Arco

97%
Game Brain Score Based on 777 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Arco Game Cover
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"Arco is a single-player Mesoamerican fantasy RPG with an intriguing story, exceptional gameplay, and stellar atmosphere. Navigate handcrafted bullet-hellish battles and explore a vast world as one of four indigenous heroes, with choices impacting the narrative and combat style. Immerse in the sensational visuals, spectacular soundtrack, and intertwining stories, but be prepared for a wholesome journey that ultimately leads to revenge...on a llama."

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 777 reviews
story272 positive mentions
grinding7 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique combat system that blends turn-based and real-time mechanics, making battles engaging and strategic.
  • The story is compelling and emotionally resonant, exploring themes of revenge and colonialism through well-developed characters.
  • The pixel art and soundtrack are beautifully crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.
  • Some players have reported bugs and performance issues, particularly with audio and combat mechanics.
  • The difficulty can spike unexpectedly, leading to frustrating encounters that may require multiple retries.
  • Certain gameplay mechanics, like the guilt system and ghost mechanics, can feel overwhelming and detract from the overall enjoyment of combat.
  • story503 mentions

    The story of the game is widely praised for its emotional depth, engaging characters, and unique setting that blends elements of western and mesoamerican cultures. Players appreciate the intertwining of narrative choices with gameplay mechanics, which adds a layer of consequence to their decisions. However, some reviewers noted issues with quest progression and pacing, suggesting that the story can occasionally feel linear or lead to missed opportunities. Overall, the combination of compelling storytelling, beautiful pixel art, and a haunting soundtrack creates a memorable experience that resonates with many players.

    • “The story, music, and visuals all merge together to create something bigger than the sum of its parts.”
    • “The story and setting are unique and interesting, and the multiple protagonists' journeys are gripping to go through.”
    • “The story is heartfelt and earns the emotions it reaches for by pushing you against a cruel, hard world and having you go through some brutal ordeals.”
    • “My only real complaint about this game is that the way the story progression is designed, it's a little too easy to accidentally abandon quests that you wanted to do on the one hand, or stick around trying not to abandon those quests on the other: there's no real time pressure, but if you pass through the wrong story gate, there's no going back.”
    • “While the story itself is a little lackluster, the game truly shines when it comes to its main focus and what it does best: the innovative combat system.”
    • “Unfortunately, the combat, story, and just all around RPG elements felt extremely shallow.”
  • gameplay300 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a unique blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics, offering engaging combat that requires strategic planning and quick decision-making. Players appreciate the innovative "guilt" mechanic, which adds depth to choices and consequences, although some find it can be frustrating at times. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its originality, challenge, and integration with the narrative, making it a compelling experience despite some minor criticisms regarding difficulty and certain mechanics.

    • “The mix of turn-based mechanics, action points, ability load-out planning, storytelling style, and 'haunting guilt' mechanics are not especially unique in isolation, but combined together make a pretty interesting and fun combo.”
    • “Gameplay - the gameplay is amazing, they bring something I haven't seen before by using a 'live' turn mechanic and giving you a counter in the shape of ghosts that keeps you on your toes and limits the time you can spend thinking about your move.”
    • “The gameplay is original, enjoyable, and well executed.”
    • “I have no other complaints about this game, the writing is on point, the graphics are so full of charm, but this one mechanic with ghosts that chase you during your turn, giving you no time to actually plan and think, absolutely tanks the experience for me to a degree that I even find hard to put into words.”
    • “The real-time mechanics make me anxious and as a result make me not want to play the game, much less recommend it to friends who would otherwise enjoy it for sure.”
    • “However, the game is extremely buggy and the mechanics are not well implemented, leading to very frustrating situations where the entire fight goes wrong because the enemy ignores stun, or attacks even though they had no attack indicator, or the melee attack prioritizes an irrelevant target, or you fall off a cliff because the dash indicator is incredibly unreliable.”
  • music250 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the overall experience alongside the stunning pixel art and engaging story. Many reviewers highlighted the soundtrack as a standout feature, with tracks that effectively set the mood for both combat and narrative moments. While some noted minor repetitiveness in battle music, the overall consensus is that the music is a significant strength, contributing to a captivating and immersive gameplay experience.

    • “The pixel art is gorgeous and moody; the music varied, atmospheric, and soulful; and the sense of place the whole thing creates is so unique and well realized.”
    • “The music is astounding, clearly a lot of love was put into it and it shows, whenever the singer starts belting out lines about loss and hopelessness you can really feel the pain in her voice.”
    • “The music is perfect and on point, the gameplay has some fresh air to it, the story is compelling, the humor subtle.”
    • “Finally, I had one really awful glitch that showed up twice: in two separate boss battles, the music just started to stutter, repeating the same half-second of audio at max volume infinitely.”
    • “As the game got through the later chapters, the quality of the story definitely started to dip, NPCs felt repetitive with earlier conversations, music - once excitingly fresh - now became stale.”
    • “The character portraits are cramped and small; the music is a bit abrasive; the sound design isn't particularly good.”
  • graphics137 mentions

    The graphics of the game are predominantly praised for their charming pixel art style, which is described as both beautiful and engaging, effectively complementing the game's narrative and gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the minimalistic yet detailed artwork, vibrant environments, and the emotional depth conveyed through the visuals, creating a captivating aesthetic experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a significant strength, enhancing the game's atmosphere and storytelling.

