Credit: Trickjump Games Ltd. / PQube Games
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ArcRunner is a cyberpunk-style arcade shooter set in a world where AI has gone rogue, and it’s up to you the lone ArcRunner to salvage this chaos, traverse the arc, and destroy it! ArcRunner is a fun and addictive shooter, and I got the chance to play this title shortly before its release.
This article will serve as my official review of ArcRunner, and my goal here is to provide you with a high-level overview of the game, its gameplay, core mechanics, and at the end of this review I’ll give you my rating and let you know if I think you should give it a try or not!
What Is ArcRunner?
ArcRunner is set in a futuristic world, and the station or “Arc” you are on is infected with a meta-virus. This virus takes over all of the other AI, and you must locate the source and reset it using the Quantum Backup Drive. This sounds easy enough, but every AI on the station will try and kill you as you carry out your mission. ArcRunner is available to play on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Microsoft Windows PC.
When you start ArcRunner, you can choose between one of three classes, Soldier, Ninja, or Hacker. The latter will be accessible as you progress throughout the game, and each class has its unique abilities and playstyle. My favorite class to play with was the Ninja.
The levels are relatively short, but there are a ton to get through that increase in difficulty as you progress through them. At the end of each level, you’ll have to choose between several different upgrades to improve your chances of surviving the next levels.
Your survival is of the utmost importance, because when you die you will be “re-atomized”, and will start the game over completely. This is both a gift and a curse, because as you complete levels you will earn nanites, which can be used to purchase additional upgrades. These upgrades will help to enhance your abilities and help you live much longer.
How Was It?
I enjoyed playing ArcRunner, although constantly restarting in the early stages can become a bit discouraging and repetitive. One thing I did notice is the developers did try to switch things up a bit so you may encounter the same level, but in reverse or you may be provided with a different objective than you had during your last playthrough, and this is just enough to help the levels not feel too redundant.
The Gameplay
Once I got the hang of the game’s core mechanics, I began to enjoy it. Instead of feeling discouraged every time I died, I began to get excited because I had stored so many nanites that my next playthrough would be greatly improved. You’ll also need to be mindful of your weapon choices and pick the best tool for the job. I’d recommend experimenting to find out which combination suits you best. I liked to use the Thunderbolt, it’s a weapon that fires a beam of lightning, that allows me to hit multiple targets at once.
Challenges
There are also challenges, and boxes you can find during the level. Once you’ve defeated all of the enemies, take some time to walk around and explore the map. You can complete challenges, to gain rewards such as some health, or armor which can be vital to your survival.
Multiplayer
Currently, there isn’t a PvP option for this game, but you can jump into ArcRunner with several of your friends and work together to complete the game. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to test out the multiplayer, but I think it’s a perfect addition to an arcade shooter like this. I would have loved to fend off the AI robot hordes with a friend or two.
The World and Visuals
ArcRunner is a very good-looking game with an aesthetic that is generally pleasing to the eye. I played ArcRunner using my Xbox Series X console, and I think it ran very well, but this a game that is also designed to run on the base Xbox One so the developers aren’t going to be pushing the envelope visually, but ArcRunner’s style gets the job done. The game’s cyberpunk-esque aesthetic fits perfectly with the story they are telling here, and it was a good choice in my opinion.
My only gripe throughout my playthrough is the camera. It’s perfectly fine while the enemies are in front of you, but if you happen to get too close or get stuck in a corner, you’ll have a hard time seeing yourself. This only happened on a few occasions, but it’s still pretty annoying to happen when you’re in the middle of a life-or-death gunfight. Hopefully, this is something the development staff can patch.
If you try and keep the enemies in front of you, you shouldn’t run into this camera issue in the meantime.
Final Thoughts
ArcRunner is a very solid game for what it is and I did enjoy my time playing it and plan to continue progressing through its many levels even after this review. I have decided to give ArcRunner a score of 8 out of 10. It’s a really fun game, that looks great, encourages replayability, and I encourage you to play it for yourself and give it a shot.
Are you excited for ArcRunner? Let me know by leaving a comment down below.
