As we covered in our recent guide on all-things ARC Raiders, Embark's new extraction shooter goes live on Xbox Series X|S today - and before any full reviews of the title emerge, we are starting to see some early impressions trickle out on the web (based on an early press event and some initial public access).
This is a paid title rather than the team's previous free-to-play shooter The Finals, so we want to round up some of these early impressions to give you an idea of whether ARC Raiders could be worth a pick up. So, here's what those first impressions are saying:
Eurogamer
"But caveats aside, Arc Raiders seems to me like something truly exemplary. I've not felt this way about a big multiplayer game since, maybe, the original Destiny. Arc Raiders is a fantastic first step on what I hope is a long road for Embark, who has shown a deluge of talent here. And like Destiny did for so many others at the time, Arc Raiders has pulled me into an entirely new genre of shooters as a result."
CNET
"This game nails the fundamentals of extraction shooters with its tight gunplay, exciting loot and map designs rife with ambush locations. Its special blend of player-versus-player-versus-freakishly-intelligent-robot gameplay will enrapture extraction-shooter fans and newcomers alike. While losing your loot is always deflating, ARC Raiders has guardrails in place to get a casual gamer back in the action quickly and easily."
Gaming Trend
"After spending some time in the Rust Belt, I can say with certainty that ARC Raiders is a great step for the extraction shooter genre. Beyond the incredible atmosphere of the maps lies in-depth systems to explore. Although simple to pick up, some may find it frustrating along the way. But, if you put in the effort, the mechanics ARC Raiders has available can make for a stellar time topside. If I had to score it today, based on initial impressions, I'd be at an 80/100."
Polygon
"There's a lot to love about Arc Raiders, and the fact that it’s easy to jump in and out of is why I'm very excited for it to launch in full tomorrow. I am slightly concerned it'll fall into the same fate as so many other multiplayer shooters, where it only remains enjoyable until the most dedicated players figure out the inevitable metagame, but if it can avoid that and I can persuade a couple of mates to get in on the action, I'll be coming back to Arc Raiders for a while."
PC Gamer
"I'm having way more fun with Arc Raiders than I'd expected to have, and I think its focus on being a more casual, vibey extraction shooter is a really great angle that will likely make it more palatable for a wider audience. My only reservation so far is whether Embark can find that sweet spot between fun and challenging, and it'll be interesting to see whether priorities change depending on what kind of playerbase it gathers."
Over on Steam — which contains some immediate reactions to the game's public launch — ARC Raiders seems to be going down very well so far. A few hundred user reviews are already in - currently amounting to a 'Very Positive' rating overall; based on folks' first few matches with this new extraction shooter.
Before we head out here, this is an online shooter that will likely be flooded with players in the coming hours - so it's worth keeping your eye out for any potential updates on how the servers are holding up. In the meantime, ARC Raiders launches for Xbox Series X|S today, October 30th, and you can check out our full release guide down below for all the info you need.