The best Metroidvania games on PC
Castleprime, now freshly updated for 2024
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
There’s no shortage of great Metroidvanias out there these days, so to help narrow your search for what to play next, we’ve put together this list of the very best Metroidvania games to play on PC right now. Metroidvanias can be a little tricky to define at times. Most have big, knotty worlds to explore that often require the use of specific abilities to access its farthest corners, but while some put a greater emphasis on slow and methodical combat, others stuff every pixel with rock hard platforming challenges to test their players’ mettle. We like to keep an open mind when it comes to these things, but that does mean our list of the best Metroidvanias may include the odd controversial choice or two. What’s important, though, is that all of these games are brilliant, and come with our seal of approval.
The best Metroidvania games
15. Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition
Image credit:Drinbox Studios
Guacamelee is an absolute riot of a Metroidvania. Bright, colourful and joyfully chaotic with its luchador wrestling brawls, this is a game where your uppercuts, dodge rolls and slams are just as vital to fighting off baddies as they are for getting around the environment. Your wrestling skills are your upgrades here, and as your moveset expands, so does your ability to dig deeper into the world to save your childhood friend Lupita from the evil undead skeleton Carlos Calaca. Sure, it’s not the subtlest of Metroidvanias out there, what with its colour-coded doors and what not, but there’s no denying it’s bursting with charm and character. You also transform into a rooster at one point, which is just delightful in and of itself. With the Super Turbo Championship Edition, you also get bonus levels, bosses and all its previous DLC, making this the ultimate version of this excellent brawler.
14. Owlboy
Image credit:D-Pad Studios
After so, so many years of delays, Owlboy finally appeared and did something very important: be lovely . It’s funny, smart, sad and novel, and all of these aspects are infused with loveliness. That may sound twee, and perhaps it is, but it’s a special treat in gaming land. But it’s very funny as well, a sense of humour similar to Nintendo’s stunning Mario & Luigi games. Also, good lord it packs an emotional punch. There’s a moment in the game that, when you meet it, you’ll be compelled to find someone else who’s played to discuss it with them. It’s superbly crafted, the deftness in design so strong that you don’t notice it until you realise how it didn’t make mistakes in hindsight, and it’s just, well, completely lovely.
13. Salt And Sanctuary
Image credit:Ska Studios
Sitting firmly at the Castlevania end of this genre, with quite a heavy dollop of Dark Souls thrown in, Salt And Sanctuary is a super-tough game about exploring a castle and fighting lots of horrible things within it. Oddly enough, you don’t need a background in Dark Souls to get the most out of it. Sure, it borrows a lot of the same bones as FromSoftware’s games - a stamina bar for fighting, returning to your death point to retrieve XP and weight-based equipment stats - but it never feels quite as gruelling, or like you’re constantly bashing your skull against the flagstones of its pathways. Forget the comparisons, and just enjoy this rather splendid 2D brawler.
12. Cave Story+
Image credit:Nicalis
A grand passion project by self-taught developer Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya, Cave Story shares a few aspects with classic Metroid designs, most notably a handful of key items providing access to new areas, but its strengths lie outside the familiar template. Intuitively weighty character movement, satisfying combat (especially the bosses), a fantastic soundtrack and a simple story told well - all these make it hard not to feel for the plight of the adorable rabbit-like Mimiga tribe, friendly denizens of an otherwise hostile land. There are some notable rewards for exploration and experimentation. Few will see it on their first playthrough, but Cave Story+’s real end-game escalates to near-Super Meat Boy levels of challenge, more fantastic music, a final plot twist and a spectacular boss all culminating in an ending that delivers catharsis in proportion to the pain endured to reach it.
11. Yoku’s Island Express
Image credit:Team17
A Metroidvania disguised as a pinball game, Yoku’s Island Express is a veritable summer holiday compared to the cacophony of dark and gruelling jaunts that make up a large proportion of this genre, and it’s all the better for it. The way you traverse its island paradise may not take the traditional form of a Metroidvania - you’re a dung beetle postman ping-ponging round a world that’s effectively one giant, labyrinthine pinball table, after all - but progress is still gated until you’ve learned special abilities, and you’ll be zipping about all over the shop as you go about delivering your letters and all-important packages. The pinballing itself is utterly delightful, too - exercising all the same platforming muscles as your typical run and jumper. More Metroidvanias should follow Yoku’s example if you ask me, and it’s a travesty that no one’s taken up its mantle in the years since its release.
10. Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night
Image credit:505 Games
After helming the Castlevania series for the better part of 20 years, Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night is what Koji Igarashi did next - and perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s very Castlevania. Or rather, very Castlevania if you’re talking about the Symphony Of The Night era of the series, which is where Bloodstained draws most of its inspiration from - only instead of fighting vampires and Dracula, you’re exorcising demons and hellspawn experiments. Despite the obvious comparisons, though, this spiritual successor to Castlevania is still a tour de force of precise platforming, maze-like exploration and intricate combat challenges. Its array of weapon types dramatically change what attacks are available to you at any given moment, but the ability to swap these out on the fly gives Bloodstained a real sense of flair and flexibility. It also looks absolutely stunning, making for an unforgettable trip through its enormous industrial castle.
9. Axiom Verge
Image credit:Thomas Happ Games
There are an awful lot of not very good Metroid clones out there these days, but Axiom Verge is one of the few exceptions to the rule. While it certainly pays its respects to its Nintendo source material, it’s also very much its own beast, arming you with all manner of weapons (and a grapple hook) to fight your way through its alien-stuffed corridors. The neatest unique feature is the way the game occasionally bars progress via blinking, gruesome glitches, a superb nod to the era it represents, which can later be fixed via certain tools. Did I also mention the coat that lets you teleport through walls? It’s properly brilliant stuff, and it remains our favourite of solo developer Thomas Happ’s games, even now that Axiom Verge 2 has arrived on the scene. The sequel is still very good in its own right, but for us, the original is tough to beat.
8. Record Of Lodoss War: Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth
Image credit:WSS Playground, Playism
Don’t be put off by Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth ’s ties with the lauded fantasy anime series Record Of Lodoss War (or indeed it’s slightly daft-sounding name). This is a gorgeous Metroidvania very much in the classic Castlevania mould, with twisty-turny corridors, magical creatures that fill each room with almost bullet-hell-style attack patterns to weave through, and even bigger, screen-filling bosses to fight - including lots and lots of deadly dragons. Made by the same devs behind the also very good Touhou Luna Nights, this is a real feast for the senses - and you don’t need to know anything about Record Of Lodoss War to see why this is one of the best modern Metroidvanias around today.
7. Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow - Mirror Of Fate HD
Image credit:Konami
What’s this? An honest to goodness Castlevania game on this list? Wonders will never cease. Sure, the pair of Lords Of Shadow games surrounding this middle entry in the series (and port of the Nintendo 3DS original) are more hot-blooded action games than anything else, but Mirror Of Fate is pure Metroidvania territory through and through. Its 3DS roots may not make it the most visually spectacular game on the planet, but its robust combat brawls imbue it with satisfying heft and grace - especially as you get to grips with its three very different protagonists (Alucard and Belmonts Trevor and Simon) as they unravel the fate of Trevor’s dad Gabriel Belmont inside Dracula’s castle. And man alive does this castle go places with its interior decorating. There are all sorts of weird and wonderful places to explore here, and until Konami release Dawn Of Sorrow on PC, this remains the best Castlevania Metroidvania on PC.
6. Blasphemous
Image credit:Team17
Another devotee of the Dark Souls school of Metroidvania hybrids, Blasphemous puts you in the pointy hat and shoes of The Penitent One, the only survivor of a grim massacre who’s now trapped in an endless cycle of death and rebirth. It sounds grim, and a lot of the time it is. But Blasphemous stands out for its gripping and visually arresting take on all manner of Catholic iconography, chucking floating cardinals and candle and incense bearing staff wielders at you, along with giant grotesque babies and so, so many crowns of thorns. It has a theme and it’s sticking with it, damnit, and all the more power to it, if you ask me. You certainly won’t forget it in a hurry, that’s for sure, and once you’re finished, there’s its very good sequel Blasphemous 2 just sitting there, ripe for the taking. The first one still has the edge in our eyes, but both are must-play essentials for Soulsian Metroid-likers.
