There are a plethora of shooters and live-service games out there, and most of them feel similar. So none of them gets a second look. But here’s a game from the past year that quietly built up an interested audience and is starting to show some real potential. This time around, it is ARC Raiders and comes from the houses of Embark Studios.
This isn’t just a standard fast-paced shooter. ARC Raiders weaves in PvP and PvE in such a way that makes the gameplay so much slower, taut, and lends much more atmosphere to it. The setting? It’s a post-apocalyptic universe where the enormous AI machines that roam the surface are called ARC. The players become part of the underground resistance that forays to the surface to snatch loot, complete missions, and, if lucky, make it back alive.
Complete your mission, make your base stronger, and get tide for the next endeavor with gear on. End all rivers of grief by losing all belongings carried if defeated in the mission. Speranza serves as the greatest hub available.
This game was created by the same team behind The Frontier. It does recall many figures of distinct types, but there are none of those instances where you die and then respawn in a chaotic struggle. Every decision has consequences in the world of ARC Raiders. Every single bullet counts. If you make the wrong choice, those giant machines simply will not show any mercy.
What really sticks out in terms of atmosphere. Beta testers all mention how polished and immersive the game feels, even at this early stage. Much credit should go to the sound design, as it gives some really great touches to the game. It’s cool when an ARC patrol comes closer, and you can start hearing their heavy footsteps rather than seeing them in the next second. From the proximity chat sound of the voice of another player, whom you can or cannot see there yet, the thrill becomes sweating underground.
The streamers are doing it justice, and the vibes are bouncing back and forth. Shroud, one of the most high-end names from the FPS gaming fraternity, said this game was fresh in a good way. He said he liked the meta, apart from the hoarding for one moment; it might just be concentrated on the tension in navigating dangerous AI enemies.
People around the web who have had experiences with test runs seem to compare these memories to moments they have felt in games forever. Like the thrill of barely escaping a machine patrol, or the ruthlessness of a would-be extraction ally. Even strangers teaming up for a short while can become an unforgettable experience.
The main loop is simple: get to the surface, complete the objectives, take whatever you can, and run away alive. But everything moves a lot slower on purpose. Ammo is limited. Resources are even scarcer. You cannot just kill whatever you see before you. Besides, you find yourself leaving behind precious loot simply because the stakes are just too high.
There comes a lot with ARC, as enemies you fight and kill a complex species. Every type of ARC has another behavior. While some can be evaded through stealth mechanics, some tend to pursue the player to death. Those giant flying monstrosities, failing with a plan with all the firepower, is something you would not want to endure.
At the same time, interactions with other players are utterly unpredictable. You might find a stand-off. Or you might start a sudden brawl. Or trick someone for a single encounter. Trust is never given for too long.
While the game isn’t out yet, it has a lively community where people carry their experiences with great enthusiasm… About one test person losing everything the previous night with a betrayal during a mission; another delicately veiled past ARC but staying to listen to their steady footsteps.
Apparently even the console player base is watching ARC Raiders. Aside from a few exceptions, most gamers love getting a home run with their PCs in the first-person shooter genre. However, it’s nice to get back within the boundaries of the gaming console realm-and still we have this hope that ARC Raiders might propel itself into a pretty massive audience.
From my end, I think every second in the game just breathes danger, and it just doesn’t happen during fighting moments, but when it seems nothing is going to happen. The really slow telling of what’s going to happen suddenly launches into chaos, and each run feels altogether different.
Critical areas to focus on still lie in balancing player fights and AI threats. An escape system for rewards has to be fair without turning into a pay-to-win style of grind. Overall, from what I have seen, Embark Studios is listening quite closely and effectively to player testing feedback.
Among the uncountable piles of copies, ARC Raiders aims to be different by building its core around atmosphere, tension, and unpredictable encounters, which will make it a game that people will still discuss in years to come.
I have played an absolute ton of shooters, but this one scratches my action itch and my strategic itch at the same time. So, if they keep building on it and adding content to it, it could really become something quite unique.
Something could conspire to make ARC Raiders one of those most-discussed games in the world in the year 2025. So, then, will you face the ARC on their home turf or stay back to hear from those who do so? You may also be interested in: Battlefield 6 Beta Review: Fun, But Still Needs a Lot of Fixes Before Release
