Arcade Spirits (2019)

I really enjoyed what Fiction Factory Games have created. The many gameplay choices allow you to feel in control of how the story plays out. A well written and nicely paced script ensures that you don’t get lost amongst a variety of subplots and its many characters. Creating your personality was a nice touch, and how this influenced others was an interesting gaming choice. Arcade Spirits won’t tick all the boxes for the fans of the genre, but its inoffensive approach means it should be added to your library, so buy a copy here! Create your character, download IRIS and see where life will take you in this colourful and fun Visual Novel.

The distinct graphic style and story based on friendships and gaming, adds to the fun factor of Arcade Spirits. It is suitable for any player regardless of the level of arcade system knowledge, as a lot gets explained. It isn't solely an arcade history lesson, though. There is a slightly supernatural element that creates a lot of mystery and thrills, making a sequel rather desirable. The solid plot combined with retro style colours and game appropriate menus all add to the arcade machine feel of this visual novel, which most will appreciate and enjoy.

Despite not reaching its full potential, I still found some entertainment in Arcade Spirits. By ignoring the romantic aspects, I was able to play it as someone with an appreciation of the heyday of arcades. The charming setting made for a promising launching point, the audio is excellent, and the story (with smart pop-culture nods and humor) has page-turning qualities to some extent.

Regardless, Arcade Spirits is a unique visual novel. It has a lot of humor as well as dourness, which will have gamers guessing their fate while simultaneously shaping it themselves. As you go from floor assistant to something much more, you'll find true love along the way. The dream of working a job you adore while finding your soulmate: a hardship in real life, but achievable in a few short hours with Arcade Spirits.

At first glance, Arcade Spirits may appear to be only fun and pleasantly nerdy, but it is actually a visual novel packed with unexpected and heartwarming lessons.