For the longest time, I was one of the biggest detractors of the extraction game genre. An endless grind, underpinned by shallow gameplay loops and communities with no nuance, and in most cases, overflowing with toxicity.
That was the assumption that I approached every extraction title with, hoping and willing every new champion of the genre to prove me wrong. Something that took a long time to happen, but then along came Arc Raiders.
Not only was Arc Raiders a tight experience, with great gunplay, an interesting premise, and intelligent AI bolstering the PVE elements. It was a breakout title that welcomed a surge of players and had a strong community of fans tailoring their own experience through Arc Raiders’ extraction sandbox.
It was a glorious release that broke the mold and made me genuinely excited for extraction games that would follow in its wake, pushing the envelope further. I allowed myself to get aboard the extraction hype train again, and that’s perhaps why Mistfall Hunter has left me so cold.
Arc Raider’s ‘You Had To Be There’ Moment
So, to paint the picture of why Mistfall Hunter is so underwhelming, I first need to explain to the uninformed why Arc Raiders felt so special. To be clear, Arc Raiders is a better game. It plays better, has more content, and even did at launch compared to Mistfall. There’s more nuance to the world, the enemies, and the events; extractions have more jeopardy, and generally, there’s just much more meat on the bone.
But I don’t want to focus on that. Mainly because many well-made multiplayer games can fail. Highguard failed, Skull and Bones failed, XDefiant failed, Concord failed. All because the community wasn’t behind them, and the vibes were off. Arc Raiders from the word ‘go’ felt like something different, ushering naysayers like me into the extraction scene.
What made Arc Raiders so special was the community’s passive nature. In a game where the goal is to take all you can, score as much loot as you can, and get out before Arc puts you in the ground. You would expect just about everything you encounter, player or AI, to be hostile.
Yet, in the early days of Arc Raiders, for some strange reason, everyone seemed to collectively decide to be kind, helpful, and passive raiders. At the very least, leaving others to go about their business and raid big-ticket loot spots together. But often, would form an unspoken bond, team up against the robot enemies, and help each other extract safely.
This was such a widespread trend that you would see tens of players bunched at an extraction point, or just standing out in the open, chatting, emoting, and essentially behaving in the exact opposite way the game’s format demands.
Was this because the enemy AI was so tough that basic enemies had the ability to take you down if you weren’t careful? Or was this just a freak social phenomenon that caught steam? It’s hard to say, but what I do know is that it was bliss, it was interesting, and it made extraction games palatable for someone like me again.
But with the release of Mistfall Hunter, I feel like I’m right back in the cesspit again.
Lost In The Gyldenmist
I first encountered Mistfall Hunter at SGF 2025, and I’m not too proud to say that I just didn’t get it. It was a solid enough ARPG experience with Soulslike qualities. But I felt like the extraction angle took away from what the game could be. But after Arc Raiders opened my eyes, everything clicked. I realized this could be the merging of two great things. The community spirit of Arc Raiders and the dynamic hack & Slash combat of Souls games.
I feel like I’m legally obligated to write the phrase ‘Arc Souls’ now. So, if that was on your bingo card, you’re welcome.
However, after upwards of thirty games in Hollowgrove and Brandrgate, playing in solo and trio matches, and taking in all that Mistfall Hunter has to offer. I can now say that while the game is a competent ARPG and extraction game, with a rather addictive gameplay loop. It lacks that special something. It lacks that unique community spirit that Arc had back then.
In all my matches when encountering other Gyldhunters, never has there once been an ounce of hesitation from the other party. A fight was always going to happen, and you were the fool if you didn’t strike first.
Not a single emergent moment has occurred in any match that would have felt worthy of clipping and posting on socials. Something that occurred nearly every match in Arc Raiders. As every match has played out more or less as you would expect, either getting out or falling in a PVP duel.
Not to mention the sidebar chat that populates your screen back at camp, which showcases the community at large conversing, is appalling. I’m no prude or anything, but it reminded me of the grotesque, racist, and inappropriate chats you would have to endure to watch a dodgy stream for a sports match. It astounds me how little safeguarding and policing has gone into that aspect of the game.
To boil it down, everything feels predictable, the vibes are off, and it all points to a flash-in-the-pan moment for Mistfall. It has all the potential to be a mainstay. But, due to a lack of content at launch, and a format that simply hasn’t allowed an eclectic, interesting, and unique community spirit to blossom. I reckon Mistfall Hunter will be a vague memory by Summer’s close.
I’d rather be a Raider than a Gyldhunter, and it would take a small miracle to change that.
