Arco

About

Arco is a single player tactical role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Franek and was released on August 15, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

"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."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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98%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,227 reviews

story411 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

Innovative and engaging combat system that blends turn-based and real-time mechanics, providing a unique gameplay experience.
Beautiful pixel art and a captivating soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
Compelling story with well-developed characters and meaningful choices that impact the narrative.

Some combat mechanics can be frustrating, particularly with the ghost system that adds pressure during decision-making.
The story may feel predictable at times, and certain character arcs could be more fleshed out.
Minor bugs and UI issues can detract from the overall experience, though they are not game-breaking.

story
760 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
45%
1%
The story of "Arco" is widely praised for its engaging narrative that intertwines themes of revenge and colonization, set against a beautifully crafted pixel art backdrop. Players appreciate the depth of character development and the emotional weight of choices that significantly impact the gameplay and story progression. While some reviewers noted a dip in story quality in later chapters, the overall consensus highlights a compelling, heartfelt tale that resonates with players, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The fundamental reason is the storytelling: it combines the vibes and pulpiness of a vengeance western with a nuanced and very human look at colonization and the price of resisting it.”
- “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.”
- “Arco tells a story of settler-colonialism wrapped in a tale of personal revenge.”
- “As the game got through the later chapters, the quality of the story definitely started to dip; NPCs felt repetitive with earlier conversations, and music - once excitingly fresh - now became stale.”
- “There's no story.”
- “It's like playing a lifeless bag of game storytelling, devoid of anything.”
gameplay
446 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
50%
2%
The gameplay of "Arco" is characterized by its innovative blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics, offering a unique tactical experience that keeps players engaged. While many praise the depth and variety of combat strategies, some players find certain mechanics, like the guilt system and ghost interactions, frustrating and detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the game is lauded for its captivating story, beautiful art, and satisfying gameplay loop, making it a standout title in the indie gaming landscape.
- “The gameplay is fun once you're used to it and offers quite a lot of pacy tactical puzzling as you go.”
- “The visuals are stunning, the combat mechanics are super addictive and fun, especially since you can always try a new strategy or skill to get over a challenge.”
- “The gameplay truly elevates this title with how well it's put together.”
- “I do not enjoy being forced to change gameplay styles each chapter in these fights.”
- “The gameplay is okay, but seriously suffers from two things: 1) the lack of difficulty options and 2) overuse of combat.”
- “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.”
music
384 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
29%
2%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its beauty, emotional depth, and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. While the soundtrack features a variety of engaging tracks that complement both combat and narrative moments, some players noted that the battle music can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is considered a standout element, significantly contributing to the game's immersive experience and emotional impact.
- “The music is phenomenal, the pixel art is beautiful, the story is engaging and memorable... and the battle system is both brutal and forgiving, allowing for experimentation and encouraging creativity.”
- “The music is an amazing, such a beautiful soundtrack to accompany a beautiful game; every track sets the mood for battles and scenes perfectly.”
- “The music in 'arco' is beautiful and atmospheric, with each track meticulously composed to enhance the game's emotional and narrative depth.”
- “As the game got through the later chapters, the quality of the story definitely started to dip; NPCs felt repetitive with earlier conversations, and the music, once excitingly fresh, now became stale.”
- “The character portraits are cramped and small; the music is a bit abrasive, and the sound design isn't particularly good.”
- “The combat music, however, isn't varied enough, and you'll get tired of it by the end.”
graphics
224 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
43%
2%
The graphics of "Arco" are characterized by charming pixel art that, while simple, effectively conveys emotion and atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers praise the game's vibrant environments and character designs, noting that the visuals complement the engaging narrative and captivating soundtrack. The art style is described as both nostalgic and fresh, creating a visually delightful experience that resonates with players.
- “Arco is a slap in the face of AAA graphics - it does an amazing job conjuring moods, vibes, and stories through beautiful pixels!”
- “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 visuals and sound design are incredible, and the gameplay is a unique take on turn-based strategy that I haven't personally ever seen before, but I absolutely love it.”
- “The pixel art almost suits the game, but I also think it would be better with almost any other art style.”
