15 Best Extraction Shooters in 2026: High-Stakes Co-Op Action
The best extraction shooters deliver a rush that few other genres can match. Every raid drops you into hostile territory where the stakes are simple – loot, survive, and haul butt before everything goes wrong. Lose focus for a second, and you could lose all the gear you brought in.
That tension is exactly what makes this genre so addictive. From hardcore tactical experiences to unforgiving PvPvE battlegrounds, today’s extraction shooter games are chock full of a wide range of playstyles and challenges.
In this guide, I’ll break down a tasty selection of titles that define the genre and help you decide which extraction shooter is worth dropping into next.
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Our Top Picks for Best Extraction Shooters
Let’s start with the best extraction shooters you can get your hands on today. These titles currently stand out among the best extraction shooters and range from co-op survival to competitive PvPvE combat – everything an extraction shooter needs to make it irresistible.
- ARC Raiders – This game has comfortably made a podium finish as the best extraction shooter by blending co-op survival with large, open zones teeming with danger.
- Escape from Tarkov – One of the best extraction shooters to date, courtesy of its elaborate raids and weapon modding system that leaves your heart beating like it’s on ‘roids.
- Arena Breakout: Infinite – Faster match pacing combined with tactical combat makes it hard to stop playing. All the military realism, all the fun.
These standout titles highlight the variety within the genre – but they’re just the beginning. Keep scrolling to see the full list of the best extraction shooters worth playing right now.
15 Best Extraction Shooters To Get Your Blood Pumping
The best extraction shooters thrive on risk and the thrill of escape. The titles below highlight this genre’s most exciting experiences – each one bringing something unique to an awesome formula.
How many of these extraction shooters have you already played?
1. ARC Raiders [Best Hardcore Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 10/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2025 |
| Creator | Embark Studios |
| Average playtime | 78 hours |
| Best feature | Tense combat against both machines and players |
ARC Raiders drops players into a devastated sci-fi world where humanity is struggling to survive against massive mechanized enemies known as ARC. Instead of traditional linear missions, the game revolves around entering hostile zones, scavenging valuable resources, and escaping before rival players or AI threats wipe you out.
The core gameplay loop follows a classic extraction structure: deploy into an open map, gather gear and materials, fight off both machines and other raiders, then reach an extraction point before losing everything. Inventory management and risk assessment are key, and you’ll always need to be thinking about them at the back of your mind.
ARC Raiders revitalizes the extraction shooter genre by being highly accessible, visually stunning, and “kinder” to players than competitors.
What makes ARC Raiders stand out among the best extraction shooters is its focus on ultra-realistic extraction gameplay systems. Weapons can be customized with multiple attachments, crafting materials are used to upgrade equipment, and the in-game economy forces players to carefully manage their stash between raids.
While many core objectives are PvE, I’d be lying if I said you’d be spared from PvP “cutthroat” fights where you won’t know what’s going to hit you first – AI enemies or a player ready to blast you to kingdom come (in most cases, it will be a human player). Get crafty with environment cover and teamwork, or you’ll be going back to the lobby real fast.
My Verdict: ARC Raiders should be a no-brainer if you enjoy high-stakes PvPvE raids and methodical survival gameplay. It is hands down one of the most promising modern extraction experiences available.
2. Escape from Tarkov [Best Sci-Fi Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 9.8/10
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| Genre | First-person shooter, Simulation Video Game, Action role-playing game |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2025 |
| Creator | Battlestate Games |
| Average playtime | 1000+ hours |
| Best features | The weapons, the modding, the detail to animation |
Escape From Tarkov is widely considered the blueprint for modern extraction shooters. Set in the fictional Russian city of Tarkov during a corporate conflict, players take control of private military operators trying to survive in a war-torn region.
The game focuses heavily on realism, turning every raid into a tense survival scenario where losing a firefight means losing the gear you brought in.
Escape from Tarkov has weapons that can be modified with dozens of attachments – optics, grips, suppressors, and internal parts – affecting recoil, ergonomics, and even accuracy. Slap all that with detailed ballistics and armor systems. Crunchy.
Gameplay loops around entering large maps, searching buildings and hidden stashes for weapons, medical supplies, and rare barter items, then escaping through specific extraction points. Fun, right?
Along the way, you’ll fight both AI-controlled Scavs and other players competing for the same resources. Inventory management is critical – Tarkov’s grid-based stash system forces players to be mindful of what they choose to carry.
