Kevin’s verdict on Arena Breakout: Infinite was once devastating. Now he can hardly tear himself away from it.
I currently spend almost every free minute as a mercenary in the ruthless world of Arena Breakout: Infinite. At first, it didn’t look like I would ever touch the Tarkov rival again.
That’s because the preliminary launch in the summer of 2024 was overshadowed by a huge problem:
Arena Breakout: Infinite was the worst kind of pay-to-win game, offering the central in-game currency for purchase in a blatant manner.
With your credit card at the ready, you could buy exactly the weapons and equipment that you normally have to work hard to earn in extraction shooters, which defeated the whole purpose of the genre.
For the final release on Steam, the developers relented and removed the purchase option entirely. Reason enough for me to take a second look. And, well, now I’m completely hooked (as we cool, young kids say, ahem).
With the removal of unfair microtransactions, I can finally focus on what makes this shooter so great: the exciting hunt for loot, money, and better equipment in a realistic modern military setting where every bullet can be decisive – and the knowledge that my loot could be gone in a split second if I’m not vigilant and make tactically smart decisions.
Hardcore shooter without hardcore entry
Arena Breakout: Infinite is more accessible than Escape from Tarkov because it throws out a few lifelines to cushion the frustration that is simply inherent in the genre:
- At the touch of a button, I can open a map during the match that shows me my position and important locations such as exfiltration points, so I don’t have to rely on a second screen. Even ping markers are possible.
- If a teammate dies in the raid and I transport their valuable weapons and other items to the exit, they automatically get this gear back in the menu – friends as gear insurance.
- In Secure Ops mode, I can safely test my most valuable weapons because equipment is not lost upon death – only consumables and ammunition are gone. In return, looted items are converted directly into money.
All of this makes my first few hours much more enjoyable without watering down the hardcore core. Arena Breakout: Infinite mercilessly holds me responsible for my own successes or failures – and that’s exactly why it’s so incredibly exciting.
No holding hands
It starts with the equipment: Do I take a full helmet with thick armor all around, but do without a headset and possibly not hear enemies approaching in time? Do I sacrifice space for an extra magazine for a bottle of water to counteract dehydration in an emergency? And is it worth investing in the outrageously expensive ammunition that penetrates even the thickest armor when I might already be dead before my finger reaches the trigger?
Arena Breakout: Infinite is a constant series of considerations about how much risk I’m willing to take. Often, I could even bypass enemies to complete my mission. But if I seek out combat, I might be able to take a really good gun from that guy. But I could also lose everything.
Even in a firefight, every decision must be carefully considered.
Should I retreat and tend to my wounds and reload my magazines, or should I risk a quick push on the enemy position, which will hopefully take them by surprise?
Only those who keep a cool head and proceed tactically will succeed here.
Read the game world instead of staring at the HUD
Patience and attention always pay off in Arena Breakout Infinite. Enemies don’t just appear with a brightly lit health bar above their heads – I have to track them down with all my senses.
Almost all of the firefights I’ve won so far have been largely decided because I had already heard and located the enemy before we could even see each other.
Is someone crawling through the undergrowth? Sounds like someone opening a door. There, now someone is running on the floor above me! Arena Breakout: Infinite’s precise audio system is both an atmospheric highlight and a tactical tool, creating nerve-wracking moments.
Experienced players can even recognize the nature of the ground based on the sound of footsteps. This allows me to immerse myself deeply in the game world instead of just following markers or shooting at red dots.
My risk, my success
Arena Breakout: Infinite takes me seriously as a player – with all the consequences that entails. Want to head to a loot hotspot and really cash in? Then don’t be surprised to find an experienced and well-equipped team lurking there! It’s not just how well I equip myself that matters. Good positioning and communication are key.
The enemy is already there and has cracked the safe we had our sights set on. Instead of storming the occupied house, my team and I secure the exits and wait for the enemy squad to walk into our crosshairs. Let them bring the loot right to us! A colleague with a sniper rifle provides cover from a safe distance.
He reports: “Someone is about to leave the building on your side, looks heavily armored.” The crucial information at the right moment. I switch to the extra magazine I brought with me with armor-piercing ammunition and take aim.
One second and four bullets later, the whole battle is already over. We grab the loot. “Let’s get out of here quickly, the noise has surely attracted other players!”
In these moments, when planning, strategy, and patience lead to success, Arena Breakout Infinite releases a rush of endorphins that I’ve only ever experienced in Hunt Showdown.
Every success feels hard-earned. Every defeat is a painful but important lesson. This shooter doesn’t give me anything for free, and that’s exactly why it’s so much fun.
New season as a starting point
On January 8, 2026, Airport Hunt marks the start of the fourth season of Arena Breakout: Infinite and is a good starting point for new players looking for a realistic shooter without the extreme learning curve of Escape from Tarkov.
The developers are revamping some of the menus for greater clarity, providing pre-made beginner builds in the equipment screen, and improving the search for suitable teammates in matchmaking with new filters.
In addition, there is the new Guoyapo Airport map, new mechanics such as kicking in or blowing up doors, and fresh weapons for the already impressive arsenal of over 40 guns.
Another particularly exciting addition is the new winter version of the Northridge map, where operators now leave footprints in the snow – adding a new dimension to tracking down enemies. In any case, I will be continuing my mercenary career in the winter landscape for the foreseeable future.