5. SteamWorld Dig 2
Image credit:Image & Form Games
Whereas the first SteamWorld Dig was a bite-sized platformer that tapped into 2013’s love of procedurally generated mining games, its sequel kicked things up a notch, shifting to a full-blooded Metroidvania with its own distinct (and very good) platforming challenge rooms. As robot lass Dorothy, you’re once again heaving your pickaxe around to dig your own path through underground caverns in search of a new town to call home, but this time you’ve also got a hookshot and a bevy of other neat abilities to help you traverse and break through the increasingly tough strata standing in your way. Steamworld Dig 2 isn’t a difficult game - it’s very family friendly in all aspects - but it shows that great Metroidvanias don’t always need to rely on big boss fights to make themselves heard. This is a game that wants you to finish it, and to have an enormous amount of fun doing so.
4. Dead Cells
Image credit:Motion Twin
Yes, all right, Dead Cells was the reason we relaxed our previous rule about no roguelike Metroid-likes on this list, but look, time moves on, people change, and it’s obvious to anyone who’s played it that Dead Cells belongs here just as much as everything else. The lay of the land may be different every time you take a run at it, but Dead Cells is grounded in very much the same philosophies as other Metroidvanias. It’s all about finding upgrades that let you push further into its maze-like world, and mastering its combat system to take down its plentiful supply of nasty creatures and set piece bosses. Finding your way through to the end is all just part of the puzzle, and as you build your knowledge of how its vast world works, the more adept you become at navigating its looping, twisting and interconnected hallways. Ultimately, Dead Cells is a game that plays with the Metroidvania form spectacularly, showing exactly what’s possible when you rip up the rulebook and piece it back together in a myriad of different ways.
3. Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Ubisoft
After showing us what their platforming chops were made of in Rayman Legends and Rayman Origins , Ubisoft’s Montpellier team have now applied that winning know-how to the Metroidvania genre with the outstanding Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown . This is a rollicking adventure through a cursed, mountaintop citadel as hero Sargon attempts to save the titular prince from a mysterious kidnapping. Packed with traps, spikes, and deadly contraptions, Sargon (and the player) will need all their wits about them to navigate its treacherous districts, making for a superb action platforming experience alongside its deep and satisfying combat. But it’s the modern touches that really make The Lost Crown sing, like being able to take screenshots of your surroundings and pin them to your map, equip amulets to give you handy buffs, and choose between guided and exploration difficulty modes. It moves the genre forward while also broadening its appeal to newcomers, which is no mean feat in 2024.
2. Ori And The Blind Forest: Definitive Edition
Image credit:Xbox Game Studios
One of the most sublime and perfectly executed Metroidvanias, Ori And The Blind Forest emphasises exploration and achievement over difficulty. It’s still rock hard in places, of course, but this Definitive Edition expands on its winning formula with new areas, abilities, and - crucially - extra difficulty levels, broadening the appeal of this most gorgeous and evocative of games. You play as Ori, a glowing woodland spirit, accompanied by a floating orb called Sein, who’s attempting to discover why their world is being overrun by a withering corruption - which naturally involves jumping, dashing, upgrading and fighting your way through an ever-growing collection of locations, each more astoundingly beautiful than the last. It stands out not just for its art and animation, but also because of the complete perfection of its athletic and nimble controls.
1. Hollow Knight
Image credit:Team Cherry
Hollow Knight has become the benchmark against which all Metroidvanias must be tested against, and with very good reason. A modern, 2D adventure, it brings all the classic Metroidvania concepts up to date in fresh, new ways, adding a touch of Dark Souls to the mix with its foreboding bosses and rock-hard combat. Players take on the role of an unknown, nameless knight, armed with just a small, but deadly nail to fight their way through the world. Many a menacing bug will cross your path, but you’ll reap ample rewards for vanquishing them. Spells and abilities will bolster your fighting style as you traverse the stage of Hallownest, and its vast open-world encourages you to explore every last nook and cranny.
The story is also brought to life with its dark but delightful art style and animation, a robust cast of characters, and its gorgeous orchestral soundtrack really accentuates its melancholy atmosphere. Developers Team Cherry don’t stop there, either, as every aspect of Hollow Knight has buckets of detailed secrets to uncover, and sidequests aplenty to sink your teeth into. It’s a stunning game considering the size of the development team, and absolutely essential for Metroidvania fans.
