Stella Montis Condenses Everything I Love About Arc Raiders By...

Last week I was: merrily skipping through the gorgeous scenery of Dam Battlegrounds.

This week I've been: trying to survive the Raider and Arc packed perils of Stella Montis.

I love shouting "Don't shoot" in Stella Montis in solo—it's like Raider radar. You'll hear one person reply from the balcony above you, another from the next room over, one in a nearby vent, and a final one you didn't even realise was standing behind a pillar nearby. Arc Raiders' new Stella Montis map is cramped, especially after the big sprawling open areas of Dam Battlegrounds, Spaceport, and Blue Gate that we've grown accustomed to since launch.

That's partly what makes it so distinct, though. Stella Montis's confined corridors and snaking tunnels, packed to the gills with Arc enemies and other Raiders, make for a unique brand of chaos. It's a space for players who love the excitement of interaction and conflict. Loading into the map as soon as it opened at the end of last week was everything I'd hoped for raiding a mysterious old world facility.

I remember running through a maze of dimly lit, barely navigable corridors as Raiders around me got chased by packs of Pops, or gunned down by Wasps and Hornets. And then I ran straight into a Shredder and it was curtains for me. Shredders, in-particular, fit Stella Montis so well. I love how they look almost innocent, like robot janitors, but will suddenly scream and fill an entire room with projectiles. There are few things scarier than a couple of enraged Shredders ominously gliding down a corridor after you.

One run I spotted two players, seemingly out of ammo, taking cover behind pipes as a Shredder tried to get an angle on them. When I asked if they wanted help, one of them immediately screamed "YES, KILL IT". Stella Montis is a bit safer now that everyone's worked out how to deal with Shredders (avoid them tbh) and actually navigate its maze-like map, but its sheer player proximity still leads to some fun interactions.

Another run I teamed up with a large group of Raiders killing the Bastion in the Loading Bay, firing from cargo containers and girders on different levels, working together to take down this large Arc, before parkour-ing down to the ground to loot. Of course, for every positive interaction with Raiders, the map's close quarters create a much tenser PvP environment than you'll see on Dam or other maps. Stella Montis really condenses and amplifies your usual journey through a run, but that's what I love about it v

Source: PC Gamer