ARC Raiders Playtest First Impressions - Addictive Loot-Extraction Action

Time: 2025-12-31

I originally planned to play for five or six hours on launch day and write this initial review, but after just a few matches, I found myself completely unable to stop. Before I knew it, I had already sunk 10 hours into it.

I've played many "loot-extraction" games, but without a doubt, this is the most addictive one I've encountered so far. The gunplay feels crisp and clean, the combat is tense and thrilling, the out-of-match progression system (so far) is incredibly satisfying, and the loot is consistently tempting, always making me agonize over what to stash in my backpack and what to leave behind. While I still have a lot more to experience and test before reaching a final verdict, the current gameplay has already left me with an outstanding first impression.

ARC Raiders adheres to the standard "loot-extraction" framework: players are deployed into an operation zone, tasked with defeating NPC enemies and scavenging for loot, all while staying vigilant against other player squads—who are more than happy to relieve you of all your hard-earned gear if you slip up.

Based on what I've seen so far, ARC Raiders doesn't drastically reinvent this formula, but it executes it with a high degree of polish and completeness—which might sound simple, but the opposite examples are plentiful. For instance, the high-budget "Hazard Zone" mode in Battlefield 2042 essentially went nowhere, and Bungie's Marathon alpha test received a lukewarm reception, leading to the game's indefinite delay.

One area where ARC Raiders really succeeds is its intensely nerve-wracking gunfights. Magazines are relatively small, reload times are lengthy, and the mechanical NPC enemies are either much faster than you or can take you out with a single missile strike. This often has me skulking around like a scavenging rat, moving carefully and stealthily just to grab a bit more loot before scurrying back to base.

But when combat erupts, this "high-risk, high-reward, all-or-nothing" dynamic—where you either fail and lose everything you've gathered, or take down your opponents and claim all their sweet gear—creates an exhilarating rush of tension. This applies both to other players and AI enemies, either of whom you might encounter on the map. Unless you're confident your gear and skills can handle a major fight, it's best to avoid confrontation if possible. Because once shots are fired, you risk attracting nearby mechanical enemies and loot-hungry players, making a bad situation even worse.

The four maps I've seen so far each have distinct personalities, like a waterlogged dam ruin or a sand-buried city. They're all visually pleasing, which is a relief since you'll spend a lot of time running across them hunting for loot. Even after dozens of matches, there are still corners I haven't explored, though I'm starting to get familiar with the layouts. I hope there are still plenty of secrets to uncover, giving me reasons to invest even more time in each location.

While striving to explore every area, I'm also trying to find NPC enemies I haven't faced yet (aside from those giant tanks—it's still too early to challenge them, so I give them a wide berth). Currently, most of my PVE combat involves taking down the smaller, easier-to-kill rolling bots and flying drones. The real challenge so far comes from other players.

I look forward to seriously tackling those larger mechanical enemies once I'm more powerful, but it would be nice to have a greater variety of lower-level AI enemies early on to enrich the experience.

Fortunately, even as I grow more familiar with the maps and enemies, it hasn't dampened my enthusiasm. The excellent loot and progression systems alone keep me hooked. Whether a match ends in victory or defeat, I always feel a thrill upon returning to the cozy haven of "Speranza."

In Speranza, I can chat with vendors, settle completed quests, accept new ones, customize my character's appearance, and spend skill points to slightly boost my abilities (like reducing the noise made while looting). There's so much to do and unlock outside of matches, giving me a real sense that I've only scratched the surface. This constantly makes me reluctant to put down the controller, always eager to jump into one more match.

All in all, there's plenty more to do and plenty more robots to scrap. So after finishing typing this, I'm heading back into the wasteland.