My Verdict: If you want the most hardcore extraction experience available, Escape From Tarkov remains the benchmark that many other extraction shooters are still trying to match.
3. Arena Breakout: Infinite [Best Tarkov-Style Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 9.5/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game, Role-playing game, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play, Adventure, Strategy |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2024 |
| Creators | MoreFun Studios, Tencent Games |
| Average playtime | 41 hours |
| Best feature | Accessible tactical extraction gameplay |
Set in a conflict-torn region filled with abandoned facilities and military outposts, Arena Breakout: Infinite has players enter raids as mercenaries searching for valuable gear while battling hostile AI soldiers and rival operators.
The core gameplay loop centers around deploying into a map, searching buildings and supply caches for weapons and rare resources. Then, managing a limited inventory space and reaching a safe extraction zone. Pretty textbook.
Tarkov-style realism with more accessible mechanics and faster-paced raids is something only Arena Breakout: Infinite has been able to perfect. Weapon customization is deep but streamlined, letting players modify rifles with optics, suppressors, grips, and magazines without the overwhelming complexity seen in some hardcore titles.
Like other extraction shooters, every raid carries a real risk. If you die, your equipped gear and collected loot are gone, which forces players to constantly weigh in on pushing deeper into the map and if it’ll be worth the danger.
Map design emphasizes tactical movement with multiple routes, loot hotspots, and ambush points, rewarding careful positioning and situational awareness.
My Verdict: Arena Breakout: Infinite is ideal for players who want the tension of hardcore extraction shooters without the overwhelming complexity of the genre’s most punishing titles.
4. Hunt: Showdown 1896 [Best Horror Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 9.5/10
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| Genre | First-person shooter, Role-playing Video Game, Survival horror, Action-adventure game |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, GeForce Now |
| Year of release | 2018 |
| Creators | Crytek, Plaion, Crytek Frankfurt |
| Average playtime | 300+ hours |
| Best feature | Elaborate gunslinger types |
Hunt: Showdown 1896 pops up one of the most unique twists in the extraction shooter genre. Set in a grim alternate-history American frontier, players take the role of bounty hunters tracking terrifying supernatural monsters across haunted swamps, abandoned towns, and ruined mines.
The catch is that other teams are hunting the same target, turning every match into a tense PvPvE standoff. Map design further reinforces the risk–reward formula, making every firefight feel methodical and unforgiving, placing the game smack dab in the middle of today’s top sniper games.
Hunt: Showdown 1896’s emphasis on sound and positioning is phenomenal. Gunshots echo across the map, traps can give away movement, and slow-paced firefights reward careful strategy.
Gameplay revolves around tracking clues across the map to locate a boss monster, defeating it, claiming the bounty token, and extracting before rival teams intercept you. Stakes get hotter the moment a team grabs the bounty. When this happens, the map reveals their location, creating intense cat-and-mouse chases as squads attempt to escape alive.
Hunt: Showdown 1896’s eerie atmosphere and monster-hunting loop make it appealing to players who enjoy the best PvE games with co-op elements.
My Verdict: Those of you looking for extraction gameplay mixed with horror tension and tactical combat will find Hunt: Showdown 1896 to tick off all your requirements.
5. Delta Force [Best Military Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 9.3/10
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| Genre | First-person shooter, Massively Multiplayer, Free To Play, Adventure |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, GeForce Now, Xbox Series X, and Series S |
| Year of release | 2024 |
| Creators | Garena, TiMi Studio Group, Level Infinite, Team Jade |
| Average playtime | 400+ hours |
| Best feature | Large-scale tactical squad combat |
Delta Force reimagines the classic military franchise as a modern extraction shooter built around high-risk tactical raids in sprawling battlefields. Instead of focusing purely on survival, the game blends military realism with operator-based abilities, allowing teams to approach missions with specialized roles such as recon, assault, or support.
Coming to gameplay, players deploy into large open maps, completing objectives while scavenging equipment, fighting AI forces and rival squads, then reaching extraction zones before losing everything.
Delta Force thrives thanks to an operator-based squad system layered on top of traditional extraction mechanics. Each operator brings unique abilities that can influence engagements, such as reconnaissance tools, defensive gadgets, or support equipment.
All that juice is only made sweeter with expansive maps and multiple extraction points. The game rewards coordinated squad movement and military style tactical planning, placing it comfortably among the best co-op games for players who enjoy team-based strategy.
