after which your character arrives in Speranza, an underground oasis and one of the last refuges of humanity. People have taken refuge here from the mechanical threat that now rules the surface. The welcome in Speranza is surprisingly warm, and right at the first meeting, we meet Celeste, the community leader, who introduces us to life underground and explains the basic rules of survival.

On the surface, robots are a deadly threat, and few dare to step into that world. But that's exactly where the raiders come in, the bravest individuals who risk their lives to collect precious resources and deliver them to their community. Upon returning to Speranza, a portion of the loot can be exchanged with traders who offer a wide range of equipment, weapons, and useful supplies depending on your character's level. They also offer missions that often bring rich rewards.

Although one might think that these missions boil down to just the classic "find and fetch," ARC Raiders shatters those expectations. Each mission encourages exploration, combat, and the use of various tools that the player unlocks along the way. Besides testing skills, missions fill the gaps in the codex that unravels the mystery of humanity's downfall and brings various information about the world, characters, and enemies. The missions are truly useful and interesting for those who want to know more about the whole story, but keep in mind that this is a game where searching for pieces of the story can get you into trouble. It's safest to stick to the main objective.

Mastering the Workshop and Expeditions

One of the more interesting parts of life in Speranza is the workshop, a personal space where you can place different stations that facilitate preparations for going to the surface. With the collected materials, it is possible to build and upgrade stations for crafting weapons, ammunition, medicine, explosives, and even a special recycling station that converts waste into useful resources. Not to forget – there's also Scrappy, a pet that diligently collects basic materials while we are out in action.

Another room that caught my eye in Speranza is the expedition. Something like a prestige system where you reset your levels and character for some other bonuses. In that room, you assemble a special capsule in five stages, each requiring different materials. The goal of all this is for players to be able to send their character on a long journey and thus take on the role of another character, with special bonuses, of course. In addition, trials are available: missions that bring special point,s which place each player on the global leaderboard of all players in the world.

Speaking of Speranza like this, I'm sure many of you imagined a lively hub full of people and players from all over the world. Unfortunately, it is not so. Speranza is present only in the form of a menu, and all the characters you can meet are precisely the traders I mentioned, whose interaction boils down to a few phrases and sentences they utter during mission assignments and narrative scenes. Because of this, ARC Raiders can initially feel empty, but rest assured – you are not alone on the surface.

Arc Raiders' Evolving Battlefields: Day, Night, and Tactical Variety

While we cannot explore the underground in ARC Raiders, on the surface, there are four magnificent maps available instead. Each of them is unlocked gradually, depending on the number of rounds played. And that's a totally okay approach because the game gives you a chance to get well acquainted with all the maps that way. Right there, you see how each map brings a separate experience and new memorable landscapes worth exploring.

The maps are closely connected to the story, so one, for example, represents the first battlefield in the conflict with the robots, while another, for example, depicts a rocket station from which some of the chosen people launched towards distant colonies in space and escaped the bloodshed. On each of these maps, the goal is clear: find resources and extract them, alive. The maps can occasionally be played under different conditions, so you will, for example, be able to visit the same map at night when the rewards are significantly better, but you have fewer active extraction points and more enemy patrols.

Loot is fairly distributed, so the risk-reward ratio is excellent. Valuable items are rarely found in banal locations, and the map clearly marks zones with better equipment, either medium or high value. The good thing is that these zones are always in the same places, so you don't have to worry about getting lost looking for good loot while the last minutes of the round are counting down.

Survival, Extraction, and Adrenaline

The duration of one round is 30 minutes, during which each extraction point has its own time until closure. If those 30 minutes run out and you haven't evacuated, you're done. Sometimes it happens that the game inserts a player into a round that has already started, which can be a problem for some, and provides a tactical advantage for others, given that some areas are already cleared of enemies (and loot).

As for the extraction itself, it most often takes place via lifts or metros that you call on the surface. Besides them, there are so-called raider hatches, hidden openings that can only be accessed if you possess a key that you found or bought. However, not every extraction is simple. When you activate the lift, it produces noise that can be heard nearby by both robots and other raiders, so the situation very quickly turns into a fight for life. The most tense moments of every round are precisely those when you are standing in front of the lift and hoping that no one will notice you while you wait for the doors to open. Hatches, on the other hand, are a quieter option because they open immediately without waiting and making noise.

The main threat on the surface are the robots called ARC. No one knows where they come from, who sent them, or what their exact mission is. The only thing clear is that their goal is to destroy and make life difficult for the remaining people on Earth. The game currently has a diverse lineup of ARC robots, and each of them has specific characteristics, behaviors, and weaknesses that require different tactical approaches. What they all have in common is that they will make your life miserable as soon as they spot you.

