Looking for a fresh extraction shooter to try? Arena Breakout Infinite might be just what you're looking for, with satisfying gunplay and a streamlined interface making it well worth a lookTech16:17, 07 May 2025Burned out on Tarkov? Arena Breakout Infinite is well worth a lookExtraction shooters are all the rage these days, aren’t they? And, while Escape From Tarkov was certainly one of the driving forces, we’ve seen Battlefield and Call of Duty’s offerings fall by the wayside while trying to carve out a piece of the pie.With Bungie’s Marathon on the horizon, Hunt: Showdown infusing the nascent subgenre with a healthy dose of horror, and indies like Zero Sievert arriving, I’ve been playing more extraction shooters than ever—but one has kept me and my friends logging in over the last few days, and it’s called Arena Breakout Infinite.‌Here’s why it’s worth a look.‌There's a similar vibe to its inspirationIf there’s one thing I’ll always love Escape From Tarkov for, it’s being one of the first PC games I sunk my teeth into when I got my own rig in 2020.There remains very little like it, even with Arena Breakout: Infinite, but the usurper has Battlestate Games' legendary title beat with what it removes from the formula just as much as is added.Article continues belowInventory management is drastically improved, and it’s much easier to quickly load a preset and waltz into a match without needing to tweak every small detail of your loadout. Some will say it’s ‘Tarkov for babies’, but I just find it much more respectful of my time as a Dad that doesn’t get as much time to game as I’ve had in years past.The same goes for the process of extracting. In Tarkov, I relied on maps sent to me by friends in Discord, but here I can press the M key and see exactly where I need to get to. It’s such a huge relief not to have to bring up fan-made maps on screen every time I find some decent gear in a map I don’t know.On the subject of maps, they’re definitely smaller. This makes it easier to get into scrapes with rival teams, and getting into each run with friends is fluid and easy, which is appreciated. And, when they inevitably run off, you have a marker above their heads so you’re not gunning them down when they pop up unexpected.‌The metagame is vastly simpler as well. Missions are much more self-explanatory, and that means levelling up is pretty rapid, especially with runs rarely taking more than 25 minutes. In fact, it’s the ideal “lunch break game” on days where I can’t make it to the gym.It's impressive how good it looks, and for freeThat’s not to say it’s not carrying the same stomach-wrenching feeling of terror when a shot hits the wall next to you and you can’t pinpoint the angle it came from, or the rush you get from finding something valuable in a vault.‌It’s easy to get greedy, looting “just one” more crate or “one last” fallen foe, but as soon as you let your guard down you’re likely to be sent straight back to the lobby in double-quick timing.Thankfully, combat in Arena Breakout Infinite feels a little more mechanically sound than some of its contemporaries, and while that means it’s easier to be hit from a laser-guided bullet from further away, it does mean the same applies to your own weapons.Being able to confidently start an engagement on your own terms, when paired with smaller maps, makes each firefight feel frantic but never overbearing—they’re all winnable, if you make the right decisions.‌I’ll admit, there is one thing that doesn’t quite gel with the genre. With such a focus on looting valuables and selling them for pools of cash, it feels more than a little weird to have the game offer login bonuses consisting of vast sums of in-game currency.It’s a great way to get the ball rolling, sure, but with such a high premium on extracting with valuables, it’s a little wild someone could feasibly just log in and earn as much cash as someone that’s becoming somewhat of a veteran.It definitely feels like a holdover from the mobile origins of Arena Breakout, the game that precedes Infinite, and that can make microtransactions feel encouraged for things like in-game secure containers and the like. I’m pleased to say, however, that I’ve been playing for a fair few hours without dropping a penny, and while that may change as my level gets higher, it makes the game well worth checking out.Article continues belowWith more content to be added in the coming months as part of the game’s early access, Arena Breakout: Infinite is well worth a look for extraction shooter fans looking for a change of pace.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