Gunmetal Arcadia Zero

About

Gunmetal Arcadia Zero is a single player role playing shooter game with fantasy and science fiction themes. It was developed by J. Kyle Pittman and was released on November 15, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In "Gunmetal Arcadia Zero," players navigate a procedurally generated pixelated world as they help the last human family escape a robotic empire. Wielding a variety of weapons and abilities, they'll battle enemies, bosses, and navigate platforming challenges in this prequel to the Gunmetal Arcadia series. With permadeath and multiple difficulty options, each playthrough offers a new, challenging experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 105 reviews

music18 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic NES titles with its charming 8-bit graphics and catchy chiptune soundtrack.
Gameplay is enjoyable with responsive controls, a variety of weapons, and a decent level of challenge that ramps up appropriately.
The inclusion of features like CRT filters and a speedrun mode adds to the retro experience and replayability.

The game is quite short, often completed in under two hours, which may leave players wanting more content.
Level design can feel repetitive and bland, with some frustrating enemy placements and instant-death traps that detract from the overall experience.
The story and character development are minimal and uninspired, making it hard to become invested in the game's narrative.

music
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
47%
15%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its catchy chiptune style and nostalgic 8-bit feel, reminiscent of classic NES titles. However, others found the tracks to be repetitive and lacking in memorable melodies, with some describing the sound as tinny or annoying. Overall, while the soundtrack appeals to fans of retro gaming, its brevity and simplicity may not satisfy all players.
- “Great game and amazing soundtrack.”
- “The music is wonderful and the game isn't too hard or overly cheap.”
- “Awesome 8-bit soundtrack (gimme more)”
- “The music is simple and repetitive, and the game can be beaten in just a couple of hours.”
- “The main issue with the game at the moment is that despite the music being pretty catchy, the tracks unfortunately seem to be a rather short loop. This can make the music feel a bit repetitive at times.”
- “It sounds like NES music, but just about every song uses that tinny sounding instrument which to me sounds annoying.”
graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
66%
7%
The graphics of "Gunmetal Arcadia Zero" evoke a nostalgic 8-bit aesthetic reminiscent of classic NES titles, featuring charming designs and a retro art style that some players appreciate. However, opinions are mixed, with criticisms pointing to weak visuals, glitches, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience. While the CRT filter adds a nostalgic touch, many feel the graphics do not fully capture the quality of the era they aim to emulate.
- “Gunmetal Arcadia Zero visually goes for the classic NES style akin to The Legend of Zelda II, and I really enjoyed the visual art style.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and stay faithful to the early NES titles.”
- “Gunmetal Arcadia Zero offers up some of the most beautiful retro graphics and music on Steam, superb controls, and a game world overflowing with awesome items, colorful characters, and challenging action.”
- “The graphics are weak, even by NES standards.”
- “Despite being released in 2016, the game is 4:3 instead of widescreen (could the developer only afford to use a CRT monitor found in a dumpster?), ugly pixel graphics, lazy 2D gameplay in the 3D era, and a mismatched style as the developer goofed when trying for retro and didn't use retro 'art' on the main menu which is just an admission that they know they could have done better, but different.”
- “The aesthetic was decently retro, pretty cute soundtrack, but some of the 'cutscene' type pictures were kind of weirdly awful, lots of bad aliasing that didn't mimic the 'retro' style at all but just looked... wonky.”
gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
51%
13%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the nostalgic mechanics reminiscent of classic titles like Castlevania and Zelda II, praising its tight controls and balanced difficulty. However, many critics noted the repetitive nature of the gameplay, a lack of depth, and a short playtime, leading to a feeling of genericness and limited replay value. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable moments, it struggles to innovate and may not satisfy those seeking a more engaging experience.
- “The gameplay is pretty fun; I really enjoyed the right amount of difficulty with bosses and levels themselves, never really felt like it was annoying to go through.”
- “Great physics, responsive gameplay, rewarding, mild exploration, nice CRT emulation, just enough difficulty and not too grindy.”
- “While it doesn’t exactly break any new ground, it’s packed with everything I look for in this kind of game: tight controls, challenging gameplay, hidden areas, and 8-bit, nostalgia-laced fun.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and the story is almost non-existent.”
- “The plot and gameplay are genre basic, the music is simple and repetitive, and the game can be beaten in just a couple of hours.”
- “There is nothing that makes me want to go back and play it again as the gameplay certainly wasn't good enough to warrant a replay.”
story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The story in the game is widely regarded as bland and uninspired, with a basic plot that fails to engage players. While there are attempts at worldbuilding, the narrative is linear and shallow, often taking a back seat to gameplay. Overall, the storytelling is considered mediocre, lacking depth and complexity, making it difficult to recommend for those seeking a compelling narrative experience.
- “Gunmetal Arcadia Zero is basically a story-based action game with the same basic play mechanics and aesthetics as Gunmetal Arcadia.”
- “It feels like a faithful mashup of Castlevania and Zelda 2, with great mechanics and story/worldbuilding.”
- “The story and game are set in 6 chapters which are more or less 10-15 minutes long.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and the story is almost non-existent.”
- “The thing is for the amount of game there is, there's quite a ton of storytelling and it's all just incredibly light and not very interesting.”
- “Unlike the cryptic and somber 'win the game' narrative, this game's story is linear and shallow.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Players find "Gunmetal Arcadia Zero" enjoyable for short sessions, but note that extended play can lead to repetitive and tedious grinding. While the game features rewarding gameplay and mild exploration, some players appreciate that it strikes a balance by not being overly grindy.
- “Great physics, responsive gameplay, rewarding, mild exploration, nice CRT emulation, just enough difficulty and not too grindy.”
- “Gunmetal Arcadia Zero is a fun game to play, yet it can become repetitive and tedious if played for long periods. It's best enjoyed in short bursts.”
- “If you have time, just keep grinding to buy out the first main store.”
- “Great physics, responsive gameplay, and rewarding exploration, but it can feel a bit grindy at times.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the game's atmosphere for its nostalgic charm, combining challenging gameplay with appealing aesthetics, immersive music, and striking visuals that enhance the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with a perfect blend of difficulty, aesthetic, music, and visuals.”
- “The game's atmosphere draws you in, making every moment feel unique and engaging.”
- “The combination of stunning visuals and haunting music creates an unforgettable atmosphere.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
While some players find the pacing of Gunmetal Arcadia Zero to be slow, which diminishes its replay value, the inclusion of a New Game+ mode and a speedrun option enhances its replayability for those looking for additional challenges.
- “The fact that there's a New Game+ mode, along with a speedrun mode, makes it replayable even after you beat it.”
- “Honestly, I feel like the pacing of Gunmetal Arcadia Zero was too slow, and the game has very little replay value because of it.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features appealing graphics, but users have reported occasional glitches that affect stability. Overall, it remains an enjoyable experience despite these issues.
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for being both effective and brief, contributing to a lighthearted experience.
- “It's also hilariously short.”