Gunmetal Arcadia

In conclusion, considering how fantastic the prequel game was, it’s incredibly disappointing that I didn’t have nearly as much enjoyment with the main game. While the controls and presentation are just as spot-on as they were in Zero, the gameplay took a massive hit by being completely randomized, and while a randomized game can be a lot of fun when done right, here it just felt like a rollercoaster of difficulty, and even though the game tries to balance things out with legacy mode, there’s still the overarching problem of the game relying on randomness without making sure that players will be addicted to the idea of wanting to try and try again. For me in particular, instead of the randomness being a factor to make me replay the game over and over again to see what changed, it just made me frustrated and unsure what the difficulty curve was going to be like next. Make no mistake, this game is many times harder than Zero, even on the first level.

66%Game Brain Score

graphics, story

gameplay, replayability

70% User Score Based on 66 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 1 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $9.99

Buy NowGet on Steam $9.99

About

Gunmetal Arcadia is a single player platformer game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Minor Key Games and was released on February 7, 2017. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

Gunmetal Arcadia is a challenging 2D pixel art game that combines fast-paced action with strategic combat. As the last surviving member of your family, you must reclaim your city from the despotic ruler and his mechanical minions. Choose from a variety of weapons, abilities, and upgrades to customize your playstyle and defeat the tyrannical opposition. With procedurally generated levels and permadeath, each playthrough presents unique challenges and adds layers of depth to the gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 66 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

gameplay4 negative mentions

The game features a charming 8-bit art style and excellent CRT effects that enhance the nostalgic experience.
Gunmetal Arcadia offers a high level of replayability with its procedural level generation and the 'Legacy' mechanic that modifies each run based on previous playthroughs.
The combat is engaging, with a variety of weapons and upgrades available, making each play session feel fresh and entertaining.

The game can feel short, with some players completing it in just a few hours, leading to concerns about its overall content and replay value.
There are instances of frustrating enemy placements and cheap shots that can lead to unfair damage, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
Some players found the gameplay lacking in depth compared to classic NES titles, with combat feeling repetitive and not as engaging as expected.