Axiom Verge
PS4 , Xbox One , PlayStation Vita , Nintendo Wii U , PC , Nintendo Switch
Blasphemous
PS4 , Xbox One , PC , Mac , Nintendo Switch
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
PS4 , Xbox One , PC , Nintendo Switch
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
PS3 , Xbox 360 , Nintendo 3DS
Cave Story
Nintendo Wii , PC , Nintendo Switch
Dead Cells
Android , PS4 , Xbox One , PC , Nintendo Switch
Guacamelee
PS3 , PlayStation Vita
Hollow Knight
PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S , PC , Mac , Nintendo Switch
Ori and the Blind Forest
Xbox One , PC
Owlboy
PS4 , Xbox One , PC , Nintendo Switch
Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown
PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X/S , PC , Nintendo Switch
Record Of Lodoss War: Deedlit In Wonder Labyrinth
PC
Salt and Sanctuary
PS4 , Xbox One , PlayStation Vita , PC , Nintendo Switch
SteamWorld Dig 2
PS4 , PlayStation Vita , PC , Nintendo 3DS , Nintendo Switch
Yoku’s Island Express
PS4 , Xbox One , PC , Nintendo Switch
Rock Paper Shotgun is better when you sign in
Sign in and join us on our journey to discover strange and compelling PC games.
All 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints and where to get them
These areas have the highest chance of giving you Blueprints
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Looking for more Arc Raiders Blueprints? It’s a special day when you find a Blueprint, as they’re among the most valuable items in Arc Raiders. If you find a Blueprint that you haven’t already found, then you must make sure you hold onto it at all costs, because Blueprints are the key to one of the most important and powerful systems of meta-progression in the game.
This guide aims to be the very best guide on Blueprints you can find, starting with a primer on what exactly they are and how they work in Arc Raiders, before delving into exactly where to get Blueprints and the very best farming spots for you to take in your search.
We’ll also go over how to get Blueprints from other unlikely activities, such as destroying Surveyors and completing specific quests. And you’ll also find the full list of all 75 Blueprints in Arc Raiders on this page (including the newest Blueprints added with the Cold Snap update , such as the Deadline Blueprint and Firework Box Blueprint), giving you all the information you need to expand your own crafting repertoire.
In this guide:
- What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
- Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
- Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders Blueprints obtained from quests Blueprints obtained from Trials Best Blueprint farming locations
What are Blueprints in Arc Raiders?
Blueprints in Arc Raiders are special items which, if you manage to extract with them, you can expend to permanently unlock a new crafting recipe in your Workshop. If you manage to extract from a raid with an Anvil Blueprint, for example, you can unlock the ability to craft your very own Anvil Pistol, as many times as you like (as long as you have the crafting materials).
To use a Blueprint, simply open your Inventory while in the lobby, then right-click on the Blueprint and click “Learn And Consume” . This will permanently unlock the recipe for that item in your Workshop. As of the Stella Montis update, there are allegedly 75 different Blueprints to unlock - although only 68 are confirmed to be in the game so far. You can see all the Blueprints you’ve found and unlocked by going to the Workshop menu, and hitting “R” to bring up the Blueprint screen.
It’s possible to find duplicates of past Blueprints you’ve already unlocked. If you find these, then you can either sell them, or - if you like to play with friends - you can take it into a match and gift it to your friend so they can unlock that recipe for themselves. Another option is to keep hold of them until the time comes to donate them to the Expedition.
Full Blueprint list: All crafting recipes
Below is the full list of all the Blueprints that are currently available to find in Arc Raiders, and the crafting recipe required for each item:
| Blueprint | Type | Recipe | Crafted At |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bettina | Weapon | 3x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Heavy Gun Parts 3x Canister | Gunsmith 3 |
| Blue Light Stick | Quick Use | 3x Chemicals | Utility Station 1 |
| Aphelion | Weapon | 3x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Complex Gun Parts 1x Matriarch Reactor | Gunsmith 3 |
| Combat Mk. 3 (Flanking) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Combat Mk. 3 (Aggressive) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Complex Gun Parts | Material | 2x Light Gun Parts 2x Medium Gun Parts 2x Heavy Gun Parts | Refiner 3 |
| Fireworks Box | Quick Use | 1x Explosive Compound 3x Pop Trigger | Explosives Station 2 |
| Gas Mine | Mine | 4x Chemicals 2x Rubber Parts | Explosives Station 1 |
| Green Light Stick | Quick Use | 3x Chemicals | Utility Station 1 |
| Pulse Mine | Mine | 1x Crude Explosives 1x Wires | Explosives Station 1 |
| Seeker Grenade | Grenade | 1x Crude Explosives 2x ARC Alloy | Explosives Station 1 |
| Looting Mk. 3 (Survivor) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Angled Grip II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 2 |
| Angled Grip III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Hullcracker | Weapon | 1x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Heavy Gun Parts 1x Exodus Modules | Gunsmith 3 |
