Raji: Kaliyuga vs ARC Raiders

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: PvPvE (Solo, Duo, or Trio Squads)
• Setting: Post-Apocalyptic Earth (Italy)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Release Date: 2025-10-30
• Unique Feature: A unique 'no one-shot kill' shield mechanic that disincentivizes camping, and a persistent progression system with no forced wipes.

• Squad Mates: The game is designed for squads of 1-3 players. Teammates can be revived (without a special tool), share loot, and must coordinate to survive against ARC and other player squads.
  Human (Player)
• Scrappy the Rooster: A pet companion located in the player's hub. Scrappy provides a steady, passive stream of basic materials after every raid, ensuring players always have a baseline of resources, even after multiple failed runs.
  Animal (Rooster)

• Recipes: Found topside, these are one of the most valuable items. Successfully extracting a recipe permanently unlocks the ability to craft that item at the Workshop.
• Keys: Rare items found topside. 'Key Room' keys unlock high-value loot rooms on the map. 'Raider Hatch Keys' unlock rare, silent extraction points.
• Codex Entries: Unlocked by progressing. This is a growing repository of lore about the ARC, the world, and its inhabitants.

• Sci-Fi
• Post-Apocalyptic
• Extraction Shooter
• PvPvE
• Third-Person Shooter
• Robots
• Survival

• Trishul: Divine Melee Weapon
  A sacred three-pronged spear wielded by Raji, perfect for agile, sweeping martial arts combos and piercing armored foes.
• Siddhis (Magical Orbs): Magic/Utility
  Darsh's primary offensive tool, allowing him to launch spheres of concentrated gravity and energy to manipulate the battlefield.

• Firearms: Varies (Assault Rifles, SMGs, Snipers, Shotguns)
  A diverse arsenal of 19 different firearms across multiple categories. Weapons use one of four simplified ammo types (Light, Medium, Heavy, Shotgun) and can be customized with attachments. Examples include the 'Rattler' AR and 'Osprey' sniper rifle.
• Gadgets: Utility / Tactical
  A wide range of craftable items essential for survival and combat, including grenades, mines, door blockers, deployable barricades, and zip lines.

• Shields: The primary defensive item. Shields come in Light, Medium, and Heavy variants, providing a regenerating health pool. A fully-charged shield prevents a player from being one-shot. Shields degrade and must be repaired in the hub.
• Raider Augments: A special gear slot that allows players to fine-tune their build, affecting stats like backpack slots, weight limit, and the number of equippable weapons or quick-use items.

• Cosmetic Customization: Players can fully customize their Raider's appearance with a wide array of outfits, backpacks, attachments, and charms. Cosmetics are unlocked via quests, Raider Decks, or the in-game store. The Deluxe Edition includes the 'Astro' and 'Bruiser' bundles.

Raji: Kaliyuga introduces a deep, dual-character progression system that caters to two vastly different combat styles. Raji’s skill tree focuses on martial prowess and divine weaponry, allowing players to unlock devastating melee combos, aerial juggles, and ultimate god-blessed attacks with her Trishul. In stark contrast, Darsh (Golu) utilizes magical abilities known as 'siddhis'. His progression allows players to master the manipulation of gravity, time, and cosmic energy, turning the battlefield into a dynamic puzzle. Players earn experience points by defeating asuras and discovering hidden lore fragments, which can be invested at divine shrines to enhance health, energy reserves, and unlock synergistic combo attacks that combine Raji’s physical strikes with Darsh’s spatial manipulations, offering an incredibly high skill ceiling.

Progression is persistent and does not wipe. Players earn XP to level up and gain skill points, which can be invested in three skill trees: Conditioning (stamina, breaching), Mobility (climbing, vaulting), and Survival (looting speed, stealth). A voluntary prestige system called the 'Expedition Project' allows players to reset their progress for exclusive rewards.

The game expands significantly upon the linear paths of the first installment, introducing a vast, interconnected world design filled with secrets, hidden temples, and ancient mysteries. Players will traverse multiple distinct lokas (realms), each featuring unique biomes, environmental hazards, and architectural styles inspired by ancient Indian heritage. While not a traditional sandbox open world, the levels are expansive and encourage vertical exploration and backtracking. Regions are seamlessly connected, showcasing a diverse range of environments from ruined mortal cities to ethereal divine domains. The scale is designed to make the player feel like a small mortal navigating spaces built for titans and gods, amplifying the cosmic horror and grandeur of Mahabalasura's invasion and the subsequent tearing of the dimensional veil.

The game features a large, open-world map with four confirmed zones: Dam Battlegrounds (a large starting area with forests and a dam), Buried City (a metropolitan area covered in sand), Spaceport (a derelict industrial zone), and Blue Gate (a mountain area). A fifth map, Stella Montis, is rumored. Maps feature dynamic weather, time of day, and special events.

• Raji: Co-Protagonist
  A seasoned warrior chosen by the gods, fighting to restore balance to the universe.
• Darsh (Golu): Co-Protagonist
  A young dreamwalker haunted by visions, capable of manipulating time and gravity.
• Mahabalasura: Main Antagonist
  An ancient asura warlord who has prematurely shattered the divine equilibrium.