gameplay
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
70%
17%
The gameplay of "Gunmetal Arcadia" combines roguelike elements with classic platforming mechanics reminiscent of "Zelda II," featuring procedurally generated levels and a unique "legacy" system that modifies each run based on previous performance. While the game is praised for its refined mechanics and nostalgic graphics, some players feel that the gameplay lacks depth and suffers from artificial difficulty, making it less compelling overall. Despite its streamlined approach, the integration of roguelike features with traditional gameplay may not resonate well with all players.
- “At its heart, Gunmetal Arcadia is a roguelike Zelda II, with similar controls and mechanics.”
- “The big addition here is the aforementioned 'legacy' mechanic, wherein the player begins each run with various modifiers based on what they did in the previous run.”
- “Kyle Pittman put the feedback from his earlier entry to great use, and the gameplay here is more refined - more streamlined - and just in general less annoying than its predecessor (despite being otherwise similar).”
- “The base game mechanics worked so well in Zero, but I don't think they are very suited for a roguelite sidescroller, so the two core aspects of the game are at odds with each other, making for a much worse overall experience.”
- “To put it succinctly, this game absolutely feels like something that would've come out on the NES; unfortunately, this extends to the limited gameplay and artificial difficulty.”
- “While these features are executed well, I found the gameplay to be severely lacking.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The graphics of "Gunmetal Arcadia" are praised for their nostalgic 8-bit style, closely resembling classic NES titles like "Faxanadu" and "Zelda II: The Adventure of Link." Reviewers highlight the detailed art and effective CRT effects, although some minor glitches are noted. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, appealing to fans of retro gaming aesthetics.
- “The graphics are amazing though, one of the few retro games that genuinely looks like it's from back in the day.”
- “Crt effect is great and the art style has some really nice detail for an 8-bit style.”
- “Kyle Pittman's 'Gunmetal Arcadia' is his personal love-letter - by his own admission - to both 'Zelda II: The Adventure of Link' and 'Faxanadu'; with the combat mechanics being largely inspired by the former, and the graphics by the latter (with him furthermore rigidly adhering to actual NES graphical limitations).”
- “The graphics, music, and sound would be fitting for an NES period game.”
- “This game is a short roguelite with graphics reminiscent of Faxanadu (NES).”
- “Kyle Pittman's 'Gunmetal Arcadia' is his personal love letter - by his own admission - to both 'Zelda II: The Adventure of Link' and 'Faxanadu'; with the combat mechanics being largely inspired by the former, and the graphics by the latter (with him furthermore rigidly adhering to actual NES graphical limitations).”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The story is described as light and simple, effectively conveyed through brief dialogues and item descriptions, making it non-intrusive to gameplay. While some players appreciate the continuity from the previous game, others note that the narrative is minimal and lacks depth, which may not be a significant issue for a roguelike. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus.
- “The story and world are conveyed seamlessly through small dialogues, quick cutscenes, and brief item descriptions.”
- “It is a fun NES style platformer, interesting and simple story, awesome content and items, and I love that if you actually calculate and plan your character upgrades and strategy.”
- “In addition, there are a few aspects that could use tweaking: the health scaling on enemies, especially on the final stage, is unreal, making a run with anything less than a great amount of damage-up items feel pointless to try; there are 3 separate universal damage multipliers when something better perhaps would be 1 for melee and 1 for special attacks; many abilities feel flatly weaker than others and the invincibility skill is grossly overpowered; and the story is basically nonexistent despite a half-hearted attempt at some lore, though I suppose that's not a big deal for a roguelike.”
- “The story is light and does not get in the way.”
- “You don't need to play the first game, but some story elements are carried over from the previous one.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
The music in the game is widely praised for its vibrant chiptune soundtrack, drawing strong influences from NES and Commodore 64 styles, which enhances the nostalgic feel. Reviewers highlight the balance and quality of the music, noting it as a standout feature that complements the game's charming pixel art and engaging gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant factor in the game's appeal, contributing to its instant enjoyment and replayability.
- “This game looked really intriguing: nice chiptune soundtrack, charming pixel art that still sticks to NES limitations, and random generation to keep it fresh.”
- “These elements combined with awesome music and tight controls make for a great game.”
- “The graphics, music, and sound would be fitting for an NES period game.”
- “The music is wild; it is very digital with influences from NES and Commodore 64, at least that is what I hear.”
- “I purchased this game on sale, and looking at its NES aesthetic and feel, I instantly fell in love with this game and its pertaining soundtrack.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Gunmetal Arcadia is praised for its high replayability, attributed to its short length and engaging gameplay. The inclusion of a luck element adds an unexpected challenge, enhancing the overall experience and encouraging players to revisit the game multiple times.
- “Overall, Gunmetal Arcadia is a short, enjoyable, and highly replayable game.”
- “This means that the game has a lot of replay value, but there's also a healthy luck element here, which may make for more of a challenge than one might expect from other neo-retro games.”
- “The game is fairly short, so the replay value is high.”
- “The game is fairly short, so the replay value is high (do people still replay games?).”
- “This means that the game has a lot of replay value, but there's also a healthy luck element here and this may make for more of a challenge than one might expect from other neo-retro games.”
- “Lots of replay value.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find that while Gunmetal Arcadia is enjoyable, it can become repetitive and tedious during extended play sessions, making it more suitable for short bursts rather than long grinding sessions.
- “Gunmetal Arcadia is a fun game to play, yet sometimes it feels repetitive and can become boring and tedious if played for extended periods. It's better suited for short bursts.”
- “The grinding in Gunmetal Arcadia can feel tedious after a while, making the experience less enjoyable during longer play sessions.”
- “While Gunmetal Arcadia has its fun moments, the repetitive grinding can lead to a sense of boredom if you play for too long.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features appealing graphics, but players have reported experiencing noticeable glitches that affect overall stability. Despite these issues, the gameplay remains enjoyable.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by frustration and tension, as players often encounter challenging obstacles, such as enemies positioned in difficult spots, which can lead to feelings of helplessness and irritation.