| Launcher Ammo | Ammo | 5x Metal Parts 1x Crude Explosives | Workbench 1 |
| Anvil | Weapon | 5x Mechanical Components 5x Simple Gun Parts | Gunsmith 2 |
| Anvil Splitter | Mod | 2x Mod Components 3x Processor | Gunsmith 3 |
| ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? |
| Barricade Kit | Quick Use | 1x Mechanical Components | Utility Station 2 |
| Blaze Grenade | Grenade | 1x Explosive Compound 2x Oil | Explosives Station 3 |
| Bobcat | Weapon | 3x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Light Gun Parts | Gunsmith 3 |
| Osprey | Weapon | 2x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Medium Gun Parts 7x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Burletta | Weapon | 3x Mechanical Components 3x Simple Gun Parts | Gunsmith 1 |
| Compensator II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 4x Wires | Gunsmith 2 |
| Compensator III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Defibrillator | Quick Use | 9x Plastic Parts 1x Moss | Medical Lab 2 |
| ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? |
| Equalizer | Weapon | 3x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Complex Gun Parts 1x Queen Reactor | Gunsmith 3 |
| Extended Barrel | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Extended Light Mag II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 2 |
| Extended Light Mag III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 3 |
| Extended Medium Mag II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 2 |
| Extended Medium Mag III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 3 |
| Extended Shotgun Mag II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 2 |
| Extended Shotgun Mag III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 3 |
| Remote Raider Flare | Quick Use | 2x Chemicals 4x Rubber Parts | Utility Station 1 |
| Heavy Gun Parts | Material | 4x Simple Gun Parts | Refiner 2 |
| Venator | Weapon | 2x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Medium Gun Parts 5x Magnet | Gunsmith 3 |
| Il Toro | Weapon | 5x Mechanical Components 6x Simple Gun Parts | Gunsmith 1 |
| Jolt Mine | Mine | 1x Electrical Components 1x Battery | Explosives Station 2 |
| Explosive Mine | Mine | 1x Explosive Compound 1x Sensors | Explosives Station 3 |
| Jupiter | Weapon | 3x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Complex Gun Parts 1x Queen Reactor | Gunsmith 3 |
| Light Gun Parts | Material | 4x Simple Gun Parts | Refiner 2 |
| Lightweight Stock | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Lure Grenade | Grenade | 1x Speaker Component 1x Electrical Components | Utility Station 2 |
| Medium Gun Parts | Material | 4x Simple Gun Parts | Refiner 2 |
| Torrente | Weapon | 2x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Medium Gun Parts 6x Steel Spring | Gunsmith 3 |
| Muzzle Brake II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 4x Wires | Gunsmith 2 |
| Muzzle Brake III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Padded Stock | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Shotgun Choke II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 4x Wires | Gunsmith 2 |
| Shotgun Choke III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Shotgun Silencer | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Showstopper | Grenade | 1x Advanced Electrical Components 1x Voltage Converter | Explosives Station 3 |
| Silencer I | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 4x Wires | Gunsmith 2 |
| Silencer II | Mod | 2x Mod Components 8x Wires | Gunsmith 3 |
| Snap Hook | Quick Use | 2x Power Rod 3x Rope 1x Exodus Modules | Utility Station 3 |
| Stable Stock II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 2 |
| Stable Stock III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Tagging Grenade | Grenade | 1x Electrical Components 1x Sensors | Utility Station 3 |
| Tempest | Weapon | 3x Advanced Mechanical Components 3x Medium Gun Parts 3x Canister | Gunsmith 3 |
| Trigger Nade | Grenade | 2x Crude Explosives 1x Processor | Explosives Station 2 |
| Vertical Grip II | Mod | 2x Mechanical Components 3x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 2 |
| Vertical Grip III | Mod | 2x Mod Components 5x Duct Tape | Gunsmith 3 |
| Vita Shot | Quick Use | 2x Antiseptic 1x Syringe | Medical Lab 3 |
| Vita Spray | Quick Use | 3x Antiseptic 1x Canister | Medical Lab 3 |
| Vulcano | Weapon | 1x Magnetic Accelerator 3x Heavy Gun Parts 1x Exodus Modules | Gunsmith 3 |
| Wolfpack | Grenade | 2x Explosive Compound 2x Sensors | Explosives Station 3 |
| Red Light Stick | Quick Use | 3x Chemicals | Utility Station 1 |
| Smoke Grenade | Grenade | 14x Chemicals 1x Canister | Utility Station 2 |
| Deadline | Mine | 3x Explosive Compound 2x ARC Circuitry | Explosives Station 3 |
| Trailblazer | Grenade | 1x Explosive Compound 1x Synthesized Fuel | Explosives Station 3 |
| Tactical Mk. 3 (Defensive) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Tactical Mk. 3 (Healing) | Augment | 2x Advanced Electrical Components 3x Processor | Gear Bench 3 |
| Yellow Light Stick | Quick Use | 3x Chemicals | Utility Station 1 |
Note: The missing Blueprints in this list likely have not actually been added to the game at the time of writing, because none of the playerbase has managed to find any of them. As they are added to the game, I will update this page with the most relevant information so you know exactly how to get all 75 Arc Raiders Blueprints.