Mastering the Robotic Foes of Arc Raiders

The fight against ARC robots is based on good tactics and knowledge of your own arsenal. Each weapon has a different effectiveness of damage against the armor and body of the robots, so it is important to thoughtfully plan which weapon to use against a certain type of ARC enemy. So, for example, the smaller Hornet robot that flies with the help of four propellers and doesn't have a strong armor system, but is certainly extremely mobile and quite dangerous if you don't know how to deal with it. If you manage to hit one of its propellers, the robot loses control over flight and is thus easier to overcome. It's also cool, for example, that the front propellers will be additionally protected, so then the rear ones must be hit to make it fall even faster.

Besides the Hornet, robots come in various shapes and sizes, like the Snitch, Queen, Fireball, or Rocketeer, and others, each requiring a different approach because they differ in armor, armament, and behavior in combat. Each robot has some detail that needs to be noticed to overcome them more easily. The design itself is excellently done, and it's quite fun to discover what each robot's weakness is and where its flaws are. I won't give specific examples; I leave the magic of discovery up to you.

I must admit that the overall part of the robot's artificial intelligence is exceptionally done, from movement to reacting and noticing the player itself. It brings another level of required strategy when exploring the surface itself, especially when facing large robots, which it is smartest to avoid in most cases.

A Tale of Two Playstyles - Lone Wolf vs. Squad Warfare

What is that small, orange thing running for its life from a flock of drones, while hiding valuable loot in its backpack? That is our fearless raider – the hero of every foray onto the surface. Raiders are the bravest among the survivors, those who, with a lot of self-confidence and carefully selected equipment, leave the safety of the underground, risking everything for another valuable catch. Every outing to the surface is not just a fight for resources but also an adrenaline challenge in the fight against mechanized force and other greedy hunters, where only the most skillful survive.

You can embark on the adventure as a lone hunter or join a team of up to three players. Each way of playing offers a completely different experience. Solo play is surprisingly the most relaxed and perhaps the most fun. Her,e ARC Raiders isn't even a merciless battlefield where everyone selfishly looks to deceive others. I've seen how complete strangers team up and together take down a powerful robot. It surprised me quite a bit because there's something warm and unexpected about it for a game where everyone is fighting for resources. Along with healthy camaraderie, an addition is that a rival raider can revive you with a special revival tool and give you another chance to continue the round.

Playing in a team, on the other hand, is a completely different experience. When playing with friends or random players, the dynamics quickly turn into a real little war. The PvE aspect falls into the background, and matches increasingly resemble battle royales, where the most important thing is to survive and defeat other teams. It's not bad, but it's quite different from the solo experience, which emphasizes survival and spontaneity more.

Talk or Type? Communication and Preparation in Arc Raiders

Communication is also excellently implemented with the use of team voice chat. There is also an option for proximity chat to call for help if a robot unexpectedly downs you, so you can even persuade an opponent to help you. Both proximity and team chat offer the option of modifying, i.e., hiding your voice. It is possible to use, along with all that, pre-set voice commands and interactions, so you technically don't need a microphone.

Before each round, the player assembles a loadout which includes a favorite weapon, shield, several grenades, and the like, and special augments. It is precisely they that significantly change the tactics and style of play because some allow carrying more items and open additional spaces in the backpack, while others enhance shields or bring special bonuses in combat. Besides that, some also open safe pockets, special pockets where rare and valuable resources can be stored. 

Even if the player is defeated, those items are safely returned to the base. For those who are not confident in the upcoming round or don't have enough resources, there is an option for a free loadout, which is a random equipment package that the game automatically assigns. Sometimes it brings luck and useful items, and sometimes it requires improvisation and resourcefulness with what you get.

After a safe return, all found items are stored in the warehouse, which organizes things by categories. Space in the warehouse is often lacking because almost everything can serve in some recipe or upgrade, so the decision of what to sell or recycle is often difficult. Still, the warehouse can be expanded with the help of currency earned from selling trinkets or other items.

I have to complain a bit about the user interface design of the inventory on consoles, which can be quite clumsy. For example, if I want to take out a specific number of items from a larger group, that option simply isn't available. It is possible to move half, but even that option simply doesn't work, which further complicates the overall management.

Understanding Items, Crafting, and Progression

Higher quality items can also be found in less popular places, although they are most often connected to zones of greater conflict. Besides rarity levels, some categories separate things according to purpose. Some items serve exclusively for recycling, while others are special materials needed only for specific upgrades and crafting.

If you usually avoid these kinds of games because of cluttered inventory, Arc Raiders tried to make it easier. Each item has a descriptive tooltip that displays its purpose, category, and possible applications in crafting. In it, you can also see the type of zone where it can be found, like "industrial" or "electrical," which helps with orientation because those zones are clearly marked on the map.

At first glance, the crafting system may seem complicated, but the game explains it clearly enough that you quickly get into the rhythm. However, one must be careful because almost every item, regardless of rarity, has some purpose. For example, it happened to me that I accidentally recycled an item intended for an upgrade, thinking it was worthless. I always get confused in games with complex inventory systems, but here, with a little exploration and listening to what the game offers, I quickly found my way, and I believe it will be the same for others.

