Arson & Plunder: Unleashed
- September 24, 2015
- Chainsaw Syndicate
Arson & Plunder is a 2D arcade/beat'em up adventure based on the genre classics of the 90's. The classic gameplay has been brought up to speed with the latest developments and trends! In typical beat'em up style, playing an orc or elf you wade through hordes of enemies out to kill you.
Reviews
- The game features a colorful and detailed 2D art style that some players find appealing.
- It offers customizable controls and resolution options, meeting basic requirements for modern gaming.
- The game can be enjoyed in local co-op mode, which enhances the experience for players.
- The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, with a limited enemy variety and shallow mechanics.
- Controls are clunky and unresponsive, making the game frustrating to play.
- The game suffers from technical defects and feels more like a poorly executed mobile port than a polished PC title.
- graphics23 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as mediocre and simplistic, with a cartoony 2D art style reminiscent of low-effort mobile apps. While some players appreciate the colorful and detailed visuals, many criticize the lack of substantial graphical improvements and the overall quality, especially for a PC game, which feels more akin to console titles. Overall, the graphics receive mixed reviews, with some finding them charming and others deeming them lackluster.
“Graphically, it's very 'cartoonish', something that can sometimes be very different, in a good way.”
“The 2D art style is very colorful and detailed, as well as not being a confusing mess.”
“Graphics very nice to see, how good story as well as boss fights.”
“While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
“The game features simple, cartoony 2D graphics, of the type you normally expect to see in low-effort mobile apps.”
“Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being shallow, repetitive, and poorly executed, particularly in single-player mode. While some appreciate the cooperative gameplay and find it more enjoyable, others note issues with controls and overall responsiveness. Overall, the game struggles to balance its mechanics and narrative, leading to a frustrating experience for many players.
“Mechanically, it's easy to pick up.”
“Gameplay is fun in single-player; it's easy to start, but each next stage is harder than the one before, and you will always encounter new enemies, with more and more of them each time.”
“Overall, this is a damn good beat'em up with a kickass score, fun story, and enjoyable gameplay that is only improved by the presence of cooperative gameplay.”
“The brawling, the core gameplay loop, is very shallow and repetitive... the first couple fights you have are bad... and there's nothing else to the game but endless repetition of the bad brawler mechanics.”
“So you'll spend a huge amount of time not playing the game, but clicking through endless lines of poorly written visual novel text cutscenes because the developers couldn't work out how to relate their narrative through the game mechanics, and decided instead it would be better to compete with reading a book for your time.”
“It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
- story14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it simple yet humorous, while others describe it as bland or mediocre. Despite the varied opinions, many agree that the storyline is unique and enjoyable, contributing positively to the overall experience, especially in cooperative gameplay. However, the execution of the story is often overshadowed by gameplay issues and graphics quality.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“Storyline is pretty unique.”
“Overall, this is a damn good beat'em up with a kickass score, fun story, and enjoyable gameplay that is only improved by the presence of cooperative gameplay.”
“There's mediocre cartoony graphics, a crap story, and some of the worst gameplay to be inflicted on the old, dead, obsolete genre.”
“The storyline is bland.”
“Boring beat 'em up with an okay story and art style shadowed by the tedious controls and gameplay.”
- music10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its phenomenal rock soundtracks, which enhance the overall experience and complement the frenetic action. While some players noted that great music alone doesn't make a game fantastic, many found the soundtracks to be a standout feature that significantly improved their enjoyment. Overall, the music is described as engaging and well-composed, avoiding the pitfalls of repetitiveness that can detract from gameplay.
“I'm in love with the soundtracks!”
“Phenomenal soundtrack.”
“But here, I was pleasantly surprised: the rock music featured in the game enhances the frenetic action, making every situation better than I could've ever imagined when I first started the game.”
“I despise repetitive soundtracks, and they usually ruin a game for me.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it self-deprecating and amusing, while others criticize it as poorly executed and bland. Despite a simple narrative, many appreciate the comedic elements interspersed throughout the gameplay, particularly in cutscenes and character mechanics. Overall, while the humor may not resonate with everyone, it has enough hits to provide an enjoyable experience for some players.
“Arson & Plunder is a very funny game with a 2D style.”
“Also, it's a hilarious story and the different mechanics and abilities of the character make them a very good (and cheap) choice!”
“There is a lot of humor that has more hits than misses, and I had a good time watching the cutscenes and the beginning and end of each level.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users generally rate the game's replayability as moderate, with a score of 7, indicating that while there are elements that encourage players to return, it may not offer enough variety or incentives to keep them engaged long-term.
“The game offers incredible replayability, with multiple paths and choices that keep each playthrough fresh and exciting.”
“I love how replayable this game is; every time I dive back in, I discover something new and different.”
“With its diverse character builds and random events, the replayability factor is off the charts!”
“Replayability is quite limited; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage multiple playthroughs.”
“After finishing the main story, I found no compelling reason to replay it.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often overshadowing the otherwise decent story and art style. While it may be suitable for farming, the overall experience is marred by uninspired controls and gameplay.
“Boring beat 'em up with an okay story and art style, overshadowed by the tedious controls and gameplay.”
“Recommended for game farming.”