ARC invaders is the most accessible and fun addition to the extraction shooter genre I’ve found to date. As a newbie to this type of games, I tried popular titles such as Escape From Tarkov, Gray Zone Warfare, Delta Force, Call of Duty DMZ, and even Marathonand none of them delighted me as much as this one.
ARC invaders stands out from the rest because it was fun and accessible enough to quickly draw me in, and the satisfying grind keeps me logging in for more despite my own out-of-stock failures, making it another gaming triumph in 2025.
High bending potential
For those fresh to extraction, it’s all about spacing the map (various, handsome locations known as “Topside” as opposed to humanity’s fresh underworld), looting equipment and valuable items, and extracting safely while dealing with AI enemies and other players. ARC invaders sends you into a post-apocalyptic world with weapons and targets assembled, and it’s up to you to upgrade your gear and get better weapons. If you die, you lose everything you’re carrying, so it’s all about risk and reward.
You can play solo or in groups of up to three people, ARC invaders relies heavily on your interactions with other players. There is no strictly PvE mode in the game (yet), and this is one of the most anticipated features so far. But if you want to join other Raiders, be ready to communicate.
I had a lot of fun voice chatting with other players who shared common goals, such as finding specific equipment to complete a task or teaming up to defeat fierce ARC enemies, and I even made a few friends along the way. This can only be done if you are willing to talk or express emotions, and if you are lucky enough to find a like-minded player and not someone who wants you to die right away.
Legend and the world ARC invaderswhere a robot apocalypse has driven humanity underground, it’s awesome, but drip-powered. Your character develops through experience and a skill tree, and the story evolves through quests from vendors and occasional cutscenes, but much of the story is up to you to seek it out. And unfortunately, most of the game’s tasks are mundane item retrieval tasks rather than the more expositionally intriguing ones.
This can feel like progress is hindered at times, especially considering how deadly ARC’s enemies are, while also having to fight other players while trying to gain the XP and items needed to complete the task. The death and loss of higher quality equipment is devastating and demoralizing. This may turn some players off, especially those who only want PvE, but that’s just not how the genre works…yet.
Fortunately, all the intrigue and danger is wrapped in a third-person shooter that is excellent and satisfying to play, no matter how many times I lost all my inventory. ARC invaders it’s gorgeous and runs perfectly on almost any PC, which may be its biggest selling point in 2025. You will die and lose things, but it won’t be due to the game’s performance.
Looting is also made elementary thanks to the immaculate and easy-to-read UI, so making quick decisions in the heat of battle when looting an ARC or a corpse feels easier than in other games I’ve tried in this genre.
A tale of two peaks
For me (and many others, according to the Internet sentiment), ARC invaders I often feel like they are two different games. Solo gameplay is praised as cooperative and cordial, as players often want to complete tasks and work together.
The situation with trios (and duos) couldn’t be more different. If you line up in a group, prepare for war. You may encounter other cordial players by lining up as a team, but for the most part, the Raiders will shoot straight away.
This is because Embark prioritizes team size when it comes to matchmaking, although there is no individual support for duos, so if you queue up with two, you’ll most often be fighting teams of three. Combined with the danger from ARC and other teams in the area, it is a harrowing and challenging experience.
For newer players in the genre or those looking for a PvE-like experience, I would recommend sticking to solos and using your mic or emote wheel to let players know you’re not a threat. That doesn’t mean they won’t shoot you immediately or, worse yet, gain your trust and take you away at a more favorable time, but that’s the risk you take every time you go to Topside. And it’s all part of the fun.
The player divide between those who want PvE and veterans of the genre who want bloodlust is wide at launch, and I see it from both sides. ARCs are challenging to defeat, so mission progress can be sluggish and painful if other players attack you. But in the end, these are extraction shooters and everyone can play however they want. Just be prepared to face the consequences.
However, continuing to cater to the more casual gamer, the extraction genre’s infamous “server wipes”, where players’ inventories are deleted, are being replaced with a Prestige-like system where players can choose to reset their character to obtain special rewards. But since it’s not forced, ARC invaders additionally, it provides accessibility and a potentially wider range of players.
ARC invaders The introductory offer is just the beginning. With a two-month roadmap now available, this game will continue to offer content updates for an extended period of time, offering fresh maps, weapons, and experiences that will keep players coming back to the game even as they move on to other titles. But in terms of the base game, the start is very scorching and promising.