My Verdict: If you enjoy squad-based shooters with large maps and tactical teamwork, or are looking for extraction shooters on Xbox, Delta Force offers a fresh military spin on the extraction formula.
6. Witchfire [Best Dark Fantasy Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 9.3/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game, Role-playing Video Game, Early Access, Adventure game |
| Platforms | GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2023 |
| Creator | The Astronauts |
| Average playtime | 40+ hours |
| Best features | Destiny-style gunplay and roguelite magic |
Witchfire is what you get when magic meets (extraction) mayhem. Players are introduced to a grim dark-fantasy world filled with cursed lands, supernatural enemies, and powerful relics.
Instead of military raids, you play as a hunter sent by a mysterious order to reclaim powerful artifacts from haunted regions. Every expedition into the world is dangerous, with enemies that grow stronger the longer you stay.
Witchfire is arguably the only game that gels skill-based gunplay with roguelite extraction design so well. Weapon upgrades, spell abilities, and enemy patterns reward mastery and experimentation.
The core gameplay loop revolves around launching a run into a hostile map, defeating supernatural enemies, collecting valuable relics, and then escaping before losing your haul. Because the game blends roguelite progression with extraction mechanics, players constantly balance risk and reward.
The eerie map design encourages careful exploration, while escalating enemy pressure forces players to make fast decisions about when to fight, loot, or retreat. Its supernatural atmosphere and challenging runs also make it appealing to fans of the best dungeon crawler games.
My Verdict: Witchfire is perfect for players who enjoy dark fantasy worlds and high-risk runs that reward careful planning and skillful play.
7. ZERO Sievert [Best Top-Down Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 9.2/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game, Indie game, Adventure game, Adventure |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2021 |
| Creators | Modern Wolf, Cabo Studio |
| Average playtime | 50 hours |
| Best feature | Intense shooter gameplay in a 2D pixel art style |
ZERO Sievert takes the extraction shooter concept and flips it into a top-down survival experience set in a bleak post-apocalyptic wasteland. Instead of high-end graphics and cinematic firefights, the game focuses on systems – scavenging, crafting, and survival – creating an atmosphere where every run into the irradiated world feels dangerous.
The gameplay is straightforward but addictive. Players enter procedurally generated zones, hunt for resources, fight hostile bandits and mutants, manage limited inventory space, then extract back to a safe bunker before losing everything. Because maps are procedurally generated, each run forces players to adapt their route and extraction strategy.
ZERO Sievert’s weapon customization includes multiple attachments and ammo types, while hunger, radiation, and environmental hazards constantly pressure players to balance risk and survival.
What makes ZERO Sievert stand out among the best extraction shooters is how simple it seems due to its 2D pixel art, yet how terribly complex and full of depth its systems are. The top-down perspective also encourages careful positioning and scouting rather than rushing into combat.
My Verdict: If you enjoy hardcore survival mechanics and tactical scavenging, ZERO Sievert offers a surprisingly deep extraction shooter experience in a compact, system-driven package.
8. Incursion Red River [Best PvE Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 9/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game, Early Access |
| Platforms | GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2022 |
| Creator | Games Of Tomorrow GmbH |
| Average playtime | 9.6 hours |
| Best feature | Tactical weapon customization |
Incursion Red River takes a daring spin on the extraction shooter formula by focusing almost entirely on PvE-driven missions rather than PvPvE competition. Set in a fictional Southeast Asian conflict zone, players take on the role of private military contractors completing high-risk operations for various factions.
The emphasis, which I appreciate, is on coordination and tactical execution rather than unpredictable clashes against other players.
Incursion Red River is mainly a co-op PVE extraction FPS that brilliantly optimizes the player-vs-enemy formula. You can play solo as well, but be careful with public lobbies. Friendly fire is enabled to make things spicier.
Missions often involve clearing enemy compounds, recovering supply caches, or eliminating hostile patrols. Because there are no PvP threats, the challenge comes from coordinating with your squad, managing limited resources, and navigating dangerous AI-controlled environments.
The maps reward reconnaissance and teamwork, encouraging players to approach objectives methodically rather than rushing into combat, which places it comfortably among the best PvE games for players who prefer to side with co-op survival.
My Verdict: Want a slower, more tactical extraction experience built around teamwork? Incursion Red River is the game you want.
