Ilfonic is a studio that I have a definite soft spot for. I think this is simply because they always try to think outside the box to bring gaming experiences that are different from others. Whilst they don’t always get everything perfect, their games have been fun, at least for me they have. Whilst they are working away at another movie-infused title in Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed, we see the release of Arcadegeddon on the Xbox family of consoles. After launching on Windows PC and Playstation first, it is finally time to shine on the green side of the fence.

Introduction

All good things come to those who wait right? Whilst Arcadegeddon has been available elsewhere for the best part of a year, we get the chance to play the game with most of the kinks ironed out. Ilfonic has strayed away from the blockbuster movie-orientated genre and come up with a unique and fresh creation. This is essentially a third-person shooter with rogue-lite elements that can be played solo or cooperatively with some competitive PVP gameplay thrown in. At the time of writing the game retails at a reasonable £24.99/$29.99 with a whole feast of features. Dolby Atmos, 60FPS+ and Xbox Cross-Platform multiplayer to name a few. With a low-cost entry, I assure you it is one you’ll want to pay to enter.

Story

There is a bit of a backstory to start the game off and this comes in the form of conversations and dialogue. Soon after a short five-minute tutorial to familiarise yourself with the control scheme, you meet up with the owner of a local arcade called Gilly. You soon find out that his business is under threat from a mega-corporation. To counter this Gilly takes all the arcade games and fuses them together. Bad news though as the mega-corporation Fun Fun Co. injects a virus and creates havoc. It then becomes your mission alongside your friends to rid of this virus and save the local arcade. Along the way, you’ll be hooking up with new friends and gangs within the arcade who will give you work to do to achieve goals and fight this virus.

Gameplay

First-person shooters are my main go-to genre when it comes to having a gun at hand, but I can gel well with third-person if the gameplay is spot on. Thankfully the team have nailed it here in Arcadegeddon in every single aspect. Character movement is as fluid as the behemoth that is Fortnite, and shooting mechanics are a joy to play with. Everything feels how you’d want it to feel, and for that, I tip my hat to the team.

In between gameplay you’ll be hanging out in the arcade, conversing with gangs who will give you tasks to go away and achieve. From the off, you’ll be plunged into the adventure mode where the main goal is to smash through as many levels as possible without dying or to defeat a series of four bosses who appear throughout your run. Think of it as almost like The Binding Of Isaac or Diablo III but with guns and a third-person perspective, you don’t know what to expect with each level and every time it gets harder.

Levelling Up & Cosmetics

Once you eventually succumb to death or beat the run you’ll be awarded tickets and XP. There is a ranking system to level up your character and doing so will unlock more goodies such as perks and abilities that will increase your strength, endurance and make you harder to slay in the arenas. No shooter is complete these days without cosmetic items and they are present here with options to change your attire and weapon skins. There is a purpose to keep plodding along with these adventure runs though since eventually you’ll be able to unlock your favourite weapons and start out with them rather than gambling on finding something decent in the game world.

Plenty Of Toys To Play With!

The variance of weaponry on offer through the game is impressive and I counted 30+ different guns to pick and choose from. If you get tired of using a particular gun then you’ll find loot crates scattered around levels, but you may have to look pretty hard for them since they aren’t always visible. Coins can be collected by smashing several crates and between each level you’ll be given the opportunity to replenish health, ammunition and purchase different buffs and weapons before you storm through the next door. Almost all the weapons felt insanely exciting to use apart from a few which just froze enemies, but you’ll always have a baseball bat to hand and switching quickly to attack also feels great.

Graphics & Audio

I absolutely adore the visuals throughout Arcadegeddon. The game is rich with bright vivid and neon-infused aesthetics. Character models are similar to what you’d see in Fortnite in their movement and fluidity. With the adventure mode presenting you with procedurally generated levels, no playthrough ever felt the same. The presentation is very appealing to the eye with the rich and vibrant colours appearing in a solid 60FPS on Xbox Series X. I did notice an occasional frame drop and a little slow down when things got a bit too hectic on screen. But 99% of the time, the buttery smooth gameplay compliments the graphics. 

The audio is simply sublime with an incredible soundtrack. With a mix of genres of what I’d describe as futuristic hip-hop, dubstep and high-tempo beats. Without this range of music, the game wouldn’t be nearly as good. With these banging tracks, it just fuels your adrenalin for maximum enjoyment. Sound effects and narrated dialogue are equally fantastic. The development team have done magnificent work all around to create what I’d say is a super polished experience.

In Conclusion

Arcadegeddon provided me with a huge amount of fun. Whilst it can be casual, it also caters to hardcore shooter fans who want a real challenge. For the most part of the review I played solo and loved every second, but it is the perfect cooperative game and also brings competitive PVP into the mix. The procedurally generated levels grant players almost unlimited replayability and longevity. Whilst I feel there could be a bit more variance in enemy types, boss fights and the tasks you carry out, it isn’t a game you’ll want to skip if you love third-person shooters or co-op excitement with online friends. With the lack of shooters on the horizon in 2022, it’s one you’ll want in your collection.

Overall
  • 85%
    CX Score - 85%
85%

Summary

Pros

  • Procedurally generated levels provide endless unlimited replayability and longevity
  • Amazingly orchestrated soundtrack
  • Gameplay is beautifully displayed and mechanically fluid
  • Co-op and competitive play is fantastic fun

 

Cons

  • Enemy types can get rather repetitive
  • Could do with more variety in the tasks required to complete levels
  • Cosmetics seem quite limited at present
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