Key takeaways

  • Embark describes solo and squads of up to three as viable in different ways.
  • Make a route and exit plan for the objective and current map condition.
  • Compare what a kit helps you do with what losing it would cost.

Embark says you can go Topside alone or in a squad of up to three. Its launch guide calls both viable in different ways and says matchmaking prioritizes solos with solos and squads with squads. That is a better starting point than assuming a solo player always faces full squads. Matchmaking is a priority, not a promise about every encounter.

Plan who can do what#

In a coordinated squad, players can watch different routes, share information and choose whether to move together. Alone, you make those decisions without teammate support. Neither setup makes every fight predictable: ARC machines, other raiders, cover and the gear you carry all matter.

Before a contested objective, ask what information you have about nearby threats and what route remains if you disengage. In a squad, say who watches each approach and when to regroup.

Route length follows the goal#

Short routes are useful for learning or carrying out a small objective. A longer route may be necessary for a quest or a particular set of materials. Embark says the map shows higher-risk areas and that available extraction options decrease as a session progresses. Check the current map and condition before deciding how far to travel.

In a squad, agree on the objective and exit before splitting attention across loot, fights and quests. Solo, name an alternate route in case the planned extract is busy.

Match the kit to the risk#

Embark lists Free Loadouts and gear from Scrappy as ways to recover after running low on items. A low-cost kit can help while learning a map. Stronger gear can make sense when the objective calls for it and you can accept the replacement cost. The right choice depends on your inventory and plan, not just whether you queue solo.

Map conditions and loadout access can change with updates, so check the current rules before assuming a Free Loadout is available.

Decide which fights serve the run#

Embark names carried items, noise, fights and locations as parts of the game's risk-and-reward balance. The decision to fight an ARC machine or another raider should include what the fight offers, the time it costs and the route afterward. A squad may have more ways to cover an approach, but it also needs to coordinate those choices.

Avoiding a fight can be useful; clearing a threat can be useful too. We have no publisher data showing that one of those is universally safer for solo players.

Reassess the exit#

Embark says main extraction points have no direct item cost but attract ARC and other players; its 2025 design blog also describes Raider Hatches as requiring Hatch Keys. These rules can change. Both solo and squad players should compare their current haul, the remaining exits and the value of the next objective before staying longer.

Community databases such as Raiderism can help you inspect item records. They are independent references; check the current game for important values.

Sources

Updates and corrections

  1. Correction — Removed unverified claims that solo fights are binary and that cheaper kits, shorter routes and earlier exits are universally correct; added Embark's matchmaking context.Previously: “Presented one solo strategy as a game rule and described revive outcomes without a direct source.”
  2. Update — Replaced a storefront image whose reuse terms were not documented with an original FPSing illustration.

Topics

  • solo play
  • risk management
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