9. Vigor [Best Console Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 8.8/10
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| Genre | Survival game, Third-person shooter, Adventure game, Tactical shooter, Free To Play, Adventure |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2018 |
| Creators | Bohemia Interactive Studio, BOHEMIA INTERACTIVE a.s. |
| Average playtime | 500+ hours |
| Best feature | Rewarding shelter building |
Vigor is a free-to-play survival extraction shooter set in post-apocalyptic Norway, where players control survivors known as Outlanders scavenging the dangerous “Outlands” for supplies. The main objective is the same thing, but resource-oriented: enter a map, gather valuable resources, and extract before rival players take you out.
What makes the game different from many extraction shooters is that every successful raid feeds into long-term shelter progression, creating a persistent survival loop that justifies why this game ranks among the best tactical shooters.
The core gameplay loop revolves around Encounters, PvPvE sessions in which players explore maps filled with houses, radio towers, and hidden caches containing crafting materials and weapons. Points of interest like Locked Containers, Barred Houses, and Timed Safes offer higher-tier loot but also attract other players, forcing you to decide fight or flight.
Progression in Vigor sticks around even outside of raids. Players get to use valuable resources to upgrade their Shelter. So you’re always building something bit by bit, the more you play.
A major objective is the airdrop crate, which contains rare blueprints and valuable items – but grabbing it reveals your position on the map, instantly turning you into a target for every other Outlander. If you feel overwhelmed early on, Vigor’s Make It Rain Pack DLC does offer a “starter kit” that’ll equip you with all the goods needed to dish out some hate. Comfortably.
Outside raids, players return to their Shelter, which acts as a persistent base where resources from encounters are used to upgrade crafting stations and unlock better weapons or consumables.
My Verdict: Console players would particularly appreciate this game, along with those who find its unique shelter progression system a nice breath of fresh air in the extraction shooter space.
10. The Forever Winter [Best Survival Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 8.8/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game, Early Access |
| Platforms | Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2024 |
| Creator | Fun Dog Studios |
| Average playtime | 50 hours |
| Best feature | AI factions and super intelligent enemies |
The Forever Winter flips the typical power fantasy of shooters on its head. Instead of playing elite soldiers, you control desperate scavengers surviving in a war-torn world dominated by colossal AI war machines and hostile military factions. These factions constantly battle each other across massive maps, creating a living battlefield where players are essentially small, vulnerable survivors trying to loot scraps and escape alive.
The core gameplay is extraction, but it adds its own flavor by having players enter dangerous combat zones, scavenging equipment from fallen soldiers or destroyed vehicles, and extracting before overwhelming enemies take notice. Because AI factions are often stronger than the player, the game encourages stealth and smart positioning rather than constant firefights.
This game goes the other way in one main area: combat. Where most shooters encourage letting all hell loose, The Forever Winter nudges you toward the stealth path – making things a lot more interesting.
Loot management and survival systems add another layer of building tension. Every raid lets players collect weapons, attachments, and supplies to improve their stash back at base, but death means losing everything carried during that mission.
Maps are designed as dynamic warzones where AI armies fight each other with tanks, drones, and massive machines. The polished gunplay and modern engine place it comfortably among the best FPS games for players who enjoy realistic combat.
My Verdict: The Forever Winter is perfect for players who are checking out extraction shooters on PS5. You get a title that feels strategic and survival-focused rather than run-and-gun action.
11. Marathon [Most Anticipated Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 8.8/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2026 |
| Creator | Bungie |
| Average playtime | 16.6 hours |
| Best features | Customizable runner shells and profound, “real place” level design |
Marathon is, at the time of writing this guide, the newest extraction shooter to grace our stores. It’s also Bungie’s return to one of its classic franchises, reimagined as a high-production PvPvE extraction shooter set on the mysterious planet Tau Ceti IV.
You take the role of cybernetic mercenaries known as Runners, exploring the abandoned colony to retrieve valuable data and artifacts while competing against other teams and hostile AI forces. Players deploy into a shared map with a small squad, scavenging valuable gear and resources, and extracting before rival players eliminate them.
Matches usually involve multiple teams of three competing across a hostile environment filled with AI enemies. Items collected during a run can be stored in a vault and used in later raids, but dying during a mission means losing everything you carried in.
Bungie knows how to make a shooter feel good, and the lore/mystery aspect in Marathon is something you don’t get a lot of in other games of this genre.
