I've never really been into extraction shooters before Ark Raiders. I've definitely tried the most popular titles in the genre — Escape from Tarkov, Prey: Showdown – but they weren't enough to really hook me. After that Ark Raiders came together, giving me one of the most accessible escape-shooter experiences I've ever had, and I was able to keep my hands off the keyboard and mouse. That feeling of going into a zone, grabbing all the loot I can, and then making a successful extraction is unmatched, and I can deeply appreciate the genre thanks to Embark Studios' latest effort.
I have a little problem with the way I play Ark RaidersHowever, and I know I'm not alone in this. In fact, I'll admit that's the way I approach just about any game based on loot, but it's pretty close to the way I approach real-life “loot” as well. And while Ark RaidersWhile Access certainly makes it a bit easier to ensure that this habit of mine doesn't end up cutting me off in the game, it hasn't stopped me from pushing Access to its limits – to the point that if it was able to piss me off, it might.
Ark Raiders can't cure my hoarding habit
Look…I'm a bit of a hoarder in loot-based video games, and I know that far from being an uncommon problem, I can be one of the worst-case scenarios. I don't care what the item is or how worthless it is, I find some reason to grab it, and I can only tell why by looking at how I handle “loot” in real life.
I'm not a hoarder in real life – just cables and boxes. Yes, I'm that stereotypical father and husband who always thinks “I need this someday,” even though that “someday” rarely comes. To be fair, I have had many cases where I finally held on to the cable for 10 years and threw it away, and then I suddenly needed it for something. Maybe those cases ring in my ears when I consider whether to hold something or ship it. Anyway, I accept my situation, and I understand that I am the same in games that let me store every item I find.
That list of games is now included Ark RaidersWhich, as an extraction shooter, is really all about the loot in the end. No matter how hard it is sometimes to gather resources, I will find a way. Fortunately, I can easily expand my stash space to better accommodate my fiery habit, but even that isn't enough to keep me from growing any extra space that magically disappears in a round or two. And now that I'm home like a cable bag for about 40 hours, I have things in my stash that I've either completely forgotten about or I'm afraid to get rid of because, to quote myself, “I'll need it someday.”
I'll add that I sell everything with the jewel icon on it, because they're really, really only useful for the cash I can earn by selling them. But I use that cash to buy more stash space, so does it really change much? I don't think so.
While I realize it's my choice to accumulate so much gear, I still blame it Ark RaidersInnovative Free Loadout System. I'm not sure if this is meant to be an enabler of one of my worst habits, but by using a free loadout on almost every single run, I never lose anything in my stash if I'm defeated during a round. Besides, if I make it back safely from the round, then not only have I lost nothing, but I've gained a lot on top of what I already had. It's a great system for item hoarders like me, who fear losing their precious trash that might actually turn out to be treasure somewhere down the road.
- issued
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October 30, 2025
- ESRB
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Juvenile / violence, blood
