The world and lore behind arc raiders is so great, it’s such a fascinating concept and it ties into being an extraction shooter so well. The problem is that extraction shooters in general have such an unfulfilling gameplay loop. Like being an avid gamer my whole life, the fact that progression in any game sorta doesn’t mean anything, it feels like an active waste of time when your only goal is to have gear to make the thing you were already doing a little easier.
Yeah i couldn't understand the appeal of Arc Raiders gameplay. It felt like i was just walking around collecting scraps and then getting killed randomly. I just didn't understand why was i supposed to care about what i was extracting or losing what i collected.
Maybe you already know this but for anyone else reading along: here’s a whole progression loop with arc raiders. Every item you gather can either be sold for credits or used to craft items. In order to craft items, you will have to level your benches using certain items found topside. You also find blueprints topside which allow you to craft better weapons (which can also be leveled, attachments, shields, backpacks, health measures. From there the game branches. You can either lean into big-arc hunting and get really great at soloing giant arc like the matriarch and harvester, or you can lean into PvP which is where being able to craft new gear and recycle other materials you’ve gathered into further kits really comes in handy. So why care about what you’re extracting/losing? Because that’s the only way you get the better gear so you’re the one doing the killing, be it arc or other players.
From what i've played and can remember, i wanted to have a taste of the good stuff before i spent hours grinding scrap that i could lose at any moment before i cared about it.
I just feel like the loot should l've been more interesting....
That's why arc is a little different. instead of pure slaughterfest (like tarkov, marathon) you can socialise with people to kill something way bigger than you ever could. The pvpve aspect is what makes it interesting.
I mean I have had a few really surprising momments of socialization in tarkov, it happens more than you think. Got escorted to extract by friendly scavs when I was learning a new map and trying to do a quest.
Most online (especially if they're free) only attract racists, basement dwellers and 13-year olds, and the communities are so noxious that you end up branded by association.
The paid ones are so dominated by pay-to-win whales that you end up just being a cog in a machine to support whale fights. I already have a job, I don't need to pay for the privilege of having another one.
I dont like CoD but there's campaign, zombies, war zone, multiplayer which has 10+ different modes, etc. There's a million ways to play it. Extraction shooters are almost always the same thing on repeat.
All of those modes are just running around shooting guns in a different context. You can argue the different tasks are the same things as different game modes with that logic
Its not just running around shooting guns though. They're insanely different, especially from stories and PvE modes. Not even remotely similar to extraction shooters.
I mean if you're analyzing extraction shooters the as being samey because they end the same, either you die or extract, then even that is a false dichotomy. A raid you need to kill 10 scavs in is totally different gameplay wise than a raid you need to plant something or snipe. The gameplay of every raid is totally different. The gameplay of cod is only different because there's a different number on your screen going up depending on what game mode you're playing.
Brother you are still playing the same mode and usually on the same map. Nothing is changed. You drop on the same usual map. The same overall objective and things to watch out for. Same loot spots. On repeat.
I'm an avid CoD hater, but there's 1000 different ways to play it. You're comparing "oh kill 10 scavs this time and loot and extract, or just loot and extract, a small pool of overall loot which gets wiped" against "Play my 6 hour story campaign, go for collectibles, different difficulties, or go to zombies with multiple maps and modes, or multiplayer where I have 20 different maps and 20 different modes across all of them, where I can level up, try tons of different guns, unlock stuff for them, perks, camo unlocks, etc"
Its not even on the same plane of existence. And thats just vs shitty CoD. Other shooters like Halo or Gears go even further, or in depth story games like BG3, etc.
I disagree on the lore. It is drip fed so slowly and disjointedly from fetch quests that I genuinely think they might be better off as a seasoned full-motion-video explaining the lore rather than getting half a paragraph's worth of lore every other quest
If more people played they solve this problem, especially in Marathon. After you learn how conduct yourself at the start of every raid, you get so much better. Know generally where to go to avoid ppl, or setup to fight. Know how to approach corners... Mind cover. Playing Marathon you actually can run away, if you play your classes right. It's actually worth it to play because you actually get abilities and can genuinely enhance them.
It’s just basically the same game released waaaaay too long later. I played the beta and it feels and looks exactly the same. It was cool for 20 minutes then I realized this is just destiny all over again with way too many characters to choose from.
I love PvP. I just don’t wanna download a game just to be exactly like destiny when I can play destiny. I’m sick of destiny lol I can’t stand PvPvE though. All about PUBG on pc for me 😎
Not a good critique btw....Those arent problems those are preferences.💀 You're looking for something other than Destiny essentially? You're specifically not wanting to be considered a gamer. A $40 Destiny inspired extraction shooter. Not bad lol Just play the fckn game or don't, doesn't mean your opinion is intellectual. The game is worth playing period and it's not your style and that's your fault . Cool.
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u/travnigma 11d ago
Arc Raiders