Besides that, ARC Raiders softens the gameplay mechanics with light RPG elements and introduces an interesting progression system through three skill branches: Conditioning, Mobility, and Survival. Each of the branches offers different passive bonuses and abilities that can be adjusted to an individual playing style, whether you prefer speed, endurance, or tactical survival. Although the system is simply structured, it adds a feeling of long-term progress, which has been rarely seen so far in the extraction shooter genre.

The Retro-Futuristic Soul of Arc Raiders

As for visual and audio performance, I really cannot express enough how impressed I was with what ARC Raiders offers. The game was developed in Unreal Engine 5, and the team from Embark showed that when you want to, you can, and what potential this technology holds. On the PS5, I ran the game stably at 60 frames per second. I played since its release and not once did I have problems with a drop in framerate or similar states, although I noticed some minor oversights like slower loading of certain textures, but that only happened in details and did not spoil the overall impression.

Both the sound and aesthetics are based on retro-futurism, which goes perfectly with the story the game brings. The combination of retro synth sounds that give the soundtrack a unique atmosphere should be especially emphasized. The music combines the nostalgia of the eighties with modern electronic tones, creating an immersive sound experience. We felt an even greater sence of the word whle wearing our XP-Panther LED headset, which give us that futuristic feel. Overall, the sounds and music in the game function as a powerful tool for creating tension and depth in the game, providing both tactical information and an emotional experience. Such sound design elevates ARC Raiders above the standard and makes the audio experience truly special.

Besides the beautiful landscapes and sounds, the game offers stunning animations. Each one flows fluidly and smoothly without any effort or stuttering. The shooting animations are extremely realistic, almost "meaty," with every hit in the robot's torso clearly expressed. The character movement animations are also impeccable, whether it's rolling or jumping – every move happens naturally and elegantly, which further contributes to the experience.

Why Arc Raiders' Community is Its Greatest Feature

One of the nicer things in Arc Raiders is its surprisingly compassionate community that’s flourishing. Contrary to the cutthroat norms of the genre, many solo players are discovering a spirit of cooperation. Through simple emotes like "Don't shoot!" and "Team up?", strangers are forging temporary, unspoken alliances. One player's experience highlights this shift, noting that an overwhelming 95% of the time, these peaceful gestures are honored.

 This suggests that the game's intensely challenging PvE environment encourages players to see each other not just as rivals, but as potential allies in a shared fight for survival. For many, these moments of kindness from strangers are actively restoring their faith in the online gaming community.

I think it's time for me to also come to the surface with this rather long review, because I must admit that Arc Raiders kept me in front of the screen and captivated me with its concept. I can say that the game simply fascinated me with its looks and mechanics alone, so a couple of times in the middle of a round I just stopped and admired the world surrounding me. Let's just hope that one day when the almighty  ChatGPT becomes sentient it/she/he/them/ doesn't go crazy and bring a scourge in the form of these robots from which I've already gotten a light PTSD.

In Conclusion

While the extraction shooter genre has been convincingly dominated for almost a decade by Escape from Tarkov, known for its brutal realism and extremely demanding mechanics, ARC Raiders manages to offer a fresh look at the extraction formula. It doesn't act aggressively at all like some kind of Tarkov killer, but as a game that respectfully takes the idea of the genre and tries to open it to a wider circle of players. 

Primarily to those who perhaps lack the time to dedicate to extraction shooters. That combination of fine aesthetics and thoughtful action gives hope that in the world of extraction shooters, healthy competition with a healthy community of fans is finally being born.

I consider the price of ARC Raiders fair because the offered content fully justifies the requested 40 euros. In short, ARC Raiders has rightfully deserved the status of a new multiplayer hit and it is clear that this is a title that has raised dust in the video game industry. The only question that remains is whether the team from Embark Studios will manage well enough to retain player interest months after launch.

Game Rating & Reason:ˇ9.1/10

I would rate Arc Raiders a 9.1 out of 10 because it successfully delivers a fresh, polished, and more accessible take on the demanding extraction shooter genre with fantastic presentation and engaging mechanics, with a terrific player base. Though it is held back by a somewhat hollow social hub and occasional minor technical issues.

Age Recommendation:15+

I would recommend this game for teenagers aged 15 and up due to its intense combat, strategic complexity, and the constant tension of PvPvE encounters which require a maturity level that younger kids typically don't possess.

Gemini AI Summary:

This review praises ARC Raiders as a fresh, polished, and more accessible entry into the extraction shooter genre, highlighting its engaging PvPvE combat, well-designed robot enemies, satisfying progression systems, and stunning audiovisual presentation on Unreal Engine 5, while noting criticisms of its menu-based social hub and occasional inventory management clunkiness on consoles.