If you’re curious about Arc Raiders and want to know if it’s worth buying, this review is for you.
We’ve spent over 100 hours playing and have gathered honest thoughts about it. This breakdown covers everything: how the game works, the thrill of fighting other players, the depth of fighting AI enemies, playing alone, how you level up, whether the price is fair, and what it’s really like to play.
No matter if you love competitive fights, prefer exploring on your own, or just want to avoid chaotic battles, here’s the full story before you buy.
What the Game Is About: High-Risk Missions
Arc Raiders isn’t a simple shoot-everything game or another battle royale. At its core, this game is an extraction shooter—where every mission puts something at stake.
Players drop into large, moody maps, gather loot, finish tasks, and then try to get out before enemies (both computer-controlled and real people) take them down. The goal: keep improving your character with better equipment, more supplies, and deeper knowledge of the maps and how things work.
What makes Arc Raiders different from similar games? It’s the powerful sense of being in the moment and a special mix of systems that make every encounter matter, whether you’re looking for intense PvP fights or smart solo escapes.
PvP Experience: Tension, Action, and the Flare System
Extraction and Third-Party Dynamics
When you take down an enemy, a bright flare shoots into the sky. This tells your team to move in, but it also alerts every other player nearby. This leads to chaotic moments where multiple teams show up to fight over the loot, making every escape a nerve-wracking challenge.
Map Design & Encounter Variety
The maps are designed for all kinds of combat. Small maps with lots of buildings are perfect for close-up fights. Bigger, open maps allow for long-distance sniping and sneaky moves. The variety keeps the PvP from getting stale.
Sound Design—A Tactical Edge
The sound design is fantastic and useful. You can hear rain outside clearly, and sounds get muffled when you go inside. Listening for footsteps, gunfire, or enemy creatures is a key part of outsmarting your opponents.
PvE Gameplay: Solo Viability and Enemy Variety
But what about players who prefer PvE or solo play, avoiding the chaos of constant PvP?
The “Arc” Enemies
The main AI enemies are called “Arcs.” They come as ground troops, flying drones, and huge bosses. These enemies aren’t just for show—they actively hunt you, create dangers, and make a lot of noise. If you hear them fighting in the distance, you know to either stay away or head over for some action.
Playing Solo is a Valid Option
If you play alone, you have tools to help you. You can use smoke bombs, camouflage, and ziplines to sneak around and escape from fights. There are also special solo extraction points that you can unlock with keys found on the map. This lets you avoid the main exits where big teams are often waiting. You get to choose: go for a risky, busy exit or sneak out quietly.
Queue System—Balanced Matchmaking
When you play by yourself, the game usually matches you with other solo players. This means you probably won’t have to fight a well-organized team, which makes the game much fairer and more fun for those playing alone.
The game can even feel like a horror game at times. On a dark, rainy night with Arc enemies hunting you, a simple mission becomes a tense fight for survival that rewards careful, smart play.
Progression Systems: Weapons, Crafting, Skills, and Prestige
Progression is at the core of every extraction shooter, and Arc Raiders has layered its system with depth and variety.
You start with simple gear, but you can find or make better versions. These are color-coded from white (common) all the way up to yellow (legendary). This applies to gun parts, special gear like the grappling hook, and healing items, giving you plenty to hunt for.
Crafting Tables and Material Hunts
To make better gear, you need parts. You find these parts in supply boxes, by beating big bosses, or in hidden rooms you need a key to open. Upgrading your crafting bench is a key goal, as it lets you make more powerful items. Some special recipes are highly sought after because they can totally change how you play.
Skill Trees for Your Playstyle
The game lets you spend points in different skill areas. You can improve your movement (like running longer or dodging farther) or get small upgrades that make the game feel smoother. These skills don’t make you overpowered; they just help you fine-tune your character to fit how you like to play.
Big Boss Fights
We fought a giant robot spider “Queen” that felt like a boss from a big online game. Beating these tough enemies rewards you with rare parts, suggesting the game will keep adding these kinds of epic group challenges.
Prestige/Wipe System
In a clever move, the game lets you voluntarily reset all your progress. Players who love the grind can do this to earn special rewards, probably unique outfits. The best part is that it’s completely optional—casual players can ignore it, while completionists can chase the exclusive bragging rights.
Ranked Mode
For competitive players, a ranked mode is coming. This will give experts a long-term goal to climb the leaderboards and see how they stack up against the best.
The game is designed to keep you hooked with both short-term goals, like a new gun, and long-term goals, like ranked status and special gear.
Map Design: Variety, Verticality, and Replayability
The maps in Arc Raiders are a real strength. They are well-made and offer different experiences.
Small vs. Large Maps
Small maps are built for fast, close-quarters fights where the action never stops. Bigger maps are better for players who like to sneak around, fight AI enemies, or play solo. Bushes, dark corners, and high places give you lots of spots to hide, especially on scary night missions.
Dynamic Hotspots & Unique Layouts
The maps never play the same way twice. The action moves around as flares go off and teams change positions. This makes every match feel fresh, even after many hours of play.
Verticality and Movement Tools
With grappling hooks, ziplines, and lots of climbable objects, you can get creative with your movement. This is key for getting the drop on enemies or making a quick escape.
Sound Design: Atmosphere and Tactical Awareness
Environmental Immersion
The sound makes the world feel real. You hear rain pouring down and thunder in the distance. Sounds also change when you move from outside to inside a building.
Combat Awareness
Paying attention to sound is a key skill. You can hear enemy footsteps, gunfire in the distance, or the noises of AI monsters. For a solo player, listening carefully can be the difference between escaping and getting caught.
Action, Atmosphere, and Surprise
Paying attention to sound is a key skill. You can hear enemy footsteps, gunfire in the distance, or the noises of AI monsters. For a solo player, listening carefully can be the difference between escaping and getting caught.
Does Arc Raiders Offer Real Value?
Arc Raiders costs approx $40 on steam. After playing it a lot, the argument is that it’s worth the money.
Content Quantity and Replayability
With its deep leveling systems, different game modes, tons of gear to unlock, and great maps, there’s enough here to keep you playing for a very long time.
Deluxe Edition
For $60, the Deluxe version gives you extra outfits and some in-game money. This is mainly for people who want to look different or get a small head start.
At $40, Arc Raiders is a fairly priced game that offers a lot for your money, especially if you plan to stick with it.
Overall Verdict: Who Should Buy Arc Raiders?
The million-dollar question remains: Is Arc Raiders worth your money and time?
PvP Enthusiasts: If you crave highly competitive, dynamic multiplayer experiences—where every extraction can turn chaotic and every death teaches a lesson—Arc Raiders will satisfy and challenge you.
PvE Fans & Solo Players: Thoughtfully designed solo systems, smart matchmaking, stealth tools, and alternative extraction routes mean you absolutely can enjoy the game away from the main combat zones. You’ll face obstacles, but the journey is viable and rewarding.
Collectors & Completists: A deep progression path filled with weapons, attachments, rare materials, and skill upgrades offers long-term goals.
Casual Gamers: Even if you don’t grind every day, Arc Raiders should deliver enough variety and excitement to make it a solid pick-up-and-play title.
If you’re turned off by unpredictable PvP or the risk of losing loot, you’ll need to accept that Arc Raiders is, at heart, a high-stakes shooter. However, its generous solo options and ever-expanding content suggest long-lasting appeal—especially for those willing to adapt and learn.