• The Raider: Playable Character
  The player's customizable character. Players can choose their face, body type, and hair, and then define their playstyle through a classless skill tree system.
• Celeste: Key NPC
  The charismatic raider leader in the Speranza hub who is responsible for providing the main story quests.
• Tion Wyn: Key NPC
  The reclusive gun craftsman who runs the gun shop in Speranza.

• Topside Expeditions
  The main gameplay loop. Players deploy to one of the large open-world maps for a 30-minute session to scavenge for loot, complete quests for traders, and interact with dynamic events, with the ultimate goal of successfully extracting.
• World Boss Encounters
  A dynamic, high-risk MMO-style objective to defeat massive ARC bosses like 'The Queen' at the Harvester. This requires cooperation between multiple squads and yields 'insane' loot.

Raji: Kaliyuga is designed from the ground up as a purely single-player experience. Despite featuring dual protagonists in Raji and Darsh, the developers have focused entirely on crafting a meticulously paced, cinematic solo campaign. The gameplay revolves around seamlessly swapping between the two siblings or utilizing them in tandem through AI-assisted synergistic attacks, rather than implementing a cooperative multiplayer mode. This design choice ensures that the narrative tension, puzzle-solving elements, and carefully balanced combat encounters remain consistent and uncompromised, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the emotional and cosmic journey of the two heroes without the variables introduced by co-op or competitive multiplayer mechanics.

The core mode is a persistent PvPvE extraction shooter where players can queue up solo, in duos, or in trios. The map is populated by other players and AI-controlled ARC machines. Proximity chat is enabled, allowing for emergent alliances or betrayals. There is no in-match squadding.

Raji: Kaliyuga is planned to release in multiple editions to cater to different segments of its fanbase. The Standard Edition includes the base game and access to the seamless dual-protagonist campaign. A rumored Deluxe Edition will likely feature a digital artbook showcasing the magnificent transition from 2D concept art to full UE5 3D models, along with a digital copy of the game's enchanting, traditional Indian-inspired orchestral soundtrack. For collectors, physical editions distributed via limited run partners may include exclusive physical items like a miniature replica of Raji’s Trishul, high-quality lithographs of the game's stunning living murals, and a custom steelbook case. Furthermore, the title will be available Day One on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, ensuring massive accessibility for subscribers immediately at launch.

Nodding Heads Games has expressed a strong commitment to telling a complete, cohesive story out of the box without locking essential narrative behind paid downloadable content. While no massive story expansions have been officially detailed yet, post-launch support is expected to include quality-of-life updates, performance optimization patches, and potentially new accessibility features based on community feedback. There are also possibilities for a 'Boss Rush' mode or a 'New Game Plus' addition in free post-launch updates, allowing players to replay the campaign with fully upgraded skill trees for both Raji and Darsh against significantly tougher Asura variants, further extending the game's replayability without fragmenting the player base.

The game is designed as a live service with a seasonal 'Raider Deck' (battle pass) that offers free and paid progression tracks. Developers have emphasized that monetization is cosmetic-only and not 'pay to win'. New maps, weapons, and features will be added over time based on community feedback.

• Q: Is Raji: Kaliyuga a direct sequel to Raji: An Ancient Epic?
  A: Yes, it is set six years after the events of the original game, expanding significantly on the lore and the cosmic war initiated by Mahabalasura.
• Q: Did the camera perspective change from the first game?
  A: Yes. Raji: Kaliyuga abandons the isometric top-down camera of the first game in favor of a fully immersive, 3D third-person action-adventure perspective powered by Unreal Engine 5.
• Q: Who is Darsh and can you play as him?
  A: Darsh is Raji's younger brother, previously known as Golu in the first game. He has grown into a powerful dreamwalker, and he is a fully playable dual protagonist alongside Raji.
• Q: Will Raji: Kaliyuga be on Xbox Game Pass?
  A: Yes, it has been confirmed that the game will be available Day One on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
• Q: Does the game feature co-op multiplayer since there are two protagonists?
  A: No, Raji: Kaliyuga is a strictly single-player experience. The gameplay involves swapping between the siblings or utilizing AI-assisted tag-team mechanics.

• Q: What is ARC Raiders?
  A: ARC Raiders is a third-person, PvPvE extraction shooter from the developers of The Finals. Players (as 'Raiders') scavenge a post-apocalyptic Earth, fighting other players and a deadly army of AI robots called ARC, all while trying to extract with valuable loot.
• Q: Is ARC Raiders free-to-play?
  A: No. The game was originally announced as free-to-play but has shifted to a premium model. The Standard Edition costs $40.
• Q: Is it a 'one-shot' extraction shooter like Tarkov?
  A: No. A key feature is the shield system, which prevents players from being one-shot as long as their shield is charged. This encourages more movement and tactical, drawn-out fights rather than camping.
• Q: Are there server wipes?
  A: No, the developers have stated there are no forced wipes. All progression is permanent. There is a voluntary prestige system called the 'Expedition Project' that players can opt-in to for exclusive rewards.

