Exposed. That’s how I felt playing Riven Tides, the new Arc Raiders map set in an abandoned coastal resort. You know when you’re having a lovely day at the beach, realize the ocean has washed away your sunscreen, and you’re two or three miles from cover? That’s the vibe. Only instead of Earth’s nearest star bearing down on you, it’s a fleet of drones, a sniper turret, and players taking potshots from the pier.
It’s not so dangerous down by the waterline. There, at the end of a long, slow gradient, the sand is bare, and the electronic hum of Arc patrols is swapped for the susurrus of waves, lapping against the shore. Removed from it all, you have time to pursue Embark’s new missions. My teammate, GamesRadar+ alumnus Alex Avard, laid down a bird trap in the shadow of a big buoy – the first stage in an experiment to measure tremors with avian help. Then, we handled the odd jobs: patching up a pipe where the water shimmered with the telltale rainbow of spilled oil, and taking photos of cracks in the sea wall that runs the length of the harbor.