    • “Beautifully rendered in pixel art, Arco's visuals will charm and amaze you.”
    • “The graphics and art style of the game provide some beautiful environments to explore, and there is a variety of different locations, all visually interesting and unique, littered throughout the game world.”
    • “The art style is both adorable and breathtaking, a combination that's hard to nail.”
    • “I also wasn't a huge fan of the art style/aesthetic, so I was really hoping that either of the former would carry this game for me.”
    • “The graphics of the sky and nature were emphasized over that of the characters, so they were usually huge in comparison.”
    • “The pixel art almost suits the game, but I also think it would be better with almost any other art style.”
  • emotional41 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heart-wrenching storytelling, beautiful pixel art, and enchanting music that together create a deeply engaging experience. Players report feeling a range of emotions, from joy to heartbreak, as the narrative tackles serious themes with a balance of humor and sensitivity. The game is noted for its ability to evoke strong feelings, making it a standout in emotional storytelling within the gaming medium.

    • “The story was wonderful, and the music with vocals that came in at key moments was very emotional.”
    • “This game made me cry, which is not easy to achieve in this medium, especially considering the art style the team chose.”
    • “The writing is gritty and emotional but also humorous and endearing, all elevated by a beautiful visual presentation and soundtrack which made for a thoroughly engrossing experience that was hard to put down.”
  • humor29 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever and engaging dialogue, striking a balance between lightheartedness and emotional depth. Reviewers highlight the well-written, often funny interactions that enhance character development and storytelling, while also addressing serious themes with a touch of wit. Overall, the humor is described as both entertaining and meaningful, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “If you're an RPG fan, this game is a must-play, rich with meaningful choices, funny dialogue, and a moving narrative.”
    • “The humor is dry and on the nose, and every main character is likeable.”
    • “The writing is gritty and emotional but also humorous and endearing, all elevated by a beautiful visual presentation and soundtrack which made for a thoroughly engrossing experience that was hard to put down.”
  • atmosphere27 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning pixel art and soulful music, which together create a unique and immersive sense of place. Reviewers highlight the effective world-building, engaging story, and the emotional depth conveyed through the soundtrack, all contributing to a captivating experience. The combination of these elements, along with enjoyable combat mechanics, results in a beautifully atmospheric game that resonates with players.

    • “The pixel art is gorgeous and moody; the music varied, atmospheric, and soulful; and the sense of place the whole thing creates is so unique and well realized.”
    • “The music in 'arco' is beautiful and atmospheric, with each track meticulously composed to enhance the game's emotional and narrative depth.”
    • “The atmosphere delivered through landscape pixel art and music was beautiful.”
    • “Really impressive how they're able to create a powerful sense of place and atmosphere using such a minimalized, low-res pixel style.”
    • “The pixel art and music are incredible, perfectly capturing and enhancing the game's atmosphere.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    Overall, the game offers moderate to high replayability, with players noting the potential for different character builds, multiple endings, and various secrets to uncover. While some reviews mention that the game may not branch significantly, the ability to experiment with different play styles and the curiosity about alternative story paths encourage multiple playthroughs. However, a few players feel that the main game could be longer to enhance the replay experience.

    • “Finished the game in 23 hours which felt long enough and makes the game easily replayable.”
    • “The story is great, and often you will wonder what happened if you choose a different path, offering replayability.”
    • “There's definitely a lot of replay value to this game - many things require two playthroughs to be seen, and there are many secrets and achievements to hunt - but I do wish the main game was a little bit longer.”
    • “There's not a ton of replayability but you'll almost certainly miss things the first time through, and the second round could be a fun one for experimenting.”
    • “I finished it in 11 hours; currently I'm not sure how much replayability there is in it though a different review mentioned alternative endings and looking at the achievements I've missed, I can believe it.”
  • grinding7 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with combat mechanics that can feel frustrating rather than rewarding. While the limited opportunities for grinding XP and items make victories feel significant, the overall experience is marred by a sense of monotony and irritation.

    • “The differing combat trees don't feel rewarding, just tedious.”
    • “This, and the ghost mechanic makes combat tedious and irritating.”
    • “Repetitive, frustrating, tedious.”
  • character development5 mentions

    The game excels in character development, featuring a diverse cast of memorable characters with unique designs and play-styles that enhance player investment in the story. The stunning pixel art and smooth animations contribute to a richly detailed world, making players genuinely care about the characters despite their simplistic pixelated forms. Overall, the balance between exploration and combat further enriches the character experience.

    • “It's a relatively short and sweet experience that manages to build an interesting world with memorable characters, not to mention the absolutely stunning pixel art and fun character designs.”
    • “Totally invested in the story, loved the character design and how each one had their own unique feel and playstyle, great balance between overworld exploration and combat.”
    • “Character development: can't remember the last time I cared so much for a collection of 12 pixels on a screen.”
    • “Not to mention the art and character designs, it's incredible (I am just a sucker for pixel art though).”
  • optimization4 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some players report smooth performance and minimal bugs, others experience occasional crashes, stuttering, and glitches, particularly in the late game. Improvements are still needed to enhance stability and performance.

    • “Performance: I found no bugs, and it should run on a potato.”
    • “Occasionally ran into some bugs, such as unformatted text, a single crash, and a single instance where performance tanked.”
    • “Has some stuttering and bugs in the late game, but nothing that will ruin your experience.”
    • “There are still glitches and optimizations that need to be made; this game is not perfect and may crash occasionally.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, such as unreliable mechanics and unexpected enemy behavior. Users report frustrating experiences due to these problems, which can lead to crashes and hinder overall enjoyment.

    • “The UI can be buggy, especially that oddly tucked away repeat fight button in the top left.”
    • “However, the game is extremely buggy and the mechanics are not well implemented, leading to very frustrating situations where the entire fight goes wrong because the enemy ignores stun, or attacks even though they had no attack indicator, or the melee attack prioritizes an irrelevant target, or you fall off a cliff because the dash indicator is incredibly unreliable.”
    • “There are still glitches and optimizations that need to be made; this game is not perfect and may crash occasionally.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
8-13hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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