Alright Raiders, Arcoholic checking in.
Just finished GecK0’s breakdown of his Tech Test 2 experience, and man, it’s got me even more convinced Embark is onto something huge. He clearly got a good feel for the core systems in TT2, and a lot of what he’s saying lines up with what many of us have been discussing.
We all know the core loop by now – gear up, drop in, fight ARC and other Raiders, loot, upgrade, extract. But GecK0’s insights into how Embark is executing this are what’s exciting. He’s pretty much echoing the sentiment that this game has the potential to make a lot of other shooters feel a bit bland by comparison.
The Good Stuff (GecK0’s TT2 Highlights & Confirmations):
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Accessibility with Bite: He really hit the nail on the head about Embark finding that sweet spot between accessibility (no overly complex ammo charts, thank god!) and that hardcore tension we love. TT2 definitely felt like they’re leaning into making this enjoyable for more than just the ultra-sweats, without sacrificing the stakes.
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Combat Feel & Feedback: As raw and impactful as we hoped from TT2. He confirmed the sound design is killer – those echoes and bullet cracks are chef’s kiss. The minimalist HUD cues (blood splatter for HP, armor sparks/sheen, those down-but-not-out flares) give clear feedback without cluttering the screen. Definitely keeps you immersed.
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Damage & Armor Mechanics: His take on the damage model (HP hits even through armor) and the straightforward Light/Medium/Heavy armor system seems spot on with what we experienced in TT2. Makes every engagement tactical, forcing choices on when to heal actual health vs. just topping off armor.
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Weapon Progression - More Than Just Stats: The weapon rarity and upgrade system (more mag size for the Rattler, faster bolt cycling for the Osprey, better stability/reload for the Stitcher SMG) felt tangible in the test, and GecK0 confirms it. It’s not just about abstract stat increases, which is refreshing.
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Loot Economy - Everything Has a Purpose: The idea that all loot has value, feeding into crafting, base upgrades, or vendor missions, is something we saw potential for. Glad he’s emphasizing this. And yeah, those marked loot zones on the map were a smart addition for targeted runs.
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PvE (ARC) - Facilitating, Not Frustrating: ARC facilitating PvP rather than just being annoying fodder? GecK0 confirmed it. Loud, patrol-heavy, forcing you to engage tactically or get caught out – seems like they’re hitting the right notes for an extraction shooter.
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The All-Important Shooting Range: And thank the ARC gods for that shooting range! Being able to properly test TTK against different armor types and feel out weapon attachments without risking a full kit is invaluable.
The “Maybes” (Points for Discussion from TT2):
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Raid Pacing & Player Diffusion: The 30-min raids with staggered spawns… GecK0 brought it up, and it’s definitely something we saw. Could be interesting to prevent immediate spawn-rushing, but how did you guys feel about potentially joining raids with significantly less time (he mentioned a 17-min remaining scenario)? The rotating map events (Harvesters, Night Raids) seem like a good dynamic element to keep things fresh and spread players out.
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Gunplay Nuances (Bloom/Recoil/Ballistics): His thoughts on the bloom/recoil mix and noticeable bullet ballistics at range (travel time, drop) align with what many of us felt in TT2. It definitely leans towards more tactical positioning for those longer shots.
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Crafting Recipe Acquisition: The RNG/mastery test gate for some recipes is a big one GecK0 touched on. While finding recipes in-raid adds to the excitement, locking some behind specific challenges or pure RNG could definitely be a point of contention if it creates too wide a gear gap too quickly. What are your thoughts on this based on TT2 recipe drops?
The “Needs Work” (Areas GecK0 Flagged from TT2):
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Character Customization Depth: Cosmetics are still a bit… basic. Mostly just those “sleeves” with minor pattern changes. We’re all hoping for deeper customization beyond just picking a pre-set full outfit, right? This is probably low on the priority list for a tech test, but something to keep an eye on.
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ARMOR BALANCE - The Elephant in the Room: This was his main flag, and I think many of us who dove deep into TT2 felt this. Right now, the incentive to run Light armor (or even Medium in some cases) over Heavy feels minimal unless you’re flat broke. The movement penalties might not be impactful enough to justify the survivability drop. His idea of an upgrade/attachment system for armor, similar to how weapons work, is pretty compelling to make all tiers more distinct and viable.
Final Thoughts (Arcoholic’s POV):
Overall, GecK0’s impressions from TT2 are super encouraging and largely mirror what a lot of us experienced and are hoping for. The core is solid, the design is smart, and the potential for this to be the next big extraction shooter is definitely there.
What were your biggest takeaways from TT2, and do they line up with GecK0’s points? Specifically, how did you feel about armor balance and the recipe system?
See his video here…
Let’s chop it up!
Stay Frosty,
Arcoholic