We are big fans of co-op games and shooters here at The Outerhaven, but it’s safe to say we’ve never been truly enamored by an extraction shooter. Can ARC Raiders break that trend? Keith and I have been playing it to find out, so let’s talk about our experiences so far in this The Outerhaven review in progress for ARC Raiders.
Game Name: ARC Raiders
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC (reviewed)
Publisher(s): Embark Studios
Developer(s): Embark Studios
Release Date: October 30, 2025
Time Played: 40+ hours
What Exactly Is ARC Raiders?
At its core, ARC Raiders is an extraction shooter, but dig a bit deeper and you’ll see it’s not quite that simple. The game originally started life as a co-op PVE shooter before pivoting into what it has become today.
ARC Raiders sets itself apart in a crowded genre by building on its co-op roots. Humanity has been driven underground by ARCs, murderous machines that now control the surface of the world, and as a raider you can journey to the surface either solo or with up to three players. Your mission is to gather supplies and resources while completing jobs for the various vendors in Speranza.
These tasks range from repairing field depots and outposts to hunting specific ARC enemies or collecting rare materials. Completing them won’t be easy, but as you progress, you’ll be able to add several workbenches to your workshop in Speranza, allowing you to craft better gear, something you’ll definitely need to survive.
Risk vs Reward
At the heart of ARC Raiders lies a delicate balance between risk and reward, a box of chocolates built around the unpredictability of human nature. Every decision carries weight. Do you sprint toward that crashed ARC site or raider cache for a chance at rare loot, or hang back, knowing someone might be watching you through a scope? It’s a constant gamble between survival and greed.
The thrill isn’t just in dodging ARCs or scavenging for parts. It’s in the people you meet along the way. Some will help, some will betray, and others will simply vanish into the dust. That human element, the uncertainty of what comes next, is what gives ARC Raiders its soul.
For some, the PVP element comes naturally, feeding that instinct to dominate and survive by any means necessary. For others, the thought of harming another player in this kind of sandbox feels unthinkable. Yet ARC Raiders tests both sides of that coin. Those who thrive in PVP may become ravenous, finding the act of hunting others, even without looting them, the ultimate thrill. Meanwhile, those on the receiving end may realize that being the good guy will not always get them anywhere.
And in all of that, you still have to find gear. Do you sneak around and hope no one sees you, ARCs included? Do you tempt fate and fire at someone who gets too close? Or do you take on the ARCs themselves, knowing full well that their roars and explosions will draw every scavenger in earshot straight to you?
Speaking of the ARCs. These mechanical menaces range from small scout drones that alert stronger units to your presence to massive machines that can ruin your day. Their AI can be impressive at times as ARCs patrol areas, hunt players, and even camp extraction points. Nothing is more frustrating than finally reaching your escape route only to realize both an ARC and another player are closing in. It is chaos, but in the best way possible.
That unpredictability, that tension, and that thrill of never knowing what’s around the corner are what make ARC Raiders so much fun.
Progression with Purpose
Progression in ARC Raiders is deep, layered, and designed to keep you coming back. Every run builds toward something meaningful. You start in the underground base of Speranza, where you accept quests from vendors and prepare for raids on the surface. Completing objectives, scavenging materials, and successfully extracting all contribute to your progression. Experience points earned in the field unlock perks that enhance mobility, stamina, and survivability, creating a steady sense of growth. The only drawback is that with so many skills to choose from, resetting your choices requires starting an Expedition, a high-risk, high-reward system unlocked later in the game.
The hub world evolves with you. Vendors gain new stock as you complete missions, crafting benches unlock stronger gear, and your storage fills with useful materials to refine or trade. The gear economy is balanced with risk. Anything you bring into a raid can be lost if you fail to extract, but even failed runs provide partial experience or materials, keeping progress fair.
At level 15 you unlock Trials, weekly challenges ranging from taking down specific ARCs to salvaging rare items, rewarding you with gear from common to epic tiers. At level 20 Expeditions open up as prestige-like endgame content. Here you sacrifice gear to fund an expedition that lets your character escape the world. This resets your skill tree and certain stats like bag space, but you gain long-term bonuses for future runs. It is a gamble, but one that adds real depth to the endgame.