One of the defining systems in Marathon is its Runner shell class design, where each character has unique abilities that influence playstyles such as stealth, aggressive combat, or reconnaissance. Weapons and gear can be modified with attachments and upgrades between raids, creating persistent progression tied to successful extractions.
Bungie’s trademark gunplay and responsive controls help the game stand out among the top looter shooters, delivering fast, competitive firefights that reward skill.
My Verdict: If you want an extraction shooter with polished gunplay, strong sci-fi worldbuilding, and intense PvPvE competition, Marathon is one of the most ambitious entries in the genre.
12. Deep Rock Galactic [Best Co-Op Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 8.7/10
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| Genre | First-person shooter |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, GeForce Now, Xbox Cloud Gaming |
| Year of release | 2018 |
| Creators | Ghost Ship Games, Coffee Stain Studios, Coffee Stain Publishing |
| Average playtime | 400+ hours |
| Best features | Four-player co-op and dwarves drinking beer |
Deep Rock Galactic is a fun co-op sci-fi extraction shooter where teams of space dwarves descend into the alien planet Hoxxes IV to mine valuable minerals while fighting off hostile alien swarms. Each mission takes place inside fully destructible cave systems filled with resources, environmental hazards, and waves of nasties that can overwhelm those who don’t stay frosty.
So, players drop into a cave via a drop pod, complete objectives such as mining resources or repairing equipment, surviving enemy attacks, and then call an extraction pod to escape with their loot.
Deep Rock Galactic’s fully destructive environments and class-based, RPG-like synergies are two of the primary reasons this game gets so addictive, so quickly.
Once the objective is complete, the team must race back through the cave system while enemy waves intensify, creating a panicky final sprint to reach the escape pod before time runs out.
Team composition plays a major role in how missions unfold. Players choose between four classes – Scout, Engineer, Gunner, and Driller – each equipped with unique tools and weapons. For example, Engineers can place platforms to reach mineral deposits while Scouts use grappling hooks to access high areas.
My Verdict: Deep Rock Galactic delivers one of the most satisfying cooperative extraction loops in combining teamwork and intense alien swarm combat.
13. Escape from Duckov [Best Parody Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 8.6/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game, Role-playing game, Indie game, Adventure |
| Platforms | macOS, GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2025 |
| Creators | Bilibili, Team Soda |
| Average playtime | 50 hours |
| Best feature | Ducks |
Yes, you can’t take this game seriously, but that’s also where the fun lies. Escape From Duckov is a humorous parody of hardcore extraction shooters like Escape from Tarkov, that replaces grim military operators with heavily armed ducks fighting for survival in a collapsing world.
Despite the comedic tone, you can’t take this game lightly. It still follows the same high-stakes formula that defines the genre: enter hostile areas, gather valuable loot, and escape before losing everything you collected.
Escape from Duckov successfully translates the intense, high-stakes formula of extraction shooters into a more accessible, addictive single-player PvE experience.
The core gameplay loop mirrors traditional extraction shooters but with a lighter presentation. Players, or rather, ducks, leave their bunker base, explore several maps filled with enemies and hidden resources, then extract with supplies that can be used to upgrade weapons, craft gear, and expand the bunker.
I love how the game simplifies the genre’s mechanics while keeping the tension intact. There are more than 50 weapons and multiple attachment options, but the systems are easier to understand than hardcore titles like Escape From Tarkov.
My Verdict: This game’s quirky style and simple mechanics make it one of the most approachable entries in the genre. Quack.
14. Dark and Darker [Best Fantasy Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 8.5/10
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| Genre | Dungeon Crawl, Shooter Video Game |
| Platforms | GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2023 |
| Creator | IRONMACE |
| Average playtime | 134 hours |
| Best feature | Audio cues are crucial to get the drop on enemy players |
Dark and Darker takes the extraction shooter formula and transplants it into a brutal fantasy dungeon-crawling world. Instead of modern firearms and military gear, players venture into cursed dungeons filled with skeletons, traps, and rival adventurers competing for treasure.
You choose a class such as Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Wizard, or Cleric, each bringing unique abilities and equipment that influence how you approach each expedition.
The game has you enter a procedurally layered dungeon, fight monsters and other players, collect valuable weapons and artifacts, and then escape through limited extraction portals. Classic medieval style.
Dark and Darker is grittier, more punishing, slow-paced, and spins around the extraction shooting into medieval fighting with spells and stuns. Pretty cool take, honestly.
