Arco

98%
Game Brain Score Based on 548 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 548 reviews
story182 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 artwork and music are stunning, creating a beautiful atmosphere that enhances the storytelling experience.
  • The narrative is compelling, with well-developed characters and meaningful choices that impact the story and gameplay.
  • The writing can be hit or miss, with some dialogue feeling dull or lacking depth.
  • Certain mechanics, like the ghost system, can be frustrating and may detract from the overall enjoyment of combat.
  • There are occasional bugs and technical issues that can disrupt gameplay, such as audio problems and unclear hitboxes.
  • story336 mentions

    The story of "Arco" is widely praised for its emotional depth, engaging characters, and unique setting that blends Mesoamerican culture with a Western narrative. Players appreciate the meaningful choices that impact both the plot and gameplay, creating a rich, immersive experience. While some critiques mention tonal inconsistencies and pacing issues, the overall consensus highlights the game's compelling storytelling and beautiful presentation, making it a standout in the indie RPG landscape.

    • “Arco is a beautiful story of grief, pain, community, and, ultimately, revenge that unfolds through breathtaking Mesoamerican fantasy environments.”
    • “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.”
    • “The story is strong and heartfelt, the artwork is gorgeous, and the combat system is entirely unique.”
    • “Some moments really irked me, such as picking out some gold teeth from a skeleton causing my 'guilt' (a mechanic that causes more ghosts to spawn in combat) to build up, but the story suggesting I be a complete murder hobo to people I don't like doesn't regularly cause my 'guilt' to pile up.”
    • “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 a lot of potential to the story concept, but I'm not playing any further to see if the story justifies the poor gameplay and unforgivably easy ways to permanently lock yourself out of story beats.”
  • gameplay196 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its unique blend of turn-based and real-time mechanics, offering a tactical experience that is both engaging and challenging. While many players appreciate the innovative combat systems and the depth of strategy involved, some express frustration with certain mechanics, such as the guilt system and ghost interactions, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is praised for its polished mechanics, captivating story, and beautiful art, 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.”
    • “It's a really unique tactical combat system with a combination of real-time and turn-based mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay truly elevates this title with how well it's put together.”
    • “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.”
  • music174 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its beauty, emotional depth, and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere and storytelling. The soundtrack is described as exceptional, featuring a variety of tracks that complement both combat and exploration, although some 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.

    • “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 soundtrack is fantastic, the writing and world-building grabs your interest, and the combat is a refreshing take on a turn-based RPG system.”
    • “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 combat music, however, isn't varied enough, and you'll get tired of it by the end.”
    • “It's a pretty game, but the music (except the battle music, since you'll hear it - and hear it - and hear it...) is lovely, the setting is appealing.”
  • graphics100 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful pixel art style, which combines charming simplicity with intricate details that enhance the overall atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the vibrant environments, engaging character designs, and how the visuals effectively convey the game's emotional depth and narrative. The art style, complemented by a captivating soundtrack, creates a unique and immersive experience that resonates with players, making it a standout in the indie gaming scene.

    • “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!”
    • “The pixel art almost suits the game, but I also think it would be better with almost any other art style.”
    • “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.”
    • “The graphics are not just cute but meticulously crafted and the sound design is absolutely stunning.”
  • emotional32 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its heartfelt storytelling, which evokes strong feelings and even tears from players, despite its pixel art style. Reviewers note the effective blend of humor and grit in the writing, alongside a compelling narrative that tackles themes of hardship and resilience. The game's emotional depth is further enhanced by its beautiful visuals and music, making it a memorable experience that resonates with players on a personal level.

    • “This game made me cry, which is not easy to achieve in this medium, especially considering the art style the team chose.”
    • “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.”
    • “Gorgeous pixel art and music, an emotional story, a compelling combat system and many secrets to discover - what more could you want?”
  • atmosphere20 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful pixel art, immersive world-building, and exceptional soundtrack, which together create a captivating and engaging experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of visuals and music as a key element that enhances the gameplay and emotional depth of the story. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as a compelling blend of artistry and design that significantly contributes to its enjoyment.

    • “The atmosphere and theme are fantastic, and with that music, it's just such an amazing combo. It might have simple graphics, but it still looks so good!”
    • “Beautiful game, lots of care and detail put into the atmosphere and the style.”
    • “The pixel art and music are incredible, perfectly capturing and enhancing the game's atmosphere.”
  • humor19 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending dark and lighthearted moments seamlessly, often catching players off guard with its emotional depth. The writing is both gritty and endearing, filled with entertaining dialogue and quirky characters that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the clever humor interwoven with the narrative, making for a compelling and engaging adventure that balances laughter with poignant themes.

    • “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.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is considered low to moderate, with some players noting the potential for alternative endings and missed achievements that encourage a second playthrough. While the story is engaging and choices can lead to different outcomes, many feel that the initial experience may cover most content, leaving limited incentive for repeated play. However, the aesthetic appeal and unique challenges may entice some players to explore further.

    • “The story is great, and often you will wonder what happened if you choose a different path, offering replayability.”
    • “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 are plenty of choices you can make and I'm curious to see how they affect the story and replayability.”
    • “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.”
    • “[b]Replayability:[/b] 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.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Overall, players 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.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally positive, with many users noting it runs well even on low-end systems. However, some players have experienced stuttering, glitches, and occasional crashes, particularly in the late game, indicating that further improvements are needed.

    • “The game runs smoothly and efficiently, making it accessible for a wide range of hardware.”
    • “There are still glitches and optimizations that need to be made; this game is not perfect and may crash occasionally.”
    • “Has some stuttering and bugs in the late game, but nothing that will ruin your experience.”
    • “Performance: I found no bugs, and it should run on a potato.”
  • stability3 mentions

    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 optimizations are necessary 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.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development is highly praised for its unique and charming designs, with each character offering distinct play-styles that enhance the overall experience. The rich detail and smooth animations contribute to a vibrant, immersive world, making players feel deeply invested in the story and characters.

    • “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.”
    • “Not to mention the art and character designs; it's incredible (I am just a sucker for pixel art, though).”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

10hMedian play time
11hAverage play time
8-13hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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