If you've ever tried to extract via the Dam Battlegrounds Water Treatment elevator in Arc Raiders then you've probably come across the big angry robot, otherwise known as an Arc Leaper, that likes to sit next to the extraction site, plotting the downfall of any raider naïve enough to walk too close to it.
I have had plenty of close calls with this Leaper as it really manages to pick its moments to rain hellfire down upon my friends and I. Just last night I was trying to reason with another squad as to why we should stop fighting and all just get into the lift to Speranza, only for the Leaper to jump into the middle of these peace negotiations and mess it all up. So, I'm well aware of how much of a pain these big Arcs can be, but I don't want that to change.
There's been a few rumblings among some Arc Raiders players that the bigger Arcs need to get nerfed: "The rocketeers killed millions of players over 2 days in the server slam. They are too strong." With others noticing how a lot of streamers have been calling for this as the bots are just too hard to fight and take down. But I think they're all missing the point.
Arcs like Rocketeers, Queens, and even Leapers aren't objectives for new players, they're obstacles. They add tension to the PvEvP game or offer incentives for random squads to team up and work together to take them down. Players shouldn't be able to drop into Arc Raiders and immediately start taking down some of the biggest Arcs on the map.
Having to crawl between buildings in the Buried City, looting items and navigating other squads all while keeping an eye out for that Rocketeer, which you could've sworn was just by the tower but has since disappeared, makes Arc Raiders stressful in exactly the right way for an extraction shooter.
Embark Studios may well tinker with the difficulties of certain Arcs going forward, but let's not cry for the game to be made easier after just one day. I love the fact that it'll take some time and a hell of a lot of gear to finally be able to stand up to a Rocketeer—otherwise, what the hell am I collecting all this junk for?
These big angry robots are also a great incentive for randoms to team up together. My favourite experience during the preview was my squad brokering peace with a rival group after realising we weren't getting anywhere trying to kill each other, as both teams were simply camped out behind derelict buildings, sitting ducks for any passing Arcs.
PC Gamer's courageous guides writer, Rory Norris, was the first to initiate peace talks, tentatively approaching the other players with words of reassurance like "No guns, no guns" and "Hello?" And by Jove, it worked.
Together, we fought and destroyed an Arc Queen that was terrorising a nearby building, bringing it to its knees by hurling explosives at it until it just keeled over. And the best part? There was enough loot for all. Everyone got to take a valuable back home; there was no squabbling for resources or insidious backstabbing, although that idea was briefly floated around before I shut it down. Nope, just good teamwork, rewarding fun, and impeccable vibes.
If you hate getting stomped on by Arcs, then you can simply not mess with them. It's by no means bad to avoid the big Arcs that seem a little scary and just go after smaller bots that you can easily take down with a couple of shots to their weak spots. That's the beauty of Arc Raiders: it doesn't force a particular play style and pretty much just lets players traverse the maps how they see fit. Eventually, you might be able to take down a big Arc, but until then, you've got a worthy goal to strive towards.
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