Secrets of Arcadia

Fun as hell. No grinding here; this is just a simple throwback. Does not take very long to defeat, but worth the buck I paid for it. Focus on gameplay and no restrictions type structure makes this game very fun, very easy. I like the fact that it saves anywhere. More games should focus on being actual fun. :-p

A love letter to old pick-up-and-play fantasy games with a deep customization system and a co-op mode that will pull you back in for multiple sessions. Right off the bat with its charming throwback aesthetic, Secrets of Arcadia promises to be a colorful romp through dark caves, mystical icy corridors, and old forgotten castles, harkening back to the games you played as a kid. SoA maneuvers this well-trod territory with style and never seems to overstay its welcome primarily thanks to the implementation of a (surprisingly versatile) ability system that allows players to purchase upgrades across class lines. As healing items and gems (the game’s primary currency) are plentiful, especially in the later phases of the game, the core rhythm of the game quickly settles into clearing levels to gain gems and unlocking as many upgrades as possible in order to play with the many different character customization options. As a solo experience the game is perfectly acceptable. You’ll find yourself upgrading your character, avoiding traps, and taking fewer hits as you learn to implement the game’s fluid dodge-and-strike rhythm. However, it must be said that the real fun to be had here is in…

This is a great little retro game, especially for a co-op playthough. There's some cute referential humor and simplistic, but still fun arpg-ish gameplay. I can definitely recommend this for the price. Doubly-so if you've got someone to play with. I can't, however, leave this game's flaws unmentioned. There are a number of small issues, I'd love to see addressed that would make this not just a recommended game, but a game I could sing praises for. The gameplay is fun but does get rather samey as the levels go-on. Luckily right about the time boredom might set in, you reach the final boss. A litte more variety could cure this though. While the levels do change up tilesets and add a few more features as you get deeper, the layout is always your basic old-school roguelike style rooms and corridors. If the cave levels had more cave-shaped maps, and the castle level looked more like a building's floorplan rather than the same layout as previous levels, I'd be much happier. A few more enemy types with some different AIs and attack types would help as well. The other issue I have is the money. You get money quickly, and while it'll take a little bit to buy a full set of skills, you'll …

This game is fun to play and includes some witty dialogue for added flavour! Lacks a challenge, but playing with mouse and keyboard does seem to add a little difficulty.

This game is a pretty decent dungeon crawler. The controls are what sort of ruined it for me, but if I would have used a controller maybe it would have been better.

The game is fun until it becomes too repetitive, I think it's worth on sale.