Arcadia

About

Arcadia is a single player casual shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Joshyy and was released on December 2, 2010. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Arcadia" is a single-player Science Fiction Shooter game with a top-down perspective and masterful music. The game offers a casual mode for relaxed gameplay and a chaotic mode for a greater challenge, with an epic soundtrack to enhance the experience. Compete against thousands of other players on the leaderboards and access custom modes via the console.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

43%

Audience ScoreBased on 123 reviews

music23 positive mentions

replayability4 negative mentions

The game has a fun and fast-paced gameplay that can be enjoyable for short sessions.
The soundtrack is engaging and adds to the overall experience of the game.
It offers a casual shooting experience that can be a good break from more complex games.

The controls are broken and unresponsive, making the game nearly unplayable.
There is a lack of content and variety, leading to a repetitive experience.
The game feels incomplete and abandoned, with many bugs and no proper support for gamepads.

music
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
The music in the game is generally praised for its techno and trance elements, with many players noting that it significantly enhances the gameplay experience. However, some users criticize the repetitiveness of the tracks, leading to fatigue after a short period. While the soundtrack is often highlighted as a major selling point, it is also seen as the game's only strong aspect amidst various gameplay flaws.
- “The dev of this game put together an awesome soundtrack for this game, which ends up making it extremely relaxing and enjoyable to play.”
- “Hearing the music in this game is like half the experience of playing this game.”
- “The main draw is the music and you will enjoy the game until the songs 'get old'.”
- “The musical score is a techno beat that repeats endlessly to the point where I just mute the damn game sounds and music.”
- “Truth be told, the only reason I bought this game was because of the soundtrack... as soon as I extract it, I'll remove this piece of garbage from my computer.”
- “The music is repetitive.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
57%
10%
The gameplay is a mix of retro aesthetics and modern mechanics, offering both engaging and challenging experiences, particularly in intense late-game scenarios. However, some players find it un-engaging and bland, with limited visuals and enemy diversity, while others appreciate its casual appeal and variety of play styles. Overall, the game has solid mechanics but may not satisfy hardcore gamers seeking depth or replay value.
- “It has a retro feel with modern mechanics.”
- “The gameplay gets pretty intense, especially late in a round when tons of enemies are spawning, and it's an enjoyable challenge figuring out how to best kite and kill enemies and when to use bombs and such.”
- “The gameplay is really fun and engaging...there are so many different kinds of ships and ways to play...it's almost like a mini RPG!”
- “The gameplay itself is rather bland, the visuals limited and the enemies lack any real diversity.”
- “Gameplay, replay value and controls are rather bad.”
- “The little 'ship' doesn't move at all on a keyboard and gameplay on a gamepad is nigh impossible due to the ludicrous speed those little rocks come at you.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
The graphics of the game are described as minimalistic and vector-style, drawing comparisons to Geometry Wars but lacking in intensity and diversity. While some users find the visuals quirky and engaging, others criticize them as limited and reminiscent of a student project. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some praising the fun aesthetic while others find it underwhelming.
- “The graphics are fantastic, I can barely run it.”
- “The graphics are really fun looking and really get you into the game.”
- “Quirky and cool graphics.”
- “The gameplay itself is rather bland, the visuals limited and the enemies lack any real diversity.”
- “It's a very simple game, similar to Geometry Wars but with less intense graphics.”
- “...and the vector style graphics (apart from the grid) are really minimalistic.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, players find the game to have significant replay value and fun gameplay, especially considering its low price point. However, some users express concerns about the game's controls and overall support, which may affect the long-term enjoyment.
- “Very fun, with much replay value.”
- “Gameplay, replay value, and controls are rather bad.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game features an exceptionally powerful storyline that leaves a lasting impact, despite its brief 10-minute playtime. Many players consider it one of the best narratives in gaming.
- “This game has one of the best storylines of any game I've ever played.”
- “Only took me 10 minutes to beat, just goes to show how powerful the story is.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has undergone significant optimization, including multiple engine updates and a complete engine re-write, leading to performance improvements of over an order of magnitude on various setups. Ongoing development continues to enhance performance alongside the introduction of new game modes, enemies, and design elements.
- “It has received multiple engine updates and so far one complete engine rewrite that resulted in an improvement in performance of over an order of magnitude on many setups.”
- “There is development covering new game modes, enemies, design elements, and performance improvements.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurdity, featuring comically unbalanced enemies that unexpectedly attack players, creating a chaotic and laugh-inducing experience. This blend of mindless shooting and unexpected challenges adds a lighthearted tone to the gameplay.
- “You mindlessly shoot hilariously unbalanced enemies that will fly at you from the sides of the screen and kill you before you can dodge.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its lack of stability, with multiple users reporting significant bugs and poor programming quality.
- “It's buggy and not well programmed.”
- “It's buggy and not well programmed.”