That all said, I do want to address something, as I see this asked a lot. While Arc Raiders is can be played with up to three players in a group, the game is completely playable solo. Everything can be played solo and you won’t miss out on anything. In fact, I (Keith) prefer to play it that way, as it adds more tension, as well as I found that most players are a bit more friendly. If you’re on the fence about picking up the game and you know what you’re not going to want to play with randoms and you don’t have any friends or family to play with you, playing solo is perfectly viable, so don’t skip out on this experience if you’re wondering about that.
A World Full of Danger and Discovery
The firefights in ARC Raiders are consistently enjoyable, and the gunplay feels tight and satisfying. Taking down ARCs or engaging other players feels great, even when things don’t go your way. While some encounters can feel unfair, the one more run pull is strong. Sometimes you just get outplayed, but rarely does the game feel punishing for the sake of it. And sometimes you leave your teammate behind because they got downed and there’s no way to get to them, and then it’s every person for themselves.
All four maps, Dam Battleground, Buried City, Spaceport, and The Blue Gate, bring their own personality. From the decaying shell of a flooded dam to the remains of a rocket launch tower, to a city half-buried under layers of red sand, and a majestic wilderness, each area looks distinct and beautiful. It is a good thing too, because you will spend a lot of time roaming them for loot. What is more impressive is how open they are. Unlike other games that block exploration, nearly everything here is traversable. Wandering off the beaten path can lead to hidden caches and puzzles that reward curiosity.
Varied Visuals and Standout Audio
This core gameplay loop is backed by stellar presentation, from the game’s desolate yet beautiful environments to its diverse enemy designs. ARC Raiders is a great-looking game, even if character faces do not quite reach the same level as the rest of the visuals.
Audio design on the other hand is astonishing. Gunfire and explosions echo across the terrain with near pinpoint accuracy, while the ARC machines emit sounds that feel mechanical yet oddly expressive, think WALL·E meets warzone. The soundtrack also deserves special mention, from the Hi-Fi electronic beats during pre-mission prep to the ambient tension that rises as you explore. It mirrors the beauty and bleakness of the world perfectly.
Performance and Crossplay
Given that ARC Raiders is built on Unreal Engine 5, we had some initial concerns about performance. Thankfully, the results are impressive. Despite its visual fidelity, ARC Raiders is well optimized and runs surprisingly light on hardware.
At 4K native resolution on ultra settings, I consistently hit over 100 FPS. Enabling DLSS Quality mode boosted frame rates by 15 to 20 percent without noticeable loss in clarity. Admittedly, my rig is high-end, so results will vary depending on setup.
Jordan’s PC Specs: AMD 9950X3D, RTX 5090 Founders Edition, 96GB DDR5 6000MHz Corsair RAM
Playing on an ultrawide monitor is pure bliss. The game looks incredible and fully supports the format without distortion. There are even options to fine-tune the field of view for ultrawide users. I have not played a single match without using the full display space, and it is a treat that Embark took the time to get this right.
Crossplay and cross-progression work flawlessly. You can play a few rounds on PC, then pick up right where you left off on Xbox Series X|S or PlayStation 5. We also tested the game on the ROG Ally X, and it performed well with a mix of medium and high settings aside from a few brief dips. Whatever magic Embark Studios worked into Unreal Engine 5, it is paying off.
Our Thoughts So Far
ARC Raiders is shaping up to be one of our favorite multiplayer experiences this year. Its mix of co-op tension, risk versus reward, and smart progression make every session feel unique. The option for casual co-op loadouts adds flexibility, though we would still love a pure PVE mode focused solely on battling ARCs. Even so, ARC Raiders is easy to recommend for anyone looking for a more approachable and polished take on the extraction shooter formula. If Embark can keep up this momentum, it could set a new standard for the genre.
Review Disclosure Statement: A copy of ARC Raiders was provided to us for review purposes by Embark Studios. For more information on how we review video games and other media, please read our Review Guidelines and Scoring Policy.
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