Arcadia

About

Arcadia is a single player action game. It was developed by Somnova Studios and was released on October 31, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In the not-too-distant-future, Roman is a newly-minted employee at a classy jazz club. He must contend with his past as a new hire (and former co-worker), Eris, makes him question if quitting his old job was the right thing to do.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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75%

Audience ScoreBased on 99 reviews

story24 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

The artwork and character designs are beautiful, creating an engaging visual experience.
The jazz soundtrack is soothing and fits the atmosphere of the game perfectly.
The story, while short, is well-paced and features relatable character development.

The game lacks meaningful choices, making it feel more like a visual novel than an interactive experience.
The writing is often criticized for being unrealistic and tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
Some players found the pacing slow and the character personalities unlikable, leading to a lack of engagement.

story
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
71%
3%
The story is a short, linear narrative centered around two flawed characters navigating their past and present in a jazz club setting, with themes of nostalgia and personal growth. While the writing and atmosphere are praised for their immersion and emotional depth, many reviewers noted a lack of meaningful choices and character development, leading to a desire for a more expansive storyline. Overall, the game offers a chill experience with engaging music and art, but some players felt it fell short in terms of plot complexity and length.
- “The story has excellent pacing and culminates in either a satisfying conclusion or a hard-hitting ending within 2 hours (3 hours if you're a slower reader like me) depending on the choices you make.”
- “The people behind this did a great job with the writing and made me feel immersed in the story.”
- “Characters felt realistic and had great development, the story moved at a good pace (didn't feel rushed but without unnecessary 'fillers'), the music was nice and fitting.”
- “The story easily bored me.”
- “Great art, nice music...but the story was disappointing.”
- “The story was quite short, to my dismay; I'd really love to see a sequel to the story, as I feel that it had quite an open end, and overall just didn't really feel concluded.”
music
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
42%
9%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its calming and immersive qualities, particularly the jazz soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere and complements the visual elements. Many players found the soundtrack to be distinctive and enjoyable, often expressing a desire to listen to it outside of gameplay. However, some noted moments of silence that disrupted the experience, and a few felt that the music could become repetitive. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The soundtrack is calming, relaxing, distinctive, and fits the mood of the setting extremely well.”
- “The music is amazing and really creates a very fitting atmosphere.”
- “A wonderfully energetic and relaxed jazzy soundtrack ties the atmosphere together impeccably.”
- “At times, I'd think I muted the game as there would be no music or other sounds, leading to some silent stretches.”
- “I can't think of anything positive to say about this - even the jazz music was the same, predictable track throughout.”
- “Great art, nice music...but the story was disappointing.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beautiful artwork and immersive aesthetic, with many reviewers highlighting the character designs and background visuals as standout features. While some players felt that the visuals became secondary to the narrative over time, the overall art style and cohesive presentation significantly enhance the gaming experience. The combination of stunning visuals and a fitting soundtrack creates an engaging atmosphere that resonates well with players.
- “The visuals are mesmerizing, especially for the characters.”
- “This game manages to hit everything I like, from beautiful artwork I would never get tired of to music I'd want to download and listen to in my spare time, and both endings are amazing, showcasing how both old and new styles clash in a unique way.”
- “From the first seconds, you get immersed in excellent music and a near-futuristic aesthetic where soft and warm colors prevail.”
- “For a visual novel, there wasn't much to the visuals.”
- “I found myself not even looking at the graphics once I'd been in the game for a while, while I read the storyline as quickly as possible just so I could say I'd finished it.”
- “Arcadia, in my opinion, is not a bad visual novel, though the artwork for the backgrounds and characters is really nice and the writing is well enough. However, the attitude of the people in the story really got on my nerves sometimes with the unintelligent things they say while bashing each other emotionally for fun.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, enhanced by a jazzy soundtrack that complements the visuals and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke emotions and create a mellow experience, making it a key selling point despite the story's perceived shortcomings. Overall, the combination of music, art, and ambiance leaves a lasting impression on players.
- “The music is amazing and really creates a very fitting atmosphere.”
- “Just for the atmosphere, I would already recommend reading this visual novel.”
- “This game's main selling point in my eyes is the atmosphere generated by the club and less the story involving the characters.”
- “They have a smooth way of communicating emotions, atmospheres, and moods through their work that makes this visual novel a real experience.”
- “A wonderfully energetic and relaxed jazzy soundtrack ties the atmosphere together impeccably.”
gameplay
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The gameplay in this visual/interactive novel is largely limited to clicking through dialogue, which many users found poorly written and unengaging. While the art and accompanying music received praise, the overall gameplay experience was described as mundane, with minimal mechanics beyond simple navigation.
- “While it took me a little longer to complete than it should have, I found the gameplay thoroughly engaging, and the music that accompanied it was very well done, giving the feeling of actually being in a jazz club.”
- “Art is beautiful, but the gameplay was a bit mundane.”
- “Gameplay: 7”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
- “The only mechanic is clicking your left mouse button or the enter button to reveal the next phrase and nothing else.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by strong writing that immerses players in the story, though some find the characters' behavior frustrating and emotionally charged. While the artwork is praised, the emotional interactions can be polarizing, leading to mixed feelings among players. Overall, many appreciate the emotional depth and engaging narrative, despite some reservations.
- “The people behind this did a great job with the writing and made me feel immersed in the story.”
- “Nice vibes, good emotional story, enjoyed this a lot.”
- “Take this with a grain of salt as I am still emotionally warm with disappointment.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a sharp, sarcastic tone that complements its confrontational dialogue, creating a balanced and engaging experience. Users appreciate the cleverness of the writing, with some noting its ability to deliver humor through witty observations and relatable characters. Overall, the humor is seen as a standout feature that enhances the narrative.
- “The funny thing is, if you wanted to print this book, you'd only need to print 14 copies to satisfy the entire world's demand for it.”
- “The funny and sarcastic undertone balances the confrontational dialogue in the story, executed with precision.”
- “Funny women”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is praised for its organic progression, standing out positively compared to other visual novels.
- “The character development is well done and seems more organic than in some other visual novels.”
- “The growth of the characters feels authentic and deeply engaging, making their journeys truly memorable.”
- “I appreciate how the characters evolve throughout the story, with their choices and experiences shaping who they become.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where each sentence requires a click to advance, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative.
- “Visual novels/e-books are tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you ever read, be it 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' or '2001: A Space Odyssey' or 'Twilight' (if you have terrible taste in literature), but then translate that to a format where the words dribble out and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”