Inventory management plays a major role because backpacks fill quickly with armor, gold, potions, and crafting materials. Players must constantly weigh the risk of exploring deeper levels for better loot against the danger of losing everything if they die before extracting.
Combat focuses on methodical melee encounters, spellcasting, and ranged attacks, where timing and positioning matter more than raw speed. Map design reinforces this tension with hidden traps and shrinking safe zones that gradually force players into conflict.
My Verdict: If you enjoy dungeon exploration and high-stakes loot runs, Dark and Darker offers one of the most unique fantasy takes on extraction gameplay available today.
15. Level Zero: Extraction [Best Sci-Fi Horror Extraction Shooter]
| Our score | Enebameter 8.4/10
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| Genre | Shooter Video Game, Indie game, Fighting game, Simulation Video Game, Massively Multiplayer, Adventure |
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, GeForce Now, Microsoft Windows |
| Year of release | 2024 |
| Creators | Doghowl Games, DogHowl Software Development Limited, tinyBuild |
| Average playtime | 110+ hours |
| Best feature | Using light as a survival tool to fend off the horrors |
Level Zero: Extraction blends survival horror tension with the high-stakes structure of extraction shooters, creating a uniquely stressful PvPvE experience. The game takes place in a dark sci-fi setting where mercenary teams infiltrate abandoned facilities and alien-infested zones to recover valuable technology and data before escaping.
At the same time, terrifying extraterrestrial creatures stalk the corridors, turning every raid into a deadly cat-and-mouse hunt. The gameplay loop revolves around deploying into hostile zones, scavenging loot and completing objectives, then extracting before rival teams or alien predators wipe you out. Basically, everyone’s coming at your throat.
The PVPvPvE in Level Zero: Extraction is just so good. Players can be mercenaries or player-controlled aliens.
Matches feature asymmetrical roles: players can either control heavily armed mercenaries searching for resources or play as alien monsters hunting the humans. Mercenaries rely on weapons, gadgets, and equipment like motion detectors or flamethrowers, while aliens use stealth, traps, and abilities to ambush prey in the darkness.
One of the game’s most distinctive mechanics is the use of light as both protection and risk. Flashlights, UV lamps, and flares can repel aliens temporarily, but they also reveal your location to other players. This creates constant risk–reward decisions: stay hidden in darkness to avoid detection or use light to survive an alien attack.
My Verdict: This title is best for those who want horror and want to get crafty playing the villain. Every decision can determine if your squad escapes–or becomes the next victim.
My Overall Verdict on the Best Extraction Shooters
Every game on this list approaches the genre differently, but they all capture the high-risk, high-reward gameplay loop that defines the best extraction shooters.
You could go the tactical PvPvE combat route or cooperative survival loot runs. Whatever path you take, it’s always going to get your blood pumping right.
Best starting point for best extraction shooters today?
- For the PvPvE experience → ARC Raiders. Its evolving extraction mechanics make it one of the most promising TPS games in the genre.
- For tactical realism → Escape From Tarkov. The weapon customization and punishing economy systems make this the benchmark many extraction shooters are measured against.
- For co-op survival runs → Deep Rock Galactic. Mining missions, alien swarms, and team-based objectives create one of the most satisfying co-op extraction loops available.
Take your pick, raiders! Each of these titles justifies why the best extraction shooters continue to grow as one of the most exciting genres in modern (and competitive) gaming.
FAQs
Right now, ARC Raiders is shaping up to be one of the best extraction shooters thanks to its large-scale PvPvE gameplay, co-op survival mechanics, and modern production quality. Its mix of tactical combat, resource scavenging, and dynamic machine enemies makes it a strong entry point for players exploring the genre.
Escape From Tarkov has historically been the most influential extraction shooter, but on Steam, games like Hunt: Showdown 1896, and Dark and Darker attract some of the largest active player bases. Their mix of PvPvE tension and high-risk loot extraction keeps players returning for competitive raids.
An extraction shooter is a game where players enter a dangerous map, gather valuable loot, and attempt to escape before dying. If you successfully extract, you keep the items you found. If you die, you lose your gear, creating a high-risk, high-reward gameplay loop.
Yes, many extraction shooters include background lore or evolving narratives. Games like Hunt: Showdown 1896 and Marathon feature rich worldbuilding, but the primary focus remains on emergent gameplay where each raid tells its own story through player encounters and survival decisions.