- “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.”
- “In a fast switching campaign system between tightly designed and engaging fights and dialogue based narrative parts, it takes you on a journey through mostly basic, but still aesthetically pleasing pixel art set pieces.”
emotional
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Arco" is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling, which evokes strong feelings and even tears from players. The game combines humor with gritty themes, creating a unique narrative experience that resonates deeply, particularly for those familiar with struggles like colonialism and racism. Its beautiful visuals and atmospheric music further enhance the emotional journey, making it a memorable and engaging experience.
- “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.”
- “It's evocative, funny at the right times, beautiful, cyclical, heart-wrenching, so much that you don't really expect going into it.”
- “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.”
humor
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as both subtle and impactful, blending dry wit with emotional depth, making players laugh while also evoking sadness. Characters are well-written and relatable, with entertaining dialogue that enhances the overall experience. The game successfully balances lighthearted moments with darker themes, creating a unique and engaging narrative that keeps players invested.
- “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.”
- “It is dark when it wants to be dark, it is over the top when it wants to be over the top, it is funny and lighthearted when it wants to be just that.”
- “The dialogue is entertaining and genuinely funny at times.”
atmosphere
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
29%
7%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful pixel art and meticulously composed music, which together create an immersive and engaging experience. Reviewers highlight the attention to detail in world-building and the emotional depth conveyed through the soundtrack, enhancing both the gameplay and narrative. Overall, the atmosphere is described as captivating, with a unique blend of exploration, combat, and storytelling that resonates with players.
- “A compelling story with well-written characters, a unique setting, and gorgeous atmosphere and music.”
- “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.”
- “The pixel art and music are incredible, perfectly capturing and enhancing the game's atmosphere.”
- “It's a mix of atmosphere, music, exploration of the world in search of its secrets, simple but pleasant dialogues, an unusual combat system that turns fights into puzzles.”
replayability
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as moderate to high, with many players noting the presence of alternative endings, missed achievements, and various choices that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some reviewers mention that the game is relatively short, they express curiosity about exploring different paths and character builds, suggesting that there is enough content to warrant revisiting. However, a few players feel that the replay value could be limited, depending on individual preferences and play styles.
- “The story is great, and often you will wonder what happened if you choose a different path, offering replayability.”
- “It also has good replay value with the different builds/play styles per character.”
- “Replayability: low to moderate.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is largely viewed as tedious and repetitive, with players finding the combat mechanics and backtracking frustrating. While the limited opportunities for grinding XP and items can make victories feel more rewarding, the overall experience is marred by a lack of engagement and excitement in the grinding process.
- “The differing combat trees don't feel rewarding, just tedious.”
- “This, and the ghost mechanic makes combat tedious and irritating.”
- “Repetitive, frustrating, tedious.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many users report it runs well on low-end systems with no major bugs, there are notable issues such as stuttering, occasional crashes, and glitches that suggest further improvements are needed.
- “Performance: I found no bugs, and it should run on a potato.”
- “Performance: I found no bugs, and it should run on a potato.”
- “There are still glitches and optimizations that need to be made; this game is not perfect and may crash occasionally.”
- “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.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs and unreliable mechanics that can disrupt gameplay, such as enemies ignoring stun effects and erratic attack indicators. Players have reported frustrating glitches and occasional crashes, indicating that further optimization is needed for a smoother experience.
- “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.”
- “The UI can be buggy, especially that oddly tucked away repeat fight button in the top left.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
29%
14%
The character development in the game is highly praised for its rich detail and unique designs, which create a strong emotional connection with players. Reviewers appreciate the diverse play-styles of each character and the seamless integration of art and animation, enhancing the overall storytelling experience. The pixel art style, particularly its meso-American influences, adds to the charm and depth of the characters.
- “Totally invested in the story, loved the character design and how each one had their own unique feel and play-style, great balance between overworld exploration and combat.”
- “They are richly detailed, with charming character designs and smooth animations that breathe life into its Mesoamerican pixelated world.”
- “Character development: can't remember the last time I cared so much for a collection of 12 pixels on a screen.”