Where to find Blueprints in Arc Raiders
Below is a list of all containers, modifiers, and events which maximise your chances of finding Blueprints:
- Certain quests reward you with specific Blueprints .
- Completing Trials has a high chance of offering Blueprints as rewards.
- Surveyors have a decent chance of dropping Blueprints on death.
- High loot value areas tend to have a greater chance of spawning Blueprints.
- Night Raids and Storms may increase rare Blueprint spawn chances in containers.
- Containers with higher numbers of items may have a higher tendency to spawn Blueprints. As a result, Blue Gate (which has many “large” containers containing multiple items) may give you a higher chance of spawning Blueprints.
- Raider containers (Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, Medical Bags, Grenade Tubes) have increased Blueprint drop rates. As a result, the Uncovered Caches event gives you a high chance of finding Blueprints.
- Security Lockers have a higher than average chance of containing Blueprints.
- Certain Blueprints only seem to spawn under specific circumstances: Tempest Blueprint only spawns during Night Raid events. Vulcano Blueprint only spawns during Hidden Bunker events. Jupiter and Equaliser Blueprints only spawn during Harvester events.
Raider Caches, Weapon Boxes, and other raider-oriented container types have a good chance of offering Blueprints. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Blueprints have a very low chance of spawning in any container in Arc Raiders, around 1-2% on average. However, there is a higher chance of finding Blueprints in particular container types. Specifically, you can find more Blueprints in Raider containers and security lockers.
Beyond this, if you’re looking for Blueprints you should focus on regions of the map which are marked as having particularly high-value loot. Areas such as the Control Tower in Dam Battlegrounds, the Arrival and Departure Buildings in Spaceport, and Pilgrim’s Peak in Blue Gate all have a better-than-average chance of spawning Blueprints somewhere amongst all their containers. Night Raids and Electromagnetic Storm events also increase the drop chances of certain Blueprints .
In addition to these containers, you can often loot Blueprints from destroyed Surveyors - the largest of the rolling ball ARC. Surveyors are more commonly found on the later maps - Spaceport and Blue Gate - and if one spawns in your match, you’ll likely see it by the blue laser beam that it casts into the sky while “surveying”.
Surveyors are quite well-armoured and will very speedily run away from you once it notices you, but if you can take one down then make sure you loot all its parts for a chance of obtaining certain unusual Blueprints.
Blueprints obtained from quests
One way in which you can get Blueprints is by completing certain quests for the vendors in Speranza. Some quests will reward you with a specific item Blueprint upon completion, so as long as you work through all the quests in Arc Raiders, you are guaranteed those Blueprints.
Here is the full list of all Blueprints you can get from quest rewards:
- Trigger Nade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Sparks Fly”.
- Lure Grenade Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Greasing Her Palms”.
- Burletta Blueprint: Rewarded after completing “Industrial Espionage”.
- Hullcracker Blueprint (and Launcher Ammo Blueprint): Rewarded after completing “The Major’s Footlocker”.
Alas, that’s only 4 Blueprints out of a total of 75 to unlock, so for the vast majority you will need to find them yourself during a raid. If you’re intent on farming Blueprints, then it’s best to equip yourself with cheap gear in case you lose it, but don’t use a free loadout because then you won’t get a safe pocket to stash any new Blueprint you find. No pain in Arc Raiders is sharper than failing to extract with a new Blueprint you’ve been after for a dozen hours already.
