ArcRunner - Tips & Tricks

So I’ve been playing a lot of ArcRunner lately, and I’ve been learning more and more about the game and how to get better at it, and I want to share it to the world! So, here are some tips and tricks on how to beat ArcRunner.

Unlock key meta-upgrades

Get the Defibrillator ability. It’s an extra life, it's relatively cheap, and there’s no reason not to get it. I also recommend unlocking the use of a class’ ultimate ability, the capability to carry a second weapon, adding more options and rerolling supply chests, healing in between levels, and health and damage upgrades. They make life so much easier.

Weapons are tools

Every level will have a chest that can only open if you complete its challenge within a time limit. Some are easy, while others are much harder than you think. Killing five enemies while in the air is fine with any gun, but needing to kill 10 enemies from 5m away with a shotgun can be very tricky to do. Some weapons are more suited to the task than others, so it is worth switching out guns just for the challenge.

Health is temporary, Nanites are forever

Once you unlock those challenge chests, if you see nanites, take it. Only take the large medkit if you want to continue your run and you don’t feel confident in your defensive skills. The only HP that matters is your last one, and if you’re good at dodging and using the class’ abilities, you can get through every area without taking a single tick of damage.

Check for augment synergies

Some weapons you’ll find throughout your run will have something called an Augment Synergy. For every level you have in an augment that the weapon synergies with, it will improve such as dealing more damage or increasing its crit rate. Enemies drop weapons like flies so after a fight, take the time to check out if anything is worth grabbing.

When in doubt, die trying

If you’re caught in a bad situation, it might feel better to cut your losses and get yourself killed or just reset your run from the pause menu. Don’t. You could be doing something more productive, like working towards unlocking a weapon or getting additional nanites. Even if a run is lost, you shouldn’t just give up. There’s always something you can do, and hey, you might be able to make a comeback.

Learn your class abilities

There are a few details to a class’ ability that you might miss if you don’t experiment with it and can be a lifesaver in some situations. For example, while the Soldier can’t fire while using a shield, you can reload so if you’re out of ammo, at least you won’t be vulnerable while doing so as long as you have the energy.

That’s all I have for now, and I’m sure it isn’t the best advice. Still, it’s a great starting point for your own runs and you’ll learn more by doing rather than reading this article. You will beat the game eventually, it is a roguelite after all, but I hope these tips will help you get to the final boss faster.

ArcRunner is available now on PC via Steam, GOG and Epic Games Store, and coming soon to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.