Arcane Vale
- December 16, 2022
- Dynamic Zero
- 15h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Arcane Vale" , you continue your father's legacy, seeking a long-lost treasure in a vast open world filled with dangerous creatures and hidden secrets. Complete quests, gain favor with locals, and level up your skills and equipment to confront increasingly powerful foes. Explore, discover unique characters, craft stronger weapons, and delve into crypts to reveal lost secrets.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game is surprisingly addicting and offers a lot of content for its price, making it a great value.
- The quests are engaging and do not drag on, providing a good balance of exploration and combat.
- The developer is responsive to feedback and actively works on updates, enhancing the overall experience.
- The inventory management system is cumbersome, with limited space and no quick stack options, making item management frustrating.
- There are significant quality of life issues, such as the lack of quest markers and a useful map, which can lead to confusion.
- The combat mechanics can feel unresponsive and rely too heavily on RNG, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- story32 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging and set in a beautifully crafted fantasy world, with a mix of main quests and diverse side quests that enhance the overall experience. While players appreciate the immersive narrative and exploration elements, some express frustration over the lack of quest markers and inventory management, which can hinder progress. Overall, the story has potential but could benefit from further development and refinement.
“The game has a beautifully crafted fantasy world with a rich, immersive story that kept me engaged from start to finish.”
“Arcane Vale tells the story of one of those journeys where the voyage itself becomes even more important than its final destination.”
“The side quests are diverse and add even more depth to the game, with a good balance between main story quests and optional content.”
“The thing that I hate is no quest markers.”
“This game has way too many different items for a limited inventory; finding NPCs again after clearing a quest is near impossible without remembering their locations, and combat isn't fun.”
“It also doesn't have quest markers or a particularly useful map, despite having loads and loads of quests and NPCs.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a charming pixel-art style that appeals to fans of the genre, featuring unique characters, locations, and creatures. While not overly elaborate, the visuals are consistently engaging and complemented by a cozy aesthetic and satisfying visual effects. Overall, the art style enhances the gameplay experience, contributing to a fun and immersive atmosphere.
“If you are a pixel-art fan, you can feel at home here.”
“Cozy art style, satisfying combat, and tons of content.”
“Don’t expect a very elaborate or fancy art style, but nonetheless the graphics are always nice and enthralling.”
“The characters, locations, and creatures all felt unique and well-realized, and the pixel graphics and visual effects were top-notch.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is engaging and enjoyable, featuring a mix of top-down 2D action RPG elements alongside lite-survival mechanics like mining and crafting. Players appreciate the smooth combat, variety of weapons, and charming aesthetics, though some find the boss mechanics challenging. Overall, the game offers a satisfying experience, despite occasional bugs.
“Mechanics, speed of play, and level of focus/engagement, along with the ratio of story to action, are so good I bought it twice. Definitely check it out if you're in the market for an engaging top-down 2D ARPG!”
“The gameplay is smooth, although very occasionally buggy, and the combat is satisfying, with a variety of weapons and abilities to choose from.”
“But this game is also a lite-survival game with mining and crafting mechanics.”
“Ignoring all of this, the music is great and I love the aesthetic, UI, and little charming details in the gameplay so far.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being inconsistent, with initial experiences described as a "broken buggy mess." While gameplay is generally smooth, users report occasional bugs that can disrupt the experience.
“The start is a broken, buggy mess.”
“Buggy!”
“The gameplay is smooth, although very occasionally buggy.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players feel that the grinding aspects of the game, such as farming and crafting, are largely unnecessary, as resources are abundant and can be easily found while exploring. While the game offers a variety of activities, many users believe that these features were included more for variety than for meaningful engagement, leading to a sense of redundancy in gameplay.
“Farming is unnecessary; you will find tons more than you need just wandering around.”
“They work together, but it feels like a lot of it was added just for the sake of saying the game has crafting, building, farming, fishing, combat, levels, etc. You won't use most of them unless you go out of your way.”
“You can build and farm anywhere in the open world, but later you can buy a house with all working tables and farming patches inside.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback, with players appreciating its quality and aesthetic appeal, despite some references to it being reminiscent of "elevator music." Overall, it contributes to the charming details of the gameplay experience.
“Ignoring all of this, the music is great and I love the aesthetic, UI, and little charming details in the gameplay so far.”
“The music feels like elevator music, lacking any real energy or engagement.”
“The soundtrack is repetitive and uninspired, making it hard to stay immersed in the game.”
“The background music is so bland that it often fades into the background, failing to enhance the gaming experience.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, featuring an intuitive user interface and smooth performance, allowing for an enjoyable experience filled with action and engaging quests.
“The UI is easy to understand, and the game runs smoothly, while being action-packed and full of fun quests!”
“The optimization of the game allows for seamless gameplay, making every action feel fluid and engaging.”
“I appreciate how well-optimized the game is; it maintains high performance even during intense moments.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its enjoyable humor and appealing art style, contributing to an overall fun experience.
“Good fun so far, a lot of humor and a nice art style!”
“The humor in this game is absolutely delightful and keeps me laughing!”
“I love how the game incorporates witty jokes and funny scenarios throughout!”