One of the best ways to get Blueprints is by hitting three stars on all five Trials every week. |Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Blueprints obtained from Trials
One of the very best ways to get Blueprints is as rewards for completing Trials in Arc Raiders. Trials are unlocked from Level 15 onwards, and allow you to earn rewards by focusing on certain tasks over the course of several raids. For example, one Trial might task you with dealing damage to Hornets, while another might challenge you to loot Supply Drops.
Trials refresh on a weekly basis, with a new week bringing five new Trials. Each Trial can offer up to three rewards after passing certain score milestones, and it’s possible to receive very high level loot from these reward crates - including Blueprints. So if you want to unlock as many Blueprints as possible, you should make a point of completing as many Trials as possible each week.
Best Blueprint farming locations
The very best way to get Blueprints is to frequent specific areas of the maps which combine high-tier loot pools with the right types of containers to search. Here are my recommendations for where to find Blueprints on every map, so you can always keep the search going for new crafting recipes to unlock.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Dam Battlegrounds
The best places to farm Blueprints on Dam Battlegrounds are the Control Tower, Power Generation Complex, Ruby Residence, and Pale Apartments . The first two regions, despite only being marked on the map as mid-tier loot, contain a phenomenal number of containers to loot. The Control Tower can also contain a couple of high-tier Security Lockers - though of course, you’ll need to have unlocked the Security Breach skill at the end of the Survival tree.
There’s also a lot of reporting amongst the playerbase that the Residential areas in the top-left of the map - Pale Apartments and Ruby Residence - give you a comparatively strong chance of finding Blueprints. Considering their size, there’s a high density of containers to loot in both locations, and they also have the benefit of being fairly out of the way. So you’re more likely to have all the containers to yourself.
Buried City
The best Blueprint farming locations on Buried City are the Santa Maria Houses, Grandioso Apartments, Town Hall, and the various buildings of the New District . Grandioso Apartments has a lower number of containers than the rest, but a high chance of spawning weapon cases - which have good Blueprint drop rates. The others are high-tier loot areas, with plenty of lootable containers - including Security Lockers.
Spaceport
The best places to find Blueprints on Spaceport are the Arrival and Departure Buildings, as well as Control Tower A6 and the Launch Towers . All these areas are labelled as high-value loot regions, and many of them are also very handily connected to one another by the Spaceport wall, which you can use to quickly run from one area to the next. At the tops of most of these buildings you’ll find at least one Security Locker, so this is an excellent farming route for players looking to find Blueprints.
The downside to looting Blueprints on Spaceport is that all these areas are hotly contested, particularly in Duos and Squads. You’ll need to be very focused and fast in order to complete the full farming route.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun/Embark Studios
Blue Gate
Blue Gate tends to have a good chance of dropping Blueprints, potentially because it generally has a high number of containers which can hold lots of items; so there’s a higher chance of a Blueprint spawning in each container. In my experience, the best Blueprint farming spots on Blue Gate are Pilgrim’s Peak, Raider’s Refuge, the Ancient Fort, and the Underground Complex beneath the Warehouse .
All of these areas contain a wealth of containers to loot. Raider’s Refuge has less to loot, but the majority of the containers in and around the Refuge are raider containers, which have a high chance of containing Blueprints - particularly during major events.
Stella Montis
On the whole, Stella Montis seems to have a very low drop rate for Blueprints (though a high chance of dropping other high-tier loot). If you do want to try farming Blueprints on this map, the best places to find Blueprints in Stella Montis are Medical Research, Assembly Workshop, and the Business Center . These areas have the highest density of containers to loot on the map.
In addition to this, the Western Tunnel has a few different Security Lockers to loot, so while there’s very little to loot elsewhere in this area of the map, it’s worth hitting those Security Lockers if you spawn there at the start of a match.
That wraps up this primer on how to get all the Blueprints in Arc Raiders as quickly as possible. With the Expedition system constantly resetting a large number of players’ Blueprints, it’s more important than ever to have the most up-to-date information on where to find all these Blueprints.
While you’re here, be sure to check out our Arc Raiders best guns tier list , as well as our primers on the best skills to unlock and all the different Field Depot locations on every map.
ARC Raiders
PS5 , Xbox Series X/S , PC
Rock Paper Shotgun is better when you sign in
Sign in and join us on our journey to discover strange and compelling PC games.
