Arc Raiders' PvE test has finally arrived, and it's the best reason to go back in

This is exactly what Arc Raiders needs right now.

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God, the stressful life has so much to do and so few hours in the day to do it. So when I have a few free hours at night, I have to be very mindful of what I'm doing, and let me tell you, getting vaulted in Arc Raiders by some rando hiding in a bush is not at the top of my list.

It's a shame, because I love the Arc Raiders universe. I love the mystery, the gorgeous scenery, and the quirky storytelling that you can't get in most games. But finally there is a solution: PvE testing.

Embark shared the test a few weeks ago, finally admitting that it would be testing a temporary PvE switch due to a large portion of its audience liking a more passive approach to the game. While Frozen Trail was released a few days ago, the PvE test has only just gone live and it's a lot of fun.

Riding the Pendula Pass has never been so cold, well, colder than usual. As soon as I emerged from my shelter I was met with hellfire raining down on me and the sound of bullets being fired into my face as several players tried to take down the newer arch, a bully. "Okay" I thought to myself, "I guess I'll start here".

The bully isn't as deadly as a queen, but the tankier than me I expected it to be as it ate my Wolfpack grenade like it was nothing. I wasn't equipped for such a fight, but thanks to a growing group of curious raiders, we managed to knock it out before long. It might sound boring to someone who loves the adrenaline rush of PvP, but for someone who just wants to explore the map, destroy arcs and maybe help a fellow raider along the way, the experience here is golden.

Embark should have implemented a PvE mode in Arc Raiders a long time ago

Arc Raiders Finally Tests a PvE-Only Mode: "We Can't Ignore What the Data Tells Us"

I had 3 hours with the Arc Raiders Frozen Trails update and spent most of it playing with the new grapple hook.

Instead of ducking around bushes and hiding in the shadows, I feel relatively free to roam the surface and actually see the surrounding scenery. You still have to watch out for arches, but it's a nice change not to get chills at the sound of footsteps approaching your place.

In fact, it's quite the opposite now, hearing attackers up close reassures me that someone will help if things go wrong – which is especially nice when arcs in PvE mode catch you moving while falling. After pulling out some bows on my way to the observatory, my pride was boosted, so when I saw the new Skulker, a seemingly small and insignificant enemy, I thought it would be easy to pick up. I was wrong

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Maybe I was just unlucky, but this Skulker had a few more friends, and more ammo than I thought it would take to take him down. Pinned behind some crates, I quickly went through all my supplies and tried to come up with an exit strategy when I heard gunfire. I don't know where it came from, maybe it was an angel from above, but a stranger saw that I needed help, helped me take out the Skulkers, and then moved on.

They were gone before I could say thank you, so I decided to pay it instead. On my way to the extract, I saw a bunch of bowmen gathered in an outbuilding, I didn't have much ammo left, but I still wanted to help, so I did. I started taking potshots at some of the bees to distract them from the shed and soon another raider popped their heads out and together we took them out. Nothing was said, but after a wave of thanks, we moved on and I returned to Speranza.

Like I said before, I love Arc Raiders for its world, action, and crafting, but helping it out without worrying that the person you just saved might shoot you in the back and destroy any faith you have left in humanity. PvE testing is a change of pace, and I'll be playing it almost exclusively while I still have time.

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Eli is a news writer who has an unhealthy love for horror games, even if their greatest fear is being chased. When they're not screaming or hiding, you'll most likely find them testing their metal in Metroidvania or admiring their Pokemon TCG collection. Ellie previously worked as a writer at TechRadar Gaming and studied International and Documentary Journalism at JOMEC.

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