Gunmetal Arcadia Zero

57%
Game Brain Score Based on 33 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Gunmetal Arcadia Zero Game Cover
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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.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

57%
Audience ScoreBased on 33 reviews
music6 positive mentions
story2 negative mentions
  • Responsive controls and tight jumping mechanics make for an enjoyable platforming experience.
  • The game features charming pixel art and a nostalgic CRT filter that enhances the retro aesthetic.
  • It's a fun, albeit short, game that serves as a decent introduction to the Gunmetal Arcadia universe.
  • The game is very short, with most players finishing it in under two hours, leading to concerns about its value.
  • Many weapons and items feel underwhelming or useless, diminishing the gameplay variety.
  • The plot and character development are lackluster, making the overall experience feel generic and uninspired.
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its nostalgic chiptune style and memorable tunes reminiscent of classic titles like Mega Man, while others criticize it for being low-effort and repetitive with short loops. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight for its retro aesthetic, despite some inconsistencies in quality and execution.

    • “The music is wonderful and the game isn't too hard or overly cheap.”
    • “Nice 8-bit style soundtrack with some really memorable tunes.”
    • “Music is amazing too, sounds like some of the best Mega Man music you've ever heard.”
    • “However... with issues such as the honestly quite terrible cutscene art and design of the main characters, the era-accurate but low-effort soundtrack (very short tracks with no catchy melody), brevity of the game with a complete lack of difficulty throughout, mostly-pointless optional upgrades and treasure, odd balance such as a huge variety of weapons that are far too similar with later tiers barely feeling stronger if at all, shops every 2 steps, and story as basic as they come despite attempts at worldbuilding.. I can't really recommend this.”
    • “Just another sidescrolling platformer trying to give a retro feel, but as many others, mistake retro for crappy graphics/ambience and music.”
    • “Sometimes the music is either decent or annoying because it has such a short loop, kind of like the NES games back in that era.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The graphics of Gunmetal Arcadia Zero are generally praised for their charming retro aesthetic and solid NES-style design, particularly when using the CRT mode. However, some users noted the presence of glitches and inconsistencies, such as poor aliasing in cutscenes, which detracted from the overall experience. While the game successfully evokes a nostalgic feel, it occasionally falls short of achieving a truly authentic retro look.

    • “The art style and the cute fake CRT is solid as ever.”
    • “Gunmetal Arcadia Zero is a nice little throwback sidescroller (be sure to put the graphics into CRT mode!) that plays just like a classic NES game.”
    • “Sure, the game is cute... the in-game graphics are nice quality NES-style with good use of black space... the play control is solid... there's nothing really bad to say about any of it.”
    • “Just another sidescrolling platformer trying to give a retro feel, but like many others, mistakes retro for poor graphics, ambience, and music.”
    • “The aesthetic was decently retro, with a pretty cute soundtrack, but some of the 'cutscene' type pictures were kind of weirdly awful, with lots of bad aliasing that didn't mimic the 'retro' style at all and just looked wonky.”
    • “Most new indie games that attempt a retro aesthetic tend to screw up the graphics or music, so it doesn't feel true to the old tech.”
  • gameplay9 mentions

    The gameplay is reminiscent of classic titles like Castlevania and Zelda II, but many players feel it lacks depth and innovation, leading to a generic experience. While some appreciate the smooth mechanics and nostalgic 8-bit feel, others criticize the short length, unnecessary lives system, and lack of engaging secrets, resulting in little incentive for replayability. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some enjoying the responsive gameplay and mild exploration, while others find it underwhelming.

    • “100 minutes of fantastic gameplay.”
    • “Great physics, responsive gameplay, rewarding, mild exploration, nice CRT emulation, just enough difficulty and not too grindy.”
    • “That old 8-bit feel is all in its glory; the gameplay is smooth and good. It's good stuff, very good stuff.”
    • “The mechanics, largely borrowed from one of my other favorite games, Zelda II, aren't given much room and feel under-utilized.”
    • “The game is very short, the lives mechanic is unnecessary and annoying, there are few secrets, and what secrets there are are easy to find and contain nothing interesting.”
    • “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.”
  • story3 mentions

    The story is criticized for being basic and lacking depth, with poorly designed characters and cutscenes that detract from the experience. Despite attempts at worldbuilding, the narrative fails to engage, leaving players feeling underwhelmed and unable to recommend the game.

    • “However... with issues such as the honestly quite terrible cutscene art and design of the main characters, the era-accurate but low-effort soundtrack (very short tracks with no catchy melody), brevity of the game with a complete lack of difficulty throughout, mostly-pointless optional upgrades and treasure, odd balance such as a huge variety of weapons that are far too similar with later tiers barely feeling stronger if at all, shops every 2 steps, and story as basic as they come despite attempts at worldbuilding.. I can't really recommend this.”
    • “lame plot and characters”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find "Gunmetal Arcadia Zero" enjoyable for short sessions, praising its responsive gameplay and rewarding mechanics. However, they note that extended play can lead to repetitiveness and tedium, though the game is not considered 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, but it can become repetitive and tedious if played for long periods. It's best enjoyed in short bursts.”
    • “Great physics, responsive gameplay, and rewarding exploration, but it can feel a bit grindy at times.”
  • stability1 mentions

    The game features appealing graphics, but users have reported occasional glitches that affect overall stability. Despite these issues, the experience remains enjoyable.

    • “The game has some nice graphics, but there are ugly glitches that disrupt the experience.”
    • “I frequently encounter crashes that make it hard to enjoy the game.”
    • “The stability issues are frustrating; I often find myself getting kicked out of matches.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for being both effective and brief, contributing to a lighthearted experience.

    • “It's also hilariously short.”
    • “The humor is spot-on and keeps you laughing throughout the game.”
    • “I love the witty dialogue and the absurd situations the characters find themselves in.”
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