Arcadegeddon, developed by IllFonic and published by IllFonic INC., is an incredible arcade like shooter that meshes well with rougelike elements that make each playthrough feel great. Aside from that, the graphics of the game are par for the course of a high-end game with fluid designs. This is then coupled with great gameplay necessary for the overall experience of the player of which includes the multiplayer aspect of the game. One major aspect of the game is the music of which feels so natural to the game’s cyberpunk aesthetics mixed in with its fast gameplay. This allows Arcadegeddon to standout amongst the sea of roguelike games with its polished graphics, fantastic gameplay, and great music complimenting the overall game.
The roguelike elements of the game, blend in seamlessly to the Arcadegeddon’s overall arcade like game play. This blend is quite hard to achieve without having a good grasp of both concepts being presented allowing the player to have fun. The main idea for a roguelike is that the player has to die repeatedly in order to progress through the game unless they have a high modicum of skill surpassing the difficulty. However, at the end of each run by the player they are rewarded power ups in accordance to their overall progression. By doing it this way allows the players to grow more confidently in how they play the game, enabling them to go further each time they play. Moreover, this confidence is realistically compounded by the multiplayer gameplay where it shines more evidently as the inclusion of a second player allows for more freedom. While this aspect is a matter of gameplay as opposed to the rougelike elements they meld together exceptionally well.
For Arcadegeddon gameplay is quite simplistic, yet it is that same simplistic nature that allows for change allowing the developers to increase the fun factor to a new level. Moreover, the game itself is a third person shooter with an emphasis on moving and shooting leaning into the more gun and run aspect similar to Titanfall. While this game is similar to the previously stated title it is far from it as there is only some basic movement mechanics such as slide being accessible to all players to keep their momentum in more hectic fights. Speaking of fights some of the most hectic fights are boss fights where this slide is a crucial tool to the player in order to reduce the damage taken as the overall hitbox is harder to hit for enemies. This added mobility can be a defining factor if a run succeeds or fails making the slide an incredibly useful skill. Aside from mobility tools, another thing to look at is the weapons and there is a lot of variety allowing the player to experiment with various weapons with some noticeable ones being an assault rifle that shoots rockets, a shotgun that shoots bouncing saws overall the place, and a grenade launcher that launches healing grenades. The variety of weapons may feel overwhelming, but sticking to one weapon at a time may prove to be more beneficial to the player then they may realize. Furthermore, this variety lends well to the multiplayer aspect of the game as well where different players can take on various roles with some focusing on different roles. These roles can be regulated to the overall abilities each player can possess where they can for instance shoot a fireball, make a tornado, and even spawn in a blackhole onto the field for the enemies to get sucked into. This makes each player unique when playing together, allowing for some epic combos that will fit into a good highlight reel. While the gameplay is a very crucial part of the game, music truly sets the tone for those calm, energetic, and fearful moments in a game.
The music for this game really lends well to the hectic and fast gameplay as the dubstep flows really well with the flow of combat. This flow allows the player to be more engrossed in the game which is what the developers intended. Moreover, this highlights the composers Beau D. Schaepman and Mark Rutherford as top-notch composers in the world of music as it is a commercial standard for video games to have not only fitting music, but soundtracks that enhance the mood. By setting the mood through music regulates how the player is supposed to feel such as excitement, fear, or relaxation. These two composers have done that and more where the music almost has a life of its own flowing with the flow of combat allowing the player to enter a greater sense of focus at the same time excitement.
IllFonic has developed an amazing roguelike arcade third person shooter. The roguelike elements are perfectly balanced with the arcade like elements presented for the player to experience. This balance extends to the gameplay where the variety of guns and abilities are complimented by the momentum options available. Aside from that, the multiplayer aspect really boosts the fun factor of the game by 100% as it becomes a lot more enjoyable with friends. Arcadegeddon is one of those games perfect for just having plain old fun either by yourself or with friends as the roguelike elements ensure that the game remains a good challenge even for those who sink in a lot of hours, great gameplay, and music to boot, making this game an easy 9/10 game.
Arcadegeddon is available for PC via Steam.
Related: Reviews by Kyle Manila
I would describe myself when interacting with games as a strategist with a pension for stealth and loud explosions.
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