Very charming tower defense game which is just long enough to not get stale. The actual gameplay is ffffine, each level has a few waves of guys and different-enough architecture to be interesting. One stage offers barricades to lower by hitting targets, another features a witchy gal following you around and replenishing one of your three arrow types. It's a little repetitive but it's fun!

It's a sort of weird thing because like, I think I made discoveries sort-of late in the game, and mostly just left-clicked my way through the skele-mobs. Things like "oh, that guy is responsible for the shields on others" and "you can lower the barricades??" happened very late, partly because there is very little tutorializing (honestly, thank God tho).

I also feel like I didn't make the best use out of the special arrows - one of the shots creates a large green goop wall to block enemies, but I rarely found utility for it outside of blocking the occasional destroyed barricade. Some of the issue with special arrows also lies in the delay on switching arrow types, IMO - there is a nice weightiness to the draw, the act of switching types, and even the travel time between different shot types, but it feels like inputs are quietly rejected in situations where you would be "busy" - trying to switch arrow type after shooting? If you're still recovering, it won't happen, seemingly no option for a queue action technique. This led to a bit of bungling in my playthrough and how I ended up sticking to rapid basic shots over situations where special shots may have been equally suitable.

The real strength here is in Lilith Walther's cinematography, the camera work and direction and high-res, low-poly expressions all come together to make a really magical experience. There's a very firm sense of humanity within this game - your reward screen is villagers and nobles coming up to thank you for your protection; the home base menu isn't just a selection of options but different locations around your tower, between going upstairs to change outfits or stepping outside to check the mail; every time you pay a visit to the merchant, it's a big sweeping camera shot from your location to his cart not too far away. Despite whatever has happened here, there is a connection between its people, which works well against the story's central issue of "reanimated departed ones."

People talk up the ballroom scene a lot and it's good, it's a fantastic execution of social anxiety. Here's what I wanna talk about: when you get the nobility costume you can press the Alt button for a looser fit and the animation is Elle pulling the collar loose. That's the good shit (I could sing another praise about how each outfit has a unique animation with it which I just think is a nice touch but I'm already going on too long).

Ultimately worth the experience, I feel very inspired after experiencing the heart that was put into this.

Torn on this. I was excited to check this game out from the developer of Bloodborne PSX and went with the original mobile version, but I can't help but think the PC port would have been a better choice. The controls on Android are pretty awkward. I felt I was fighting more just to properly look at the enemies than actually shoot at them. Given that Arcus is built with failure in mind and anticipates you losing a level, I can't be all that upset that the game is difficult. But I'd rather that challenge be born from the design itself instead of the disorientation that comes from trying to aim or change positions. The levels feel pretty samey throughout, aside from the desert stage, which incorporates a neat mechanic of raising and lowering barricades to get clearer lines of sight on opponents. Still, most of the main gameplay loop is just too cumbersome to be much fun for me.

Where this game shows real promise, though, is not in the tower defense segments, but in its story and presentation. With essentially zero dialogue, Arcus does a great job of conveying character and emotion through subtle shifts of body language and smartly paced cutscenes. You can really get a sense of the player character's personality through these small moments. The best sequence of the game, set in a lavish ballroom and devoid of actual combat, incorporates this personality into the gameplay itself in a very neat change of pace. The ending, too, features some striking visuals and a turn that caps the experience off nicely. Its clear that a lot of care was put into making the quiet moments of the game feel impactful, and I think it accomplishes that very well.

The developer has said that she intends to return to this world sometime after completing the hotly anticipated Bloodborne Kart. I hope the sequel improves on the formula established here, because I'd love to see what could really be done with Arcus.