Arco

98%
Game Brain Score Based on 679 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."

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Reviews

98%
Audience ScoreBased on 679 reviews
story229 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and innovative 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 colonialism and revenge through well-developed characters and a richly crafted world.
  • The pixel art and soundtrack are beautifully executed, enhancing the overall atmosphere and immersion of the game.
  • Some players have reported issues with the ghost mechanic, which can create unnecessary pressure during combat and detract from the strategic elements.
  • There are occasional bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as audio issues and inconsistent hitboxes.
  • The pacing can feel uneven at times, with some players finding certain encounters tedious or frustrating, particularly in later acts.
  • story424 mentions

    The story of "Arco" is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and engaging narrative that explores themes of colonization and revenge through the perspectives of diverse protagonists. Players appreciate the well-crafted characters, rich lore, and the way choices impact both the story and gameplay, making for a compelling experience. While some reviews note that the story can feel linear or predictable at times, the overall consensus is that it is beautifully presented, supported by stunning pixel art and a captivating soundtrack, creating a memorable gaming experience.

    • “In Arco, you shift across three different perspectives and follow the story of four protagonists - various natives of the land this game is set in - and the effect of western colonization on their home.”
    • “So much thought and effort has been invested to produce a gripping story with rich characters and deep lore... the soundtrack alone is worth it!”
    • “Arco is a beautiful game written and animated so wonderfully that I wanted to pursue its exploration and rich story.”
    • “While I understand that the game has a grimmer tone, the lack of any contrast means that by the end of the story, the tragedy just kind of becomes background noise.”
    • “Also, for a game that advertises that 'your choices matter,' they really tended to not in the grand scheme of the storyline.”
    • “Unfortunately, the combat, story, and just all around RPG elements felt extremely shallow.”
  • gameplay250 mentions

    The gameplay of "Arco" is widely praised for its innovative blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics, offering a unique and engaging experience that encourages strategic thinking and experimentation. Players appreciate the tactical depth, variety of combat styles, and the ability to retry encounters without severe penalties, although some express frustration with certain mechanics, such as the ghost system, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay. Overall, the game is noted for its charming aesthetics, compelling story, and satisfying combat, making it a standout title in the indie gaming landscape.

    • “Absolutely perfect lite RPG, I love the 8-bit graphics, and the gameplay/story are way above what you would expect. Every battle is fun and not too long, with a good mix of strategy involved so you don’t get bored of repetitive battles like most games nowadays.”
    • “The gameplay is new and feels fantastic. The pacing between story, exploration, and combat is great, the story is engaging, and the combat is simple yet exciting. Add a little exploration and rewards, and you have a fantastic game.”
    • “The gameplay truly elevates this title with how well it's put together. It's impressive what they've achieved with the gameplay of this game.”
    • “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.”
    • “Unfortunately I've bounced pretty hard off the gameplay; I'm not sure I'll come back to it (halfway through act 2).”
  • music210 mentions

    The music in "Arco" has received widespread acclaim for its beauty and emotional depth, enhancing the game's atmosphere and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, with memorable tracks that complement both combat and narrative moments, creating an immersive experience. While some noted minor repetitiveness in battle music, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is exceptional and a significant part of the game's charm.

    • “The music is fantastic — this is one of the few games where I don't have a podcast on in the background because the music does such a good job of keeping you in the world.”
    • “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 soundtrack is amazing, able to immerse you in the story's grim determination or blood-pumping action.”
    • “Sometimes the battle music was a little repetitive, and there was a moment near the end where a song was playing during an important fight where the song cut out a while before the fight did and probably should have been looped.”
    • “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.”
  • graphics124 mentions

    The graphics of "Arco" are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, which combines simplicity with detailed environments and vibrant character designs. Reviewers appreciate the nostalgic yet fresh aesthetic, noting how it enhances the game's immersive storytelling and engaging gameplay. The visuals, complemented by a captivating soundtrack, create a delightful and emotionally resonant experience that captivates players.

    • “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.”
    • “Arco is a slap in the face of AAA graphics - it does an amazing job conjuring moods, vibes, and stories through beautiful pixels!”
    • “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 pixel art almost suits the game, but I also think it would be better with almost any other art style.”
    • “The graphics are low-fi and strategy gameplay is satisfying.”
  • emotional35 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling, evocative music, and impactful character experiences, often leading players to tears. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to blend humor with deep emotional themes, creating a rich narrative that resonates with players, particularly those familiar with struggles like colonialism and racism. Overall, the combination of beautiful pixel art, engaging gameplay, and a strong emotional core makes it a standout experience in the RPG genre.

    • “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.”
  • humor25 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its dry wit and clever dialogue, often blending lighthearted moments with darker themes. Players appreciate the well-crafted, relatable characters and the unique comedic elements that enhance the gameplay experience, making it both entertaining and emotionally resonant. Overall, the humor is described as engaging, with a mix of subtlety and over-the-top moments that contribute to a rich narrative.

    • “The humor is dry and on the nose, and every main character is likable.”
    • “The dialogue and humor are enjoyable, and the consequences of some choices give Oregon Trail vibes.”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere22 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful pixel art, immersive music, and engaging world-building, creating a captivating experience that enhances exploration and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the combination of atmospheric elements with unique combat mechanics, which together contribute to a rich and enjoyable gameplay experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a compelling blend of visual and auditory artistry that deeply resonates with players.

    • “The atmosphere and theme is also fantastic and with that music is just such an amazing combo, it might have simple graphics but it still looks sooooo good!”
    • “Beautiful game lots of care and detail put into the atmosphere and the style.”
    • “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.”
    • “Wow, what an atmosphere this game has.”
  • replayability13 mentions

    Overall, the game offers a moderate to high level of replayability, with many players noting the presence of multiple playthroughs required to fully experience different endings, secrets, and character builds. While some reviews mention a desire for a longer main campaign, the innovative combat system and varied choices contribute to a compelling reason to revisit the game. However, a few players express uncertainty about the extent of replay value, suggesting it may vary based on individual play styles and exploration.

    • “It also has good replay value with the different builds/play styles per character.”
    • “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.”
    • “The story is great, and often you will wonder what happened if you choose a different path, offering replayability.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with combat mechanics and backtracking contributing to a sense of repetitiveness. 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.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some players report smooth performance with minimal issues, others experience occasional bugs, stuttering, and crashes, particularly in late-game scenarios. There are still areas for improvement in terms of glitches and overall stability.

    • “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.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development is highly praised, with players expressing deep emotional investment in the characters, despite their pixelated designs. The unique play-styles and rich details of each character, combined with charming art and smooth animations, enhance the overall storytelling experience in the game.

    • “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.”
    • “They are richly detailed, with charming character designs and smooth animations that breathe life into its Mesoamerican-inspired pixelated world.”
    • “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).”
  • 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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