Arcadia

About

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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 99 reviews

story24 positive mentions

grinding3 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, enhancing the overall experience.
The story, while short, is well-paced and features relatable character development, making it an enjoyable read.

The game lacks meaningful choices, making it feel more like a linear story than an interactive experience.
The writing quality is inconsistent, with some dialogue feeling overly verbose and lacking depth.
The character personalities are often unlikable, which detracts from the player's emotional investment in the story.

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 players express a desire for more choices and character development, as well as a longer, more fleshed-out plot. Overall, the game offers a chill experience with engaging dialogue and beautiful art, but some find it lacking in variety and depth.
- “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 story sparks up when his old coworker Eris joins the jazz club as a singer for no apparent reason.”
- “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
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
44%
9%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, with a standout jazz soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere and complements the story beautifully. While some players noted occasional silent stretches, the majority found the soundtrack to be distinctive and enjoyable, often feeling like a highlight of the experience. Overall, the music effectively sets the mood, making it a significant aspect of 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
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
33%
14%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beautiful artwork and immersive aesthetic, featuring well-designed characters and backgrounds that enhance the storytelling experience. While some players felt the visuals became secondary to the narrative, many appreciated the cohesive integration of art, music, and dialogue, creating a captivating atmosphere. Overall, the game's art style and design have garnered positive feedback, with many expressing a desire for more content from the same artists.
- “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. 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 lack of depth. Overall, the combination of music, art, and mood contributes to a captivating and enjoyable atmosphere that many recommend.
- “The music is amazing and really creates a very fitting atmosphere.”
- “A wonderfully energetic and relaxed jazzy soundtrack ties the atmosphere together impeccably.”
- “This game's main selling point in my eyes is the atmosphere generated by the club and less the story involving the characters.”
- “Just for the atmosphere, I would already recommend reading this visual novel.”
- “They have a smooth way of communicating emotions, atmospheres, and moods through their work that makes this visual novel a real experience.”
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' negative interactions frustrating. Overall, it evokes a range of feelings, from enjoyment to disappointment, with many appreciating the emotional depth despite some narrative flaws.
- “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 effectively balances confrontational dialogue, creating a witty and engaging experience. Users appreciate the cleverness of the writing, particularly highlighting the amusing commentary on societal norms and expectations. Overall, the humor is well-crafted and resonates with players, adding depth to 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”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
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, whether it's 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', '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.”
- “Grinding in this game feels like an endless chore. The repetitive tasks drain the enjoyment out of what could have been a great experience.”
- “The grind is so excessive that it overshadows the story and character development, making it feel more like a job than a game.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development is praised for its organic progression, standing out positively compared to other visual novels.
- “The character development is well done and feels more organic than in many other visual novels.”
- “The depth of each character's backstory adds layers to the narrative, making their growth feel authentic.”
- “I love how the choices I make influence the characters' development, creating a truly immersive experience.”