Powered by the robust capabilities of Unreal Engine 5, Raji: Kaliyuga represents a massive visual leap from its predecessor. The development team at Nodding Heads Games has meticulously transitioned from a custom fixed-camera pipeline to a fully immersive third-person 3D perspective. By leveraging advanced global illumination, modular world-building, and high-fidelity textures, the sequel preserves the iconic painterly art style of the original while expanding it into a richer, more dynamic space. Environments range from lush, handcrafted temples adorned with living murals to terrifying, post-apocalyptic landscapes distorted by demonic forces. Character models feature exceptional detail, particularly the intricate traditional Indian garments and the spectacular, fluid visual effects associated with divine weapons and Darsh’s magical siddhis, ensuring a visual feast that perfectly complements the mythical narrative.

The auditory experience in Raji: Kaliyuga is crafted to be just as sweeping and epic as its visual leap to 3D. The soundtrack heavily features traditional Indian instruments such as the sitar, tabla, and bansuri, blended flawlessly with a massive orchestral backing to convey the grand, cosmic scale of the war against Mahabalasura. The audio design for combat is incredibly punchy, with every strike of the Trishul and every manipulation of gravity by Darsh carrying immense sonic weight. Voice acting is provided in multiple languages with deep attention paid to cultural authenticity, and environmental audio makes full use of modern 3D spatial audio technologies to immerse players in the echoing halls of ancient temples and the terrifying roars of Asura warlords.

The user interface in Raji: Kaliyuga is designed to be highly minimalist, ensuring that the breathtaking Unreal Engine 5 visuals and the intricate, Indian-inspired architectural designs remain the focal point of the player's screen. Health and energy bars are stylized with ancient metallic motifs and discreetly tucked into the corners, only appearing during combat or when vital resources are low. The menus, including the skill tree and inventory, are presented as beautiful, interactive murals that come to life as the player navigates through them, maintaining deep diegetic immersion. This artistic approach to UI ensures that even managing upgrades feels tied to the game's profound mythological lore.

Understanding the need for broad accessibility, Nodding Heads Games has incorporated a robust suite of options into Raji: Kaliyuga to accommodate diverse player needs. The game includes highly customizable difficulty settings, allowing players to adjust enemy aggression, damage taken, and parry timing windows independently. Subtitle options are comprehensive, featuring scalable text sizes, high-contrast backgrounds, and speaker identifiers across its 23 supported languages. Control-wise, players can fully remap inputs on both keyboard and gamepads, and there are options to change button-mashing quick-time events into simple holds or automated sequences. Additionally, colorblind filters and options to reduce screen shake and motion blur are included to prevent motion sickness during fast-paced third-person combat.

• System requirements are based on the Unreal Engine 5 transition and current developer previews.
• Laptop Performance Note: Due to Unreal Engine 5's advanced lighting and geometry systems, laptop users must ensure excellent cooling and a high TGP GPU to maintain stable frame rates during intensive magical combat sequences.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: A minimum of 95W TGP is recommended for the RTX 3060/4050 tier to avoid heavy throttling during UE5 particle effects.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: Dual-fan configurations with liquid metal thermal paste are heavily advised due to sustained CPU loads from enemy AI and spatial manipulation physics.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Requires sustained 45W+ PL1 limits for smooth performance, particularly when playing as Darsh and manipulating time and gravity.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX Switch is highly recommended to bypass Optimus bottlenecking, providing a 10-15% performance uplift in third-person exploration.
• Optimization Detail: Upscaling Tech: DLSS 3.0, FSR 3, and XeSS are supported natively.
• Optimization Detail: Key Settings Impact: Lowering Global Illumination and Volumetric Clouds provides the largest performance gains on mid-range hardware without sacrificing the core painterly aesthetic.
• Game Name: Raji: Kaliyuga

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. The minimum spec is based on developer suggestion (GTX 970), with other tiers extrapolated for a modern, highly optimized Unreal Engine 5 title.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will vary based on the model's cooling and TGP. The game is noted for being 'hella optimized,' but a stable framerate is still crucial for PvPvE combat.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5 and maintain high framerates.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense, large-scale encounters will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of the ARC and other players.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a competitive shooter.
• Game Name: ARC Raiders

• Upscaling Tech: DLSS 3.0, FSR 3, and XeSS are supported natively.
• Key Settings Impact: Lowering Global Illumination and Volumetric Clouds provides the largest performance gains on mid-range hardware without sacrificing the core painterly aesthetic.

• G P U T G P: A minimum of 95W TGP is recommended for the RTX 3060/4050 tier to avoid heavy throttling during UE5 particle effects.
• Cooling Thermals: Dual-fan configurations with liquid metal thermal paste are heavily advised due to sustained CPU loads from enemy AI and spatial manipulation physics.
• C P U Power Limits: Requires sustained 45W+ PL1 limits for smooth performance, particularly when playing as Darsh and manipulating time and gravity.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX Switch is highly recommended to bypass Optimus bottlenecking, providing a 10-15% performance uplift in third-person exploration.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU is essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5 and maintain high framerates.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense, large-scale encounters will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of the ARC and other players.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus is a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in a